* For those looking for further evidence–beyond a winning season–that the Bucs are headed in the right direction, there is this: The Atlanta Falcons are in the Super Bowl. The same Falcons that began their season with a 31-24 loss to the Bucs.
The other NFL takeaway is that other than the New England Patriots and the Cleveland Browns, the league is largely one of parity–with no lack of “any given Sunday” reaffirmations.
* For the record, the Los Angeles Dodgers have MLB’s highest payroll: $255 million. The Rays are next-to-last at $67 million. The Milwaukee Brewers are last at $65.5 million. The top six: Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers, Giants and Cubs. It matters. Just ask Joe Maddon.