For the second time in a little over a week, Pau Gasol watched the final minutes of a Lakers game from the bench. Kobe Bryant says that Gasol has to take it into his own hands to change that. "Put your big-boy pants on," Bryant said after the Lakers' 113-103 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday that dropped the team's record to just 8-9. "Just adjust. Just adjust. You can't whine about it. You can't complain about it." Gasol was subbed out with 6:07 remaining in the fourth quarter and the Lakers up 84-83. Orlando outscored L.A. 30-19 the rest of the way. Gasol ended his night with 11 points of 4-for-11 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists and a block in 29 minutes. "I don't get irritated," Gasol said of the benching. (ESPN Los Angeles) Comment

What for months had been somewhat manufactured seems finally to have come true as Rex Ryan benched Mark Sanchez in favor of Greg McElroy, who earned the win. Ryan would not say who his starting quarterback will be next week when the Jets travel to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars. It would be stunning if the Jets went back to Sanchez, their starter for the last four years. After the game, he and Ryan had an animated discussion at his locker with Sanchez looking very unhappy. ... Conspiracy theorists will ask whether Ryan used Tebow???s ribs as an excuse to keep him out, wanting to play McElroy instead. Tebow was active 10 days prior against the Patriots with the same injury, but never entered the game. (New York Post) Comment

With Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford now gone, it may be hard to remember back to the time Boston won an offseason. What is the likelihood the Sox make a major move this offseason, acquiring another high-profile player? They do, after all, have an extra quarter-billion dollars or so to spend after August's blockbuster trade sent Gonzalez, Crawford, Josh Beckett, and ' Punto -- and their salaries for 2013 and beyond -- to the Dodgers. "I don't know," said general manager Ben Cherington. "I can't handicap it. You can't rule it out. I certainly wouldn't rule it in. I think if there's a deal that we feel really makes us, the organization, stronger short and long term, we'll pursue it." (CSNNE.com) Comment