Thoughts on NFL playoffs, Pussycat Dolls, Heat, more 

                    

	The Pussycat Dolls are featured in a new NBA ad that doesn't seem to be up to date. Jamie McCarthy/WireImage.com

Because I'm not sure if I'm ready for a world where the most famous living person named James Brown is a jovial NFL studio host, here are 10 things I learned about the sports world this weekend...

1. It's Peyton Manning's world, we're all just living in it. For the next two weeks, you'll see innumerable articles about Manning's work ethic, his lineage, his incredible ability, his aw-shucks persona. But don't forget: Peyton's never won a championship game, going back more than a decade now since he enrolled at Tennessee. (Lesson here? If you're a really good high school athlete, don't go to Tennessee.) CBS' Jim Nantz tried to play up Peyton's thumb injury -- "One of the grittiest performances you'll ever see!" Nantz shilled -- but Tony Dungy and owner Jim Irsay were having none of it. They both gave all the credit to God, so now we all know that God likes the Indianapolis Colts more than the New England Patriots. And if Peyton does win the big one, the bigger question is, Can he win the Pro Bowl?

Also, how many interviews did Peyton do postgame last night? The man has never met a media member he can't charm, a microphone he can't tame, a question he can't answer by beginning his response with, "Well..."

One other stat: Peyton was 0-3 at Tennessee in starts against Florida. Rex Grossman? He went to Florida.

2. The Chicago Bears have a very real chance of winning a Super Bowl with the worst starting quarterback in Super Bowl history. Rest easy, Trent Dilfer! Grossman finished yesterday's NFC Championship game 11 for 26 for 144 yards, but he began by going 2 for 8 for 7 yards before hitting a 30 yard completion. After Grossman threw one 6-yard out pass to a receiver running a 9-yard out pattern, I texted my friend Sam, an embattled New York Giants fan, and asked him if he'd rather have Grossman or Eli Manning as his QB. "That's a question the guy from Saw would ask," Sam responded. Maybe, but if you've seen enough of them you'll know it's valid.

And has there ever been a team that swipes at the ball as frequently and as effectively as these Bears? They've done it so much that on the play last night where Michael Lewis returned a kick and was laying on the ground, the officials not only allowed the Bears to rip the ball out and recover it but they chose to ignore the replay.

3. The NBA and ABC ran the heck out of their new commercial spot featuring the Pussycat Dolls. The song is arguably unlistenable, like something rejected from the musical Annie, with the bratty orphans yelping "Right now!" (Redeeming factor: The song includes jazz flute! Call Ron Burgundy!) But the really weird part is that the lead singer is wearing a No. 8 Kobe Bryant jersey. So either they filmed the ad before last season's playoffs, or everyone involved with the ad from ABC and the Pussycat Dolls and the NBA didn't know that Kobe was switching to No. 24, even though it was huge news from May onwards. Embarrassing.

4. Anyone watching the Australian Open? Didn't think so.

5. Your defending NBA champions Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday to fall to 18-22, but don't count them out just yet. Even playing without The Diesel, the most dominant center in the League, the Heat gave the Mavs a run for their money. And they're still just 1/2 game out of the playoff race. Once Riley returns and Shaq gets back, the Heat will warm enough to make the Playoffs. And then, anything can happen.