Starting Five

1. Millions in the northeast still without power due to Sandy. In New York City 111 homes in the Breezy Point section of Queens are laid to waste due to a hurricane-related inferno.  Whatever we can do for these homeowners, it would be much appreciated.

2. The new-look Lakers lose to the Dallas Maveicks in both teams’ season debut, 99-91. Before the game Mav owner Mark Cuban, asked about the team that already had one of basketball’s three top players — and fiercest competitor– in Kobe Bryant, and then added Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, quipped, “I hope they suck.” They did last night, as Howard missed 11 of 14 free throw and Nash missed 6 of 9 shots. LA, which has 33 All-Star selections  in its lineup, was out of sync the entire second half. It’s only one game, but LOL now only has 81 remaining to win the 73 Ron Artest forsoothed.

3.  Another shark attack off the coast of California, though this one occurs in Humboldt County, hundreds of miles north of last week’s. The surfer suffered a 14-inch wound but survived.

4. Gary Myers of the New York Daily News opines on why Rex Ryan never played The TebowLin last Sunday’s blowout loss to the Dolphins: “Ryan was scared of Tebow doing well, even in a meaningless situation. Can youimagine if Ryan pulled Sanchez in the fourth quarter against Miami and Tebow led the Jets on two touchdown drives?” (a chorus of ESPN talking heads cry, “No, we cannot.”)

5. Greg Merson, 24, outlasts Jesse Sylvia to win the World Series of Poker and $8.53 million.  Merson ended the 12-hour fisession ion by putting Sylvia all-in with nothing better than a king-high. Sylvia had a queen-jack suited,nut the community cards yielded no face cards. As far as we are concerned, the WSOP doesn’t happen until we hear Norman Chad’s commentary on it.