the morning grind

-- The Billy Packer-Sirius Satellite Radio deal that would have given Packer his own college basketball talk show is dead. CBS, "Fudge" Packer's primary employer, refused to bless the deal Billy had agreed to. I'm crushed and blame CBS execs for ruining New Year's. Your thoughts on possible replacements? My suggestion is for Sirius to ink Jon Sundvold in Packer's place.

-- Bruce Pascoe writes up Josh Pastner's revelation about Mohamed Tangara: the Mali native has been starving himself to save money. Each month, Tangara sends his African family a $150-$200 check. A must-read.

"I remember going to his dorm room, where he had cheese crackers and cheese nibs," Pastner said. "He had a thing of saltine crackers, and that was it. He kept saying it was the cheapest thing so he could save all his money. He was living on pretzels and crackers. It was amazing."

-- The University of Pittsburgh and the state have sued the architects and contractors who worked on the Petersen Events Center, Pit's new basketball arena, claiming a shoddy design and construction has left the two year-old building with more than 200 holes in its roof and subpar ventilation, sprinkler and communications systems.

-- St. John's upset North Carolina State, prompting the New York Daily News to suggest that "only things missing on this feel-good night were Chris Mullin-era throwback jerseys." A harbinger of the success that Norm Roberts will make common at the once-proud institution.

-- Don Vetter pens a piece on Nevada assistant David Carter and the challenges of recruiting for a WAC school. Losing Trent Johnson to Stanford can't help.

-- Suggesting that much to the delight of Kansas fans, Quin Snyder may hang on at Missouri for longer than we once thought, Mizzou stunned Gonzaga. And this intrepid blogger, who had all but written off Jason Conley and the Tigers after a series of early-season losses.

-- Francisco Garcia celebrates his birthday today. If only Rick Pitino would get out of his face, the Louisville star could enjoy the festivities in his honor.

-- Duke captains Daniel Ewing and J.J. Redick appeared on ESPN2's Cold Pizza this morning. Shav Randolph watched from his hospital bed in disgust.

-- Salim Stoudamire and Channing Frye are talking the talk in Tucson, suggesting the 'Cats may yet cash in on their enormous potential.

-- Meet Ronald Ramon. (You ought to).

-- Georgetown is 45-0 all time against the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (though during the 1942-43 season, the Hoyas lost 57-42 to Norfolk State, then a military academy).