Today's Names to Know in today's Sporting News column:

Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Roger Penske, Jeff Teague, Bill Belichick, Ray Allen, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Mike Bibby, Kelvin Sampson, Kevin Love, Memphis vs. UAB, Brenda Frese, Andy Pettitte, Mark Prior, NFL Combine and More!

Including...

Why this NBA All-Star Weekend ruled...
Why "push from heaven" is NASCAR's new hotness...
Why Dwight Howard is Superman...
Why Ray Allen should have been All-Star MVP...
Why Bill Belichick is disingenuous in denial...
Why Wake beating Duke should scare Duke fans...
Why trading for Kidd won't matter, but...
Why trading for Bibby will...
Why Kelvin Sampson can breathe easy (for now)...
Why Syracuse fans' season was made...
Why Brenda Frese had the Best. Weekend. Ever....
Why all eyes are on Andy Pettitte today...
And so much more... after the jump.

I'm still getting over Dwight Howard in the Dunk Contest. Vince Carter was my previous (post-Jordan) gold standard, but what Howard did arguably topped Carter. Personally, it was like an antidote to the toxicity of last week's Clemens hearings.

Happy President's Day, for those of you checking in.

-- D.S.

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• Sports Illustrated Kidd deal near as Van Horn accepts Feb 19
• Awful Announcing Create The Caption #168 Feb 19
• AOL Fanhouse Hank Steinbrenner's Glass House is Destroyed by Football Shaped Stone Feb 19
• Awful Announcing The Guiness Record For Half Court Shots In A Minute Was Three? Feb 19
• The Sports Frog Mike Bibby's Impact for the Hawks Feb 19