NBC's Al Michaels during yesterday's Patriots-Ravens game discussed the findings of the Mueller report, noting the report concluded there was no evidence that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "or anyone else in the league had received or seen the tape prior to it going public." NBC’s Cris Collinsworth replied in part, "I never once in all my dealings with the commissioner ever doubted his integrity and I think that came out in the report as well." Michaels: "It did" (“AFC Divisional Playoff: Ravens-Patriots,” NBC, 1/10).

Michaels reportedly was "reading a script" when discussing Goodell. Per audio obtained by DEADSPIN, Michaels can be heard "consulting with his producer and shuffling the papers of the prepared statement -- and the conversation he had" with Collinsworth about it afterwards (DEADSPIN.com, 1/10).

The comments have drawn criticism in print and on Twitter. The Baltimore SUN's David Zurawik: "Seeing the game stopped so that these two could serve as PR operatives to whitewash Goodell’s handling of the matter and burnish his image made me as angry as anything I have seen on TV this year" (Baltimore SUN, 1/11). ESPN's Bill Simmons tweeted, "I like Collinsworth and Michaels but come on. That was like listening to Michael Cole and JBL praising Vince McMahon." SI.com's Richard Deitsch: "I consider Michaels/Collinsworth the best NFL announcing team in my lifetime. But they embarrassed themselves tonight w. the Mueller Report." FoxSports.com's Jimmy Traina: "Cris Collinsworth with one of the most embarrassing moments you'll ever see during a sporting event."

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his wife, Jane, were in the stands at Gillette Stadium for yesterday's Patriots-Ravens game. NBC's Al Michaels said, "The commissioner's here tonight -- not sitting in a luxury box either, just braving the elements" (“AFC Divisional Playoff: Ravens-Patriots,” NBC, 1/10). NBC News' Luke Russert: "Smart PR for the Commish to be amongst the people with his wife but oh my that's a cold price to pay" (TWITTER.com, 1/10). Meanwhile, spotted in Patriots Owner Robert Kraft's box was PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi (THE DAILY).

The "most exclusive party of the College Football Playoff weekend" goes down tonight in the basement of downtown Dallas' Joule Hotel, hosted by The Marketing Arm Founder & CEO Ray Clark, Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban and the hotel's owner, Tim Headington. Clark "wants to show off the agency’s new global hospitality and event practice to big-brand clients such as AT&T, PepsiCo and Frito-Lay." TMA VP/Global Hospitality Lara Beth Seager, who has "created the Bud Light Hotel for the last three Super Bowls," designed the "five-hour high-society soiree" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/11).

LeBron James "helped gift each member of the Ohio State team Beats By Dre headphones" ahead of tomorrow night's CFP national championship game against Oregon. James is a spokesperson for and partner of Beats By Dre, which provided the headphones to the players. An OSU spokesperson said James "helped facilitate the connection" between the company and the school. The gift "was not a violation of NCAA rules" (ESPN.com, 1/10). Oregon players also "received pairs of Beats by Dre headphones" (SI.com, 1/10).

Special thanks to @KingJames @beatsbydre for their support to the Buckeyes! pic.twitter.com/ccAUo4pvaB

— Urban Meyer (@OSUCoachMeyer) January 10, 2015

Coca-Cola North America President of Sparkling Brands & Strategic Marketing Wendy Clark "is taking a leave of absence and is expected to advise potential presidential candidate Hillary Clinton." Coke confirmed that Clark is taking unpaid leave until March 31, but "declined to share specifics." Clinton's advisers "have been considering hiring Ms. Clark as a marketing specialist who would help devise ways to reach younger voters" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/10). The move comes as Coca-Cola "enters a critical period as it tries to rejuvenate sluggish sales by plowing cost savings back into marketing" (ADAGE.com, 1/9).

The children and family of late ESPN anchor Stuart Scott on Friday "accepted the condolences of fraternity brothers, athletes, family friends and people who barely knew" him during his funeral visitation at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh. About 50 cars were "waiting by the time the broadcaster's family opened the doors" at 4:00pm ET, and the visitation lasted "about four hours." Mourners represented Scott's "celebrity and his North Carolina roots alike," with Tiger Woods the most notable attendee. A private funeral service was held yesterday (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 1/10).

Roc Nation Sports' boxing division on Friday night "put on its first-ever event at the Garden Theater, dubbing it 'throne boxing.'" Jay Z, Rihanna, CC Sabathia and Jake Gyllenhaal "all showed up ringside, with DJ Mustard and Fabolous performing in front of 4,253." In the main event, Dusty Hernandez-Harrison "stayed undefeated with a unanimous decision over local favorite Tommy Rainone." Hernandez-Harrison: "Roc Nation is going to take off and become a power" (N.Y. POST, 1/11).

No shortage of branding for @RocNation's debut into boxing pic.twitter.com/oCW6zbRuwC

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 10, 2015

Tickets for the White Sox' annual winter carnival known as SoxFest as of Friday were "sold out, two weeks to the day before the event begins." A limited number of single-day passes "were gobbled up quickly after they went on sale Friday morning." The White Sox "have generated plenty of optimism from a fan base that had been disappointed with two consecutive losing seasons and records below .500 in three of the past four years" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 1/9).

State Farm during yesterday's Seahawks-Panthers game rolled out a new TV spot titled "Being Aaron Rodgers," featuring not Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, but rather British comedian and Rodgers look-alike Tom Wrigglesworth. The ad will also air during today's Cowboys-Packers and Colts-Broncos games (State Farm).

West Virginia Univ. yesterday introduced new AD Shane Lyons, who said he does not anticipate any "sweeping changes" during his first few months on the job. Instead, he said he plans to "listen, learn and lead." Lyons: "First and foremost is the integrity. We're going to do things right on and off the playing field." Lyons succeeds Oliver Luck, who was recently hired by the NCAA as its Exec VP/Regulatory Affairs (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 1/11).

The Canadiens last night "honored the victims in the Charlie Hebdo shootings by playing the French national anthem" prior to the team's home game against the Penguins (SI.com, 1/10).

Katy Perry during yesterday's Patriots-Ravens game announced that Lenny Kravitz will join her as part of the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show at Univ. of Phoenix Stadium on Feb. 1 (“AFC Divisional Playoff: Ravens-Patriots,” NBC, 1/10).

Manchester City MF Frank Lampard "finally signed" a contract to join NYC FC in July, midway through MLS' season, following "repeated misleading public statements" from NYC FC and partner club Man City (AP, 1/10).

Former NHLer Teemu Selanne today "will become the first Duck to have his jersey retired" when the team raises his No. 8 jersey "to the rafters of Honda Center" (L.A. TIMES, 1/11).

Thousands of fans "braved the frigid weather to honor" Baseball HOFer-elect Craig Biggio at an event in Houston on Friday (CHRON.com, 1/9).

"This is a mea culpa. I take responsibility for it" – Knicks President Phil Jackson, on the team's franchise-worst 5-35 start and current 15-game losing streak (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/11).

"A big lie wasn't told, but make no mistake, a deception occurred. Goodell assured the public the NFL did everything it could to get to the bottom of things, but this report shows that he nor his lazy operatives cared that a woman was abused. So congratulations, NFL. You aren’t liars. You’re just heartless and incompetent” – ESPN's Jemele Hill, responding to the findings of the Mueller report (“The Sports Reporters,” ESPN2, 1/11).

"Sorry about that" – N.Y. Post hockey reporter Larry Brooks, apologizing for his inaccurate report last month that Andrew Barroway's deal to purchase a majority share of the Coyotes was falling through (N.Y. POST, 1/11).

"I'm still dealing with some rehab and I want to make sure medically I'm able to do it" – Archie Manning, on whether he plans to return to the College Football Playoff selection committee after taking a medical leave this season (CBSSPORTS.com, 1/9).

The DALLAS MORNING NEWS' Brad Townsend writes under the header, "College Football Playoff Debuts As Shift To Paying Players Looms." Thursday in DC, delegates "will gather for the annual NCAA convention, where it’s expected that they will approve legislation to expand the parameters and monetary value of athletic scholarships, not just for football players but all male and female athletes."

The N.Y. TIMES' Marc Tracy writes tomorrow night, about 80,000 fans at the CFP championship game will "be able to select from an array of beer, wine and spirits," despite the fact that the NCAA does not permit alcohol sales at the 89 championships it administers. Partly because of its "relative independence and partly because of its popularity, football can be more brashly commercialized."

Elsewhere:

• Economist Andrew Zimbalist: Boston "would be lucky to lose the Olympics."
• Jerry Jones is NFL’s "most irrepressible salesman, dreamer and entrepreneur."
• Comparing the four major Sports HOFs based on their election processes.

Jets voiced concerns to NFL re: Seahawks DC Dan Quinn still repped by former GM Mike Tannenbaum, recently named Dolphins VP of FB Ops

— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) January 11, 2015

I've been an @Panthers PSL owner for 20 years. I'm excited about the future of this team. Tonight was a down payment on future success

— Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) January 11, 2015

The Fox Deportes NFL game coverage is so much better than Fox broadcast, it's like night & day.

— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 11, 2015