​I swear this recently reopened Sportatorium isn't an afterthought; and bless those of you still posting in Thursday's item -- hey, there's Merten. Efforts are underway to better reboot this thing sooner than later. But in the meantime, feel free to fill Joe Tone's inbox with random observerations and enders and recipes. He loves that.

But this item, this nugget of gold, I could not keep to myself. It comes to us courtesy CBS News and concerns not the Cowboys 44-7 win over Buffalo (which somehow didn't feel as impressive as it might have looked, especially during that very shrugging second half, which i guess one could blame on blowout let-up ...?), but the travails of one former Dallas Maverick. It would appear someone stole Shawn Bradley bicycle, a custom-belt Trek. But it has been found. Because, well, how you gonna resell that sumbitch?

Authorities wouldn't reveal a motive for the theft, but Bradley speculated that anybody who took it simply was looking for something they could pawn for quick cash.

They certainly weren't going to ride it - as it is about 50 percent larger than what a normal-sized person would ride. Trek never even included a serial number when it built the bike in 2005 because it is so unique.

"I'm guessing he just walked it away," [Sgt. Brian] Wright said of the suspect, who stands just 6-foot.

I'll try to better from here on out. And see what Sam's doing, besides combing his hair.

Courtesy G+

​Don't think for a second this small attempt to resurrect a sports blog is an afterthought. We'll get there ... sooner than later. But on a day like today: Where to begin? Penn State, no doubt, far from home for most but not for all, and certain top of mind on this day as news comes of riots breaking out over Joe Paterno's firing. "The media is responsible for JoePa going down," says a freshman. Right -- not, say, Jerry Sandusky.

But there is brighter news: The Dallas Stars sale has been moved up to a week from tomorrow, as Tom Gaglardi is the lone bidder for the bankrupt, best-in-the-NHL franchise. Reports Brandon Worley, all things go according to plan, Your Dallas Stars will be in new hands some time in December. Happy Christmas.

By that time, though, Mike Maddux may be the new Chicago Cubs manager. Hate to see the Rangers' pitching coach go; he was, after all, no Tom House. As he tells ESPN, there's much to consider before he packs his bags again:

"We have a lot of things to think about and a lot of things to weigh," Maddux said. "Family is very important. I played for a long time and when I finished playing my kids were 10 years old and 8 years old. I said what happened? So I got into coaching right away, and we moved the family to Wisconsin. At least we were together.

"Then I went to Texas. For the first two years my wife and youngest daughter stayed in Wisconsin. My oldest daughter was with me in college in Texas. As of June my family resides together. That had not happened in three years, and that's pretty special. There does come a time when you have to stop and smell the roses. There are a lot of tough decisions that would have to be made."

Then, finally, this just arrived in the inbox: an infographic showing the real loses resulting from the NBA lockout -- everyone from small-market teams to shoe manufacturers to cities losing millions in sales tax revenue from drinks and meals not sold.