It was, said mayor Nucky Thompson Lorenzo Langford, in honor of Vick’s efforts “lifting the spirits of our residents confined to shelters” in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. This apparently went better than Vick’s previous honorary key ceremony.

AS Roma president James Pallotta is also a minority owner of the Boston Celtics, and so he gifted Pope Francis with a Celtics jersey during his visit to the Vatican on Wednesday. The Pope says he’ll wear it while hanging out at the mall.

Question that Roger Goodell is most often asked: how come no one’s made an opera based on the life of former Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips? Well, our prayers have been answered. If, that is, the theater company producing it can raise $20,000.

San Francisco was named as the host site for the Super Bowl in 2016, beating out Miami for the honor in a vote by NFL owners in a somewhat odd Super Bowl selection show on the NFL Network moments ago. Houston got the 2017 game, with Miami also the bridesmaid there. That means no Super Bowl on an aircraft carrier in the foreseeable future.

What if The Muppet Show merged with Lord of the Rings and was being developed into a TV cartoon series by a four-time NFL Pro Bowl defensive lineman? I know you’ve thought about that many times. Now, it’s happening. Beware: poisonous frog army ahead!