Here are some nuggets to savor as Rickapolis prepares to pick this week's winner on America's Funniest Home Videos:

• The NFL players union has been ordered by a court to pay $28.1 million to retired players for failing to include them in marketing deals for the “Madden NFL” videogames. It seems the union was hoping the former players were too punch-drunk to notice.

• A Kansas woman who alleges that Larry Johnson spit a drink in her face is now suing the Chiefs RB. It remains to be seen if Johnson will take the advice of his coach Herm Edwards: “You pay to win the lawsuit.”

• The penny-pinching A’s have surprised the baseball world by trading for Rockies OF Matt Holliday. In a related story, Matt Holliday is now on the trading block.

• Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting even though, it turns out, he’s not technically a rookie. But don’t worry, Bud Selig plans to give Volquez a lovely participation trophy.

• Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis says he’ll call the plays for the Irish offense this Saturday against Navy. Still, he pointed out it won’t be his fault if the players screw them up.

• A 22-year-old Dane named Peter Eastgate beat Russian Ivan Demidov to win the World Series of Poker title early this morning. Hmmm. How come it’s only our pseudo-sports that have true world championships?