THUMBS THINGS TO PONDER

Thumbs up

* To the NFL, which, citing the economic challenges facing their fans, is reducing the average price for playoff tickets this year by about 10 percent. Do these guys have a big heart or what? The average price of playoff tickets last year for wild-card, divisional rounds and conference championship games was $121. The league also is cutting the price of 1,000 tickets for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa from $700 to $500. That said, 25 percent of the Super Bowl tickets will cost $1,000. Another 53,000 tickets will be going for $800. My guess is Joe the Plumber will not be attending.

Thumbs down

* To the irresponsible,

throw-crap-against-the-wall-and-see-if-it-sticks Internet rumormongers like profootballtalk.com who were suggesting earlier this week that Bucs coach Jon Gruden was interested in the vacant University of Tennessee head-coaching job because he happens to own 3 pieces of property in the county adjacent to where UT is located. Uh, hello? His wife, Cindy, grew up in Tennessee and was a UT cheerleader. Chucky's first coaching job was as a grad assistant at UT. The Tennessee Smokey Mountains are one of the most beautiful places on Earth. If I had the money, I'd buy property there. And like Gruden, I'm not interested in the UT coaching job either.

Panther draft pick watch

Record: 7-2

Last week: beat Raiders, 17-6

This week: vs. 0-9 Lions

Next week: at 6-3 Falcons

Current draft position: 30th

- Paul Domowitch