With Collins, Redskins Have Plenty in Reserve

Did Strayer play?

Okay, Georgia crushed Hawaii, but if you had a choice, students, where would you prefer to attend class?

Finally

¿ The Capitals have a nice run (11-6-4) going under new coach Bruce Boudreau, climbing out of the Southeast Division cellar and resulting in some of their fans uttering the "p" word.

Still, Canadian reporters love to poke the Caps in coverage about a potential contract extension for Alex "The Great" Ovechkin. The Toronto Sun reported Ovechkin was "insulted" by the Caps' offer of $37.5 million for five years. The Sun says Ovie wants $9 million to $10 million a year, so the two parties do not seem far apart. Besides, Ovie likes it here, I'm told, as does the Wizards' Agent Zero, who can become a free agent blogger and sign with Yahoo.com after this season.

¿ Brian Billick's nine-year tenure as Ravens coach ended this past week when owner Steve Bisciotti fired him after a 5-11 season. But if tackle Jonathan Ogden retires as some fans expect, he would have had a remarkable career. Eleven Pro Bowls in 12 years. How many St. Albans grads can say that? Not even Al Gore.

¿ Snippets from a West Palm Beach Snowbird: Bird of prey (not Tony's friend Falk) attacking sea gulls in the neighborhood, and Christmas Day slugfest across the street made me think of Howard Cosell stopping his limo to break up a nasty brawl in the south Bronx en route to a title fight at Yankee Stadium about 30 years ago. "This is Howard Cosell and I want this fight stopped right now," recalled author Dave Kindred, a Cosell confidant. That fight ended; my response was to remind my area combatants it was Christmas. They also stopped fighting.

Have a comment or question? Reach me attalkback@washpost.com.