Things to think about.

DOES Ryan Madson ever retire the first batter?

NOW THAT weather has officially replaced football as the buzz topic in Happy Valley, can we get Joe Paterno to gracefully retire?

With Labor Day out of the way, the kids back to school, and the Phillies on hold until October, the pro football season is finally front and center.

Mark Herzlich and Pat Devlin have found places in the NFL and Herzlich will be on the active roster when the New York Giants tee it up against the Washington Redskins on Sunday at FedExField in Landover, Md.

But the Giants have been making more news about who’s not available than who is — the team announced Tuesday that linebacker Jonathan Goff will miss the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Goff, in his fourth season out of Vanderbilt, suffered the injury during Monday’s practice. He had 80 tackles and one sack last season, as the Giants finished 10-6.

Angry reactions heard after Sunday’s emotional Phillies loss.

1. Somebody has to get Cowboy Joe West under control.
Don't forget -- this is a sport run by a cadaver, Bud Selig.

2. Charlie Manuel made a huge mistake by asking for a review of Hunter Pence’s drive to the top of wall.  By asking the umpires to review the play to see if it was a home run, he opened the way for an inveterate publicity seeker like West to jump in with both cowboy boots and rule interference.

QUESTION NO. 1. Now that Penn State has subdued that old terror Indiana State, proving we can compete with Villanova and Delaware at the upper reaches of the coveted Football Championship Subdivisions, is there a ray of hope for a breakout victory next week vs. the 'pros in waiting' from Alabama?  Didn't think so.

QUESTION NO. 2.   Are we seeing the beginning of a Phillies bullpen fatigue issue?  Charlie had to use David Herndon tonight because he no longer trusts Michael Stutes in the 8th inning of a one-run game.  If Lidge, Herndon and Stutes are too shaky to beat the Florida Marlins on Sept. 3d, how will they be in Fenway in October?  Thought so.

FACT No. 1: the Eagles’ offensive line is a mess.

FACT No. 2: the Eagles sign Michael Vick for $100 million over six years.

REACTION: Don’t you have to wonder if Andy Reid is making the same mistake Buddy Ryan made with Randall Cunningham -- simply hand him the ball and expect the quarterback to pull the rabbit out of the hat every other down.

While Terrell Owens idles away his time waiting to get back into the NFL, the loquacious receiver has focused his attention on his more natural career — acting.

Owens, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament and had surgery in early April, filmed an episode of the USA sitcom Necessary Roughness on Wednesday at the Georgia Dome. He said his knee is a couple months away from being completely healed and though no team has contacted him, he still expects to play this season.

He may not have to — Liz Kruger, the executive producer and creator of Necessary Roughness, said Owens has the potential to become a good actor and is eager to learn.

This is how rumors get started in the zany world of Twitter, text messaging and emails from smart phones.

On Saturday morning, Colts owner Jim Irsay said it was not definite that Peyton Manning (who is recovering from neck surgery) would be able to start the season opener.

On Saturday afternoon, Manning said he would not play in either of the final two preseason games.

MEMO TO CHARLIE MANUEL:  do not use Brad Lidge in close games.  He is strictly a mop-up pitcher at this stage of his career. 

Three nationally reknowned college basketball coaches who have their roots in the Delaware Valley, have been selected as recipients of the fourth annual Lapchick Character Award, one of the newer but more prestigious honors for college basketball coaches.

Fabled former Princeton coach Pete Carril, and equally well-known Mount St. Mary's coach Jim Phelan, and Virginia women's coach Debbie Ryan will be honored at a luncheon at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17, it was announced Thursday.

Carril, still coaching at the age of 81 (he's an assistant with the Sacramento Kings), played for Bethlehem Liberty High and at Lafayette College.  He coached at Easton High and Reading High, before spending a year at Lehigh, then moving to a nationally prominent tenure at Princeton. In 29 years, he compiled a 514-261 (.658 winning percentage) record, the best of any coach in Ivy League basketball history.