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Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins and Olympic champion sailor Ben Ainslie were honored with knighthoods by Queen Elizabeth II in her New Year list this weekend.
Wiggins became the first British rider to win the Tour de France, and won the Olympic time trial 11 days later in the London Games.
Ainslie won his fourth consecutive gold medal to become the most successful Olympic sailor ever.
The pair headed a special, Olympic-heavy honors list that contains all of Britain's gold medalists as well as coaches and top officials.
Sebastian Coe, who masterminded the smooth running of the games as chairman of the London organizing committee, was awarded a Companion of Honour — a title given to no more than 65 people at one time.
Tennis player Andy Murray was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Good part-time gig
It's not easy finding good seasonal work, but Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez — who'll coach the Badgers in the Rose Bowl after Bret Bielema's departure to Arkansas — did exactly that.
Alvarez will get the same pay that Bielema's contract called for: $118,500, plus another $50,000 if the Badgers win.
Penalty on the play
Virginia Tech defensive back Antone Exum used the $470 Best Buy gift card he got from the Russell Athletic Bowl to buy holiday gifts for three youngsters he met in the store.
Noted Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "Good for him but bad for the kids: The NCAA just declared them ineligible for the 2020 season."
Still not sure which
Headline from SportsPickle.com: "Giants either terrible or about to win the Super Bowl."