DaytonDailyNews.com

I got a press release last week with the heading "Toughman Tickets Make The Perfect Christmas Gift." So true. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" quite like an event that features out-of-shape galoots trying to knock each other into Indiana. That said, I am having trouble coming up with gift ideas for Jill, so I just might be taking her to Hara Arena for next month's fisticuffs.

BCS debate: So, it comes down to Ohio State and Boise State for the final at-large berth in the much-maligned Bowl Championship Series. The smart money is on the Buckeyes, who likely will face Texas in the Fiesta Bowl.

If I had to make the pick, I'd take a hard look at Boise State. The Broncos' best win — at Oregon — is better than any 'W' Ohio State has put on the board. The big factors in bowl games are TV ratings and fans. Boise State has a large, rabid fan base that travels. And after that win over Oklahoma a couple years ago, who wouldn't tune in to watch BSU?

How about drafting a rule that says teams with four losses (Virginia Tech) can't play in a BCS bowl. The Orange Bowl — with Cincinnati the opponent for Tech — will be popular here, but fans in other time zones won't give it a thought.

Suburban success: You could make a great argument that Kettering and Centerville make up the best area for high school football in the state of Ohio. Yeah, we'll remember that Alter — located on the south side of Kettering, close to Centerville — won the Division IV state title.

But don't forget this: Centerville and Fairmont (Kettering's big high school) both made the Division I playoffs. That's three playoff teams that get the bulk of their players from an area with a population of about 100,000. Combined, the three schools went 28-9 on the field.

Taking aim: I've always been hot/cold on Tony Kornheiser but he did a great job in the "Monday Night Football" interview with sleazy agent Drew Rosenhaus, who was spinning it for client Plaxico Burress.

Kornheiser twice asked the question I was begging for: Why did Burress have a gun in his pocket while partying at a nightclub? He hammered away and got The Look from Rosenhaus. Excellent.

Quick hits: I'm counting Michigan's victory over Duke in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. That makes the final count 6-6. ... Great dunk by UD's Chris Wright against Marquette. But after watching it on You Tube, I'm thinking Wright traveled. ... Tim Tebow's nice and Sam Bradford has a nice vertical, but I'm backing Colt McCoy for the Heisman.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2163

or bkollars@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Dallas Stars trouble-maker Sean Avery gave the NHL some free publicity last week by using a crude remark when referring to his former girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert. Certainly, the locker-room language used by Avery was unacceptable, but equally disturbing was this comedian's ridiculous choice of eye wear when he showed up in NYC to chat with hockey boss Gary Bettman. Half of Avery's six-game suspension probably was for raiding Elton John's closet.