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Sharks go looking for R&R

While the rest of the NHL might have a little rest and recuperation on their minds over the festive period, the San Jose Sharks will head into tomorrow's clash with the Chicago Blackhawks hoping for a different kind of R&R: revenge and retribution. Having lost both encounters against the Western Conference leaders so far this season - including a one-sided 7-2 blowout last time out in San Jose - the Sharks will endeavour to stop the rot in the Windy City, knowing they could well be back there in May with a trip to the Stanley Cup final on the line.

Taking the shine off

There's nothing sparkling about the Emerald Bowl in Pete Carroll's eyes. After featuring in Bowl Championship Series games in each of the last seven years, and picking up two national championships and three Heisman Trophies to boot, the ever-proud University of Southern California Trojans have been reduced to a Boxing Day encounter with Boston College at San Francisco's AT&T Park - a baseball stadium for heaven's sake. Still, with their roster of future NFL talent, at least the game's organizers won't have to give away tickets. It's unlikely those putting on Toronto's International Bowl can say the same.

Small victories

It's good the diminutive Lionel Messi has his Barcelona teammates around to help him lug all his silverware home. Standing a slight 5-foot-7 after battling a growth hormone deficiency in his youth, the task will likely get even more onerous for the Argentine winger today, as he is favoured to add the FIFA World Player of the Year award to the Ballon d'Or he won last month and the Champions League, European Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, Copa del Rey and the World Club Cup titles he's helped the all-conquering Catalan club capture this year.

Team Canada taking it easy

No one likes doing anything taxing over the Christmas period, and that may even extend to those representing Canada in international hockey at this busy time of year. Luckily for the nation's world junior team, it gets to ease into the action this year, barely breaking a sweat through its first two games - against Latvia on Boxing Day and Switzerland two days later - before raising its pulse slightly against Slovakia and the United States.