To know list: 7 months till your favorite NFL team gets to try again

[1] AFTER THE SUPER BOWL

It's on to next season ...

Forget the dollars dropped last weekend, and look ahead to recouping those losses. (You know, if you're into that sort of thing.)

John Avello, director of the race and sports books at Bally's and Paris hotels in Las Vegas, gives us a line on the favorites to win next February's big game. If these early numbers are right, Super Bowl 40 is going to look a lot like Super Bowl 39.

It should be no surprise that the Patriots are the favorites in the opening line. But Avello reminds bettors these odds will change "drastically" as the usual tumultuous offseason shapes what could happen next season.--Kara Yorio

[2] ... and into the sunset

Emmitt Smith is done (page 10), and speculation still surrounds Brett Eavre. Meanwhile, at the sport's biggest game, at least one other player quietly leaned toward retirement.

Eagles running back Dorsey Levens thinks he still can play. But the 11-year veteran, who won a Super Bowl with the Packers and also played for the Giants, doesn't want to wait for, say, an injury somewhere in the league to facilitate his signing. He'd rather walk away from the game after playing on its biggest stage.

Levens is not alone. Philly tight end Jeff Thomason is headed back to the job site. Of course, there might be others who decide now to pack it in--gone without a national press conference, but gone all the same.--K.Y.

[3] ICE STORM

NHL life isn't quite ideal

Last week was a particularly rough one for NHL players. First they were ripped by IOC president Jacques Rogge for not embodying the Olympic ideal. Then a veteran player in the United Hockey League called Chris Chelios, Derian Hatcher and Kris Draper "hypocrites" for joining a league with a salary cap.

Kevin Kerr, the all-time minor league goal-scoring leader, is correct. The salary cap clearly is not a moral absolute to these guys--who see nothing wrong with taking a minor leaguer's job after making many millions in their capless careers.

But was Rogge serious?

"Forget about huge salaries and wages," he said. "Olympic athletes compete for the honor of their country."

Wars used to pause for the Olympics, too.

Rogge should end corporate sponsorship and allow only amateur competitors again if he wants to pretend money and the Olympics aren't linked like the Olympic rings--for the athletes and the organizers.--K.Y.

[4] POWER VS. POWER

SHOWDOWN SAMMY

Sammy Sosa's trade to the Orioles will create frequent showdowns for him against two of the game's most dominant pitchers--Yankees lefthander Randy Johnson and Red Sox righthander Curt Schilling.

American League East opponents face each other 19 times under the unbalanced schedule. A staff ace such as Johnson or Schilling could start as many as five games against a division opponent.

If you ask Sosa, he'd rather see Schilling.

Sosa is only 12-for-52 lifetime (.231) against Johnson, with four homers, 25 strikeouts and four walks. However, he's 17-for-52 (.327) against Schilling, with seven homers, 21 strikeouts and two walks. Only one other pitcher has allowed Sosa as many as seven homers--Royals righthander Jose Lima.--Ken Rosenthal

[5] YOU HEARD IT HERE

'I hit a ball deep in the gap, and I heard Dusty, on the top step yelling, "Pimp Him!"--meaning, running around the bases with one flap down in my home run trot. Dusty is a brother's brother! How could you not get along with Dusty Baker? That's the problem that I have with Sammy Sosa.'

--Former Giants outfielder Deion Sanders, as a guest host last week on Sporting News Radio

[6] TROUBLE IN TROY

Defending champs could be missing Chow in '05

That Southern California dynasty everyone has spoken of might be crumbling--or at least taking its first serious hit. Trojans offensive coordinator Norm Chow is looking to leave Troy, trying to further his career and avoid an increasingly strained relationship with coach Pete Carroll.

Chow, 58--a longtime college offensive coordinator who has developed and coached two Heisman Trophy winners in his four years at USC--feels as if spending time as an NFL coordinator would enhance his ability to land a head coaching job in college. He was publicly disappointed about losing out on the Stanford job, and team sources say he was upset when Carroll helped Texas assistant Greg Robinson get the Syracuse job. Carroll and Robinson broke into coaching together as graduate assistants at Pacific nearly 30 years ago.

Should Chow leave--he reportedly was in talks last week with the Titans--Carroll would promote receivers coach Lane Kiffin, 29, to offensive coordinator and bring back Steve Sarkisian, 30, as quarterbacks coach. Sarkisian is the quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders and had a strong relationship with USC quarterback Matt Leinart during Leinart's sophomore season.

Sarkisian would soften the blow of losing Chow, to whom Leinart is close. But USC would be losing the game's best play-caller, and the key cog in its offensive production over the past three years.--Matt Hayes