Some sports material to enjoy with your morning coffee and get you to the weekend.

With sports and sports media focusing on subjects such as performance-enhancing drugs, NFL quarterbacks’ retirement or reinstatements, college recruiting scandals and hotel voyeurism, a lot of the good in sports is often overlooked.  In this excellent article for SI.com, Kevin Armstrong chronicles the support Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich has received in his battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer with which he was diagnosed in the spring.  As exemplified by Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis and the Clemson team and university community, who would consider Mark and the Eagles far from friends on the gridiron, athletes and coaches do not need to wear the same uniform to all be fighting for the same victory.

It’s college basketball time all the time in North Carolina.  The Charlotte Observer says the 2010 ACC basketball season will be close and that BC is among the teams that can emerge as a “dark horse” to win the conference.  The Triangle-based News and Observer also provides a summer basketball preview and has BC at the top with UNC and Florida State.   In addition he News and Observe has ACC football previews.  The Boston Herald has good coverage of BC and the ACC.  The Boston Globe will likely run original material for the Eagles’ basketball games against UNC and Duke and a couple football games.

The Pirates did not make any trades on Thursday but still has until 4pm EST Friday to make a non-waiver deal.  That is if there are players left at the Major League level of the Pirates system.  The Dodgers acquired Baltimore Orioles reliever George Sherill for two minor league players.

Foxsports.com columnist Kevin Hench writes a letter of thanks to Brett Favre.

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi says that trade talks for Halladay are all but dead.  The Red Sox and Indians are reportedly discussing a deal that would send Cleveland first baseman/catcher Victor Martinez to the Red Sox.  A third team will likely get involved.

With the Red Sox’s comeback win over the A’s Thursday afternoon and a Yankees ninth-inning loss to the White Sox that night, the Sox trail in the AL East by 2.5 games.

Julio Lugo is tearing it up as a second baseman and shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals.  Since he was given to the Cards by the Red Sox last week, Lugo is 10 for 25 with a homerun and stolen base.  His fielding hasn’t been bad either.

Until the Dallas Stars Ice Girls make their 2009 Lake Day video, we’re stuck with the 2008 edition.  And 2007, in which you learn about the squad.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is pitching Air Tran.

The new United Football League plans to bring pro football to Hartford in 2009.  The league has not yet announced team names.  Michael Vick says he’s talking to pro teams, but did not specify that they are NFL teams.  Franchise QB for the New Whalers?