The Rudy Report has been online for over a month now and comes with more information than Wikipedia in this edition today on "World Human Rights Day." By the way, the Rudy Report has new information that the current recession started with the death of Johnny "Cash" in 2003, much earlier than initially thought... Anyways, Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez from the Anaheim Angels will be the new closer for the New York Mets next season. The team and the closer were close to a deal and finally closed by disclosing that they entered into a $37 million, 3-year contract paid for by Citi.

It looks like CC Sabathia is not interested in playing for the Yankees. That's fine. The Bronx Bombers would have had to hire a cargo plane anyways to get the overweight pitcher to New York. In the UEFA Champions League, 4 out of 8 groups determined the teams advancing to the knock-out round. The following teams qualified: AS Roma, Chelsea FC, Panathinaikos Athens, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Sporting Lisbon, Liverpool, and Atletico Madrid. There were no real surprises (except for this guy in the picture below).

In the NHL, the New York Islanders lost against Philadelphia 4-3. The New York Knicks played against Chicago and lost. The Rudy Report says Happy Birthday to Rob Blake, Fabio Rochemback, and T.J. Hensick (You're good if you know 2 of the 3 guys). On this day in 1935, the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, later renamed Heisman Trophy, was given to halfback Jay Berwanger of the University of Chicago. Have a great day, check out the discussion regarding Communism in today's Dear Rudy, and stay tuned for the launch of Hoeckeybarn.com tomorrow!

New In Newcastle - An increasing number of rumors suggests that agent Pini Zahavi is close to buying Premier League club Newcastle United. Read here.

Peanuts - Bloomberg news reports that all bids for the Chicago Cubs are under $1 billion creating yet another headache for Tribune Co. Read here.

Peanuts II - Another report suggests that the Tribune Co. bankruptcy filing might be beneficial with regards to the Cubs sale. Read here to get yet another perspective.

AFL Team Sale - Owners are getting worried about the future of the Arena Football League, Orlando Predators apparently up for sale. Read here.

Roma Sale - Officials from struggling AS Roma have denied that Libya state-owned Tamoil will make a bid for the Italian Serie A club. Read here.

Bond, Stadium Bond - Rising costs for New York baseball stadiums force the city to agree to new bond offerings for the Mets and the Yankees. Read here.

Official Statement - After much speculation, Portsmouth Football Club has finally admitted that the team is officially for sale. Read here.

NHL Worries - At the meeting of National Hockey League governors, the main focus remains on the economy and its potentially disastrous effect on the league. Read here.

Also No Move - After stating yesterday that the Buffalo Sabres are not for sale, management also made clear that the team will not move despite apparent offer from RIM CEO Jim Balsillie. Read here.

Industry Hit - The construction of a new football stadium in Industry, CA, has been postponed due to the recession, making an NFL team in Los Angeles less likely in the near future. Read here.

Viva Las Vegas - The City of Las Vegas is still hoping to attract a major US sports league to put a team into the Gambling Mecca. Read here.

The Rudy Report is here for its best Tuesday edition ever in December with even more news than yesterday and Rudy says "Enjoy!" to all of you today on "National Pastry Day" (don't forget to sanitize after eating, because you know that it's also "National Hand Washing Awareness Week"). The Rudy Report is proud to announce the comeback of famous Dear Rudy contributor "Hank the Tank." Check out what he has to say in his Rudy Report website debut in today's Dear Rudy and make sure you get ready for much more to come! MLB meetings in Las Vegas have begun and all eyes are on CC Sabathia (see picture below) and the Yankees. Will they be able to sign the overpaid, overweight star pitcher? We'll see soon. By the way, "CC" stands for "Cash Cow"...

The Plaxico Burress case is taking a new turn. Prosecution has threatened him with the "death penalty": A trade to the Detroit Lions. The potential bankruptcy of Ford, GM, and Chrysler might have yet another victim: NASCAR. Oh no! How terrible would it be if NASCAR fans would have to watch European racing with real and skilled drivers, tracks that aren't oval-shaped, and actual fast and reliable cars?!? Let's hope Toyota will save the day. On a different note, Brooklyn announced a $17 economic stimulus package to help the local economy.

(Note: Brits: keep on reading; Americans: skip to the next sentence) On Monday Night Football, Tottenham Hotspur beat West Ham United 2-0 thanks to goals from King and O'Hara. On Monday Night Football, Tampa Bay played against the Carolina Panthers. And nobody really cared about the outcome of that game. Carolina won. In the NHL, the Islanders lost against Toronto.

The Rudy Report says Happy Birthday to Petr Nedved, "Prince of Midair" World B. Free, and Shayne Graham. On this day in 1953, General Electric announced that all Communist employees will be discharged from the company. Have a great day, check out today's funny baseball quote of the day, and stay tuned for the launch of Hockeybarn.com tomorrow!

Bankrupt - Reports suggest that Tribune Co., owner of the MLB Chicago Cubs, has filed for bankruptcy, creating more uncertainty for sale of the baseball club. Read here.

Lost Interest - Bidders for Liverpool FC lose interest, making it tougher for George Gillett and Tom Hicks to sell the club. Read here.

Sabres Sale? - There are rumors again that NHL Buffalo Sabres owner Tom Golisano is looking to sell the team despite denials from management. Read here.

Commitment - The top 5 teams in Formula One racing have said that they will continue to remain in the sport after Honda dropped out last week. Read here.

Mounting Losses - The Phoenix Coyotes continue losing money, raising questions if an NHL franchise in the South is viable. Read here.

Game Over? - Struggling with revenues and a difficult economic environment, the Arena Football League ("AFL") might have to dissolve. Read here.

Ready To Bid - The Premier League has started the bidding process for the sale of its domestic television rights. Read here.

London Team - AEG chief Tim Leiweke is confident that at least one major US league will have a team in London within the next two years. Read here.

Players Will Stay - English club Southampton denies rumors that it has to sell its top players due to financial difficulties. Read here.

No New Structure - Premier League CEO says that there will not be a split league with 18 teams each and the elimination of relegation. Read here.

The Rudy Report hopes that you made it through the weekend without missing the report too much, there's lots of good stuff and an unbelievable amount of news in today's issue on "National Bad Hair Day." Folks, it's now safe again to put your sports memorabilia back on the wall or back on your desk. O.J. Simpson has to spend at least 9 years in prison, which means that he could be back out of jail just in time for the end of the recession... Forbes came out with the new NBA franchise valuations. The New York Knicks are still at the top, worth $613 million. Just imagine how much they'd be worth if Stephon Marbury wasn't on the payroll...

British media reports show that English soccer fans (see picture below) are being overcharged in stadiums, paying way too much for their beer. Oh really?!?! I bet nobody knew that. It's really tough to figure that one out... Apparently, according to the same reports, English rugby fans pay way less for their beers. The New York Giants are said to be in talks with Anquan Boldin as a potential replacement for Plaxico Burress. Both, the Giants (vs. Philadelphia) and the Jets (vs. the 49ers), lost their games in the NFL. In Germany's top soccer game of the week, Bayern Munich had a last minute 2-1 victory of Hoffenheim. Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea were all able to win their games in the Premier League. Tonight, West Ham United will play against Tottenham.

The New York Knicks had an important and convincing victory against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon. In the NHL, the New York Rangers lost to Calgary 3-0 at home. Earlier in the weekend, the Islanders lost against Atlanta, and the Devils beat Montreal. Meanwhile, Chicago Cubs owner Tribune Co. is said to be considering bankruptcy, because the company is unable to service interest high payments.

The Rudy Report says Happy Birthday to "Superman" Dwight Howard, Philip Rivers, and Mike "Moose" Mussina. On this day in 1993, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed into law. Exciting, huh? Have a great week, make sure to check out today's new Dear Rudy, and stay tuned for the launch of Hockeybarn.com tomorrow!

Cubs Sale Before Spring Training - Chicago Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney has said that the team will be sold before training starts in 2009. Read here.

Bankruptcy Nears - As Spanish soccer team Valencia prepares for the possibility of bankruptcy, selling star players seems to be the only option. Read here.

Instant Offers - Only hours after Honda declared it would leave Formula One racing, at least three ownership groups have offered to replace the team. Read here.

No Sale - George Gillett denies that his NHL franchise, the Montreal Canadiens, are on the block for sale. Read here.

Merger Talk - NASCAR teams Petty Enterprises and Gillett Evernham Motorsports are said to be in discussions for a potential merger. Read here.

Wants To Sell - Portsmouth owner Alexandre Gaydamak has confirmed that he is still interested in selling the Premier League Club. Read here.

Problem Solving - Sports officials from all over Europe met to discuss sports-betting and match-fixing scandals. Read here.

UEFA Money - English soccer clubs received money for allowing their players to participate in the Euro 2008. Read here.

Cowboys Refinancing - $435 million of debt for the new Cowboys Stadium has been refinanced successfully despite tough market conditions. Read here.

Fraud Charge - Former Nashville Predator Owner William 'Boots' Del Biaggio has been charged with fraud. Read here.

The Rudy Report is glad to hear that some of you actually did wear brown shoes yesterday on "National Wear Brown Shoes Day", but today let's focus on great sports news and a fierce Dear Rudy follow-up regarding the Restaurant Guide on "National Communicate with Your Baby Day." In case you haven't heard about this, there is a new favorite drink here in New York City called the "Plaxico." You take a shot, spill half, have someone else clean it up, and your friend goes on to hide the glass in his car. To make it a meal, you order a "Vick", which is an expensive hot dog that will cost you $20 million. All you gotta do now is "Pull a Marbury", which is sitting down and chilling without doing anything. Enjoy!

In the UEFA Cup, several top teams, such as Aston Villa, Hamburg, Wolfsburg, Ajax Amsterdam, and Valencia advanced to the next round. Today is the day when O.J. Simpson (see picture) will be sent to jail most likely for the rest of his life. The talent in prison these days seems to be better than outside...

On Thursday Night Football, the Oakland Raiders lost against San Diego. All three New York area teams played hockey last night. The New York Rangers had a bad 6-2 loss against Montreal. The Islanders lost against Washington. And the only bright spot were the New Jersey Devils with their 3-2 win over Philadelphia. Patrik Elias scored the game-winning goal in overtime.

The Rudy Report says Happy Birthday to Eddy Curry (plays like a Spice Girl), Olli Jokinen (no joke), and Art Monk. On this day in 1360, the French Franc was created. This date also marks the beginning of the current economic recession... Have a great day, learn something about math by reading today's Funny Sports Quote, and stay tuned for the launch of Hockeybarn.com tomorrow!

Debt Fighters - The English Premier League joins efforts to reduce and manage debt levels to create a sustainable business environment. Read here.

NBA Values - According to the new Forbes franchise valuations, NBA team values have increased by 2% this year. Positive numbers, however, will most likely be offset by economic slowdown. Read here.

Soccer Salary Cap - The Championship, England's second division, is exploring options to become the first European soccer league to establish a salary cap. Read here.

Coyote Not So Ugly - Wayne Gretzky says that he is "fairly confident" that the Coyotes will be viable and successful in Phoenix. Read here.

French Comment - Given the high debt levels in the Premier League, of course, French UEFA President Michel Platini had to comment on it, bla bla bla. Read here.

Reconsideration - The Oakland A's are thinking of moving their new stadium to a location that has better access to public transportation. Read here.

The Rudy Report is proud to announce that it was nominated for the Nobel Prize in the category "Daily Sports & Lifestyle Report" today on "National Wear Brown Shoes Day." Are you wearing your brown shoes today? Before we start today, I would like to touch on a non-sports issue that certainly has a lot to do with lifestyle. Reports suggest that the German Army in Afghanistan is drinking too much and is too fat for combat. Isn't that what cost them two World Wars? If they continue with this habit, they will soon be named honorary citizens of Wisconsin. Anyways, Plaxico Burress has been suspended by the New York Giants and will not return for the rest of the season, maybe never. The issue is becoming a smoking gun, but the Rudy Report won't shoot down the idea of a possible return. And Mayor Bloomberg outed himself as a New York Jets fan after demanding that prosecution should be especially tough on Burress...

Michael Phelps (picture) was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. The Rudy Report will announce its annual "Athlete of the Year Award" later this year. Who will it be? As most of you know, last year's winner of the prestigious award was Michael Vick. The New York Knicks played last night and lost, as always, against Cleveland. The New York Rangers remain one of the top teams in the league after their 3-2 shoot-out victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Rudy Report says Happy Birthday to Sergey Bubka, Shannon Briggs, and Jassen Cullimore (his parents couldn't spell). On this day in 1909, the 1st Grey Cup game was played; the University of Toronto Varsity Blues beat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 26-6. Now remember, we're talking about football here. Anyways, have a great day, check out the new Dear Rudy regarding the Restaurant Guide, and stay tuned for the launch of Hockeybarn.com tomorrow!

Rejected - West Ham United rejects several bids for the team as pressure to sell increases on current ownership from Iceland. Read here.

Refinancing - The city of Arlington has agreed to refinance $104 million in debt for the new Dallas Cowboys stadium. Read here.

Strong Chelsea - Management reassures the press that Chelsea London is financially stable and does not need further outside investments. Read here.

Mets Defense - New York Mets Chief Operating Officer disagrees with public opinion, points out that Citi sponsorship will be beneficial for both parties. Read here.

Happy Ending - FIFA President Sepp Blatter says that he is happy with the progress made over the weekend during a meeting of Europe's sports ministers. Read here.

It's Over - After failing to find a new owner for the WNBA Houston franchise, the team is set to disband. Read here.