CBS earned an 8.6 overnight rating for Auburn’s last-second win over Alabama yesterday afternoon, marking the second-best overnight rating for any college football game this season, behind only a 9.0 rating for Alabama-Texas A&M on Sept. 14. The 8.6 rating is also up 291% from the same matchup last year. Yesterday’s game peaked at an 11.8 rating from 7:00-7:30pm ET. Birmingham led all markets with a 57.3 local rating.

Meanwhile, ABC earned a 6.4 overnight for Ohio State’s 42-41 win over Michigan in the 12:00pm window yesterday, up slightly from a 6.3 rating last year. The slate of Saturday night college football games was led by Texas A&M-Missouri on ESPN, which earned a 3.6 overnight.

Today's Bengals-Chargers game at Qualcomm Stadium was blacked out locally, marking the first blackout of the NFL season. The Chargers had "more than 5,300 general tickets unsold" as of the league’s Thursday afternoon deadline, "too many to warrant a 24-hour extension from the league." The team last month "narrowly avoided a blackout" for an "MNF" game against the Colts. Local sponsors "stepped forward, and with help also from ESPN, that game was shown." This time, no sponsors "stepped up" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/29).

CBS’ Jason La Canfora reports the Steelers could lose a “sixth- or seventh-round draft pick” after coach Mike Tomlin nearly interfered with a kickoff return during Thursday night’s game against the Ravens. Both the team and Tomlin himself are expected to be fined, with Tomlin’s fine potentially being as high as $100,000. La Canfora said, “Within that franchise, they’re very worried they’re going to lose a draft pick because of this as well” (“That Other Pregame Show,” CBSSN, 12/1).

However, Fox’ Jay Glazer reports the league is “not even talking about” taking away a draft pick from the Steelers. Glazer: “Irony of all ironies: The day before this happened, the NFL actually sent a video to all head coaches saying, ‘Listen, we’re going to warn you right now to stay off the white on special teams plays’” (“Fox NFL Sunday,” Fox, 12/1).

The CBC's Don Cherry last night addressed the recent concussion lawsuit filed by 10 former NHLers against the league during his "Coach's Corner" segment and called it a "money grab, as far as I'm concerned." He noted of the 10 plaintiffs in the suit, there is one who "played 14 games, one played 19 games, one played 20 games." He acknowledged he feels sorry for "some of the guys who maybe got whacked a little," but added, "They say they didn't know the danger going into the National Hockey League? Absolutely ridiculous" ("HNIC," CBC, 11/30).

Markham, Ont., Mayor Frank Scarpitti yesterday said that the city has "signed two new memorandums of understanding that mean no taxpayer dollars will be used" to build the NHL-ready GTA Centre. He added that the first memorandum has "been signed with the private sector" and will see half of the project’s C$325M cost covered by developers and the lease of the arena itself. The second memorandum of understanding has "been signed between the city and GTA Sports and Entertainment, which will cover the other half of building costs" (CP, 11/30).

Scarpitti said of whether ground could be broken on the new arena as early as next year, "In a best-case scenario, yes." Scarpitti and GTA Chair & CEO Graeme Roustan both "downplayed the prospect" of luring a second NHL team to the Toronto area (TORONTO SUN, 12/1).

David Beckham on Thursday said he hopes there will "be an announcement before the New Year" regarding his possible purchase of an MLS expansion franchise in Miami. Beckham, who has a Dec. 31 deadline to exercise his option to purchase an expansion team at a discounted rate of $25M, added, "We haven’t announced that it’s definitely going to be Miami yet, but obviously I’ve been seen in Miami quite a few times. We’re getting the details right at the moment" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/1).

The Royals on Friday announced that they had reached agreement with Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM Dayton Moore "on a two-year contract extension that will extend his tenure" through '16. If Moore completes the deal, he will "become the longest-serving general manager in franchise history." Moore said that he "began serious negotiations 'a couple of weeks ago'" with Royals Chair Dan Glass and reached an agreement on Wednesday. Moore "ranks 10th among major-league general managers in terms of longevity" (K.C. STAR, 11/30).

The Dolphins yesterday placed OT Jonathan Martin on the reserve/non-football illness list, which "officially ended" his season. The team "offered to pay his salary for the final five games of the season, something that is not required for players placed on the non-football illness list." Meanwhile, the Dolphins and suspended G Richie Incognito on Friday "agreed to extend Incognito’s suspension for a maximum of two additional games" beyond today's game against the Jets, giving NFL special investigator Ted Wells "time to finish his investigation into Martin’s allegations" of harassment against Incognito (MIAMI HERALD, 12/1).

ESPN for the January '14 X Games is "keeping the snowmobile freestyle event in the lineup." The event in '13 saw "the tragic death of rider Caleb Moore" (ASPEN DAILY NEWS, 11/28). The net announced Wednesday that one of the new requirements "will be that riders wear body vests." Snowmobiles must also now "be equipped with 'ski springs,' which keep the ski tips facing upward to allow greater ground clearance." There will be "added perimeter protection for fans" (AP, 11/27).

Attorneys for Comcast and NBC Universal have "filed notice to move a state court lawsuit filed by Astros owner Jim Crane against the companies and former Astros owner Drayton McLane to the federal court that is overseeing the Comcast SportsNet Houston involuntary bankruptcy case" (CHRON.com, 11/30).

The NFL on Thursday announced that the first game in the league's Int'l Series next season will be "played in Week 4" on Sept. 28 as the Dolphins play the Raiders, while Lions-Falcons will be played on Oct. 26 and Cowboys-Jaguars will be played on Nov. 9 (AP, 11/28).

Red Sox DH David Ortiz’ World Series beard shavings “sold for almost $11,000” in an auction that ended today. The trimmings were collected by Gillette after Ortiz and RF Shane Victorino had their beards shaved in an event at the company’s HQs (ESPN.com, 12/1).

A source said that reps for free agent 2B Robinson Cano are no longer “holding a hard line” in the demand for a $300M contract for his services (NEWSDAY, 12/1).

NASCAR was identified Wednesday as the buyer of Iowa Speedway (NASCAR).

MLB Cardinals P Shelby Miller and his wife, Amy Peters, today are profiled in the N.Y. Times' "Vows" section (N.Y. TIMES, 12/1).

The Yankees and MasterCard run a half-page ad today in the N.Y. Times offering cardholders exclusive access to individual game tickets with special pricing (THE DAILY).

"I don't anticipate being able to earn back everybody's support, but I certainly intend to do everything in my power to do that and I won't stop trying." -- Brewers LF Ryan Braun, in his first public comments since being suspended for the final 65 games of the '13 season for PED use (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/28).

"We are not going to be a stand-pat team. That’s just not the way we run the railroad here. That’s probably a losing proposition every year." -- Red Sox President & CEO Larry Lucchino, on the team's plans regarding personnel for the upcoming season (BOSTON HERALD, 12/1).

"They’ll say, ‘You’re right, keep going for it, but I can’t be with you publicly.' You’ve got teams in a lot of these states and they are big donors." -- Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), on why he has struggled to gain support from fellow legislators in his effort to revoke the NFL's tax break (POLITICO.com, 11/28).

"It’s a reason why the game has become more reckless, it’s because guys have too much equipment on and they run around like they’re invincible. It is scary for sure." -- Predators LW Eric Nystrom, on why NHL players wearing visors is not good for the game (TENNESSEAN.com, 11/30).

"I have been incredibly thankful to the players and the coaches who have sort of welcomed me with opened arms and treated me as nothing other than a member of the announce team." -- ESPN's Doris Burke, on the respect NBA players and coaches have shown her (CLEVELAND.com, 12/1).

U.S. shoppers spent $9.74B this Black Friday, which marks a drop of 13.2% compared with last year, according to ShopperTrak data released yesterday. However, combined spending on Thanksgiving and Black Friday rose 2.3% to $12.3B. The data shows that Thanksgiving is "becoming an increasingly important shopping day for major retailers" (AP, 12/1).

USA TODAY's Brent Schrotenboer examines the disparity of arrest rates between white and black NFLers, noting black players since January '00 were "arrested nearly 10 times as often as white players (260 to 28)." That accounts for 88% of the 295 NFL traffic-stop arrests that occurred since that time. Sociologists attribute the disproportionate rate to "several social factors in the black population at large, including a disproportionate rate of poverty and single-parent backgrounds" plus racial profiling.

The DENVER POST's Adrian Dater in a front-page piece profiles former NHL enforcer Scott Parker, who retired six years ago and, ever since, is "finding everyday life a more fearsome opponent than any he dropped the gloves against." Parker has short-term memory loss and "frequently is debilitated by seizures." His symptoms "closely resemble those of a growing number of former NHL fighters, as well as athletes in other sports, who suffer from repeated head trauma, an issue both doctors and the governing bodies of pro sports are attempting to address."

Elsewhere:

• Questions on how MLB's new replay system will work remain unanswered.
• Giants, Jets to benefit from Super Bowl XLVIII regardless of if they play in it.
• D-Backs taking hard-line stance toward not signing players linked to PEDs.
• Incoming Univ. of Texas men's AD Steve Patterson inherits array of challenges.
• Driver Dario Franchitti's retirement leaves a big void in the Izod IndyCar Series.
• NHL teams get quick tastes of local food establishments while on the road.
• Texans Owner Bob McNair is looking to replicate Robert Kraft's winning formula.

St. Paul Pioneer Press' Brian Murphy: "The soup-can-and-string quality of Metrodome wireless never disappoints."
 
L.A. Times' Joe Flint: "Please someone tell me KCBS L.A. is not really going to show us Chargers vs Bengals instead of Chiefs - Broncos. #WearenotaChartermarket."

Forbes' Darren Heitner: "Warner Bros. has a partnership w/@UnderArmour on 'Alter Ego' line of performance apparel. Explains Batman branding on Cam Newton shoes."

College football analyst Phil Steele: "December 1, 2013 12:48 PM ET, I have officially started working on the 2014 Phil Steele College Football preview (6 months of work ahead)."

Deadspin's Timothy Burke: "College GameDay's still my favorite show on TV, but its talent sure does shill for a lot of products considering it's a news & analysis show."

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