Tonight's cuppa: decaf Irish breakfast tea
What's up with football players and "Dancing With the Stars?" What's up with me and football players and "Dancing With the Stars"? I like a good gridiron match-up as much as the next girl (OK, maybe a little more), but these guys are also scoring TDs in the ballroom and winning my heart.
In season two, wide receiver Jerry Rice was Mr. Smooth, stepping his way to second place with hard work and humility, and the patient instruction of pro dancer Anna Trebunskaya. I was very impressed.
In season three, running back Emmitt Smith surpassed Rice's 
performance and added the show's incredibly ugly mirror-ball trophy to his three Super Bowl rings, under the tutelage of
the talented pro dancer Cheryl Burke. Judge Carrie Anne Inaba kinda fell in love (and so did I).
In season six last year, defensive end Jason Taylor stood tall with partner Edyta Sliwinska and showed off surprising grace and 
elegance to come in second (and only one spot above his bestest buddy on the show, actor Cristian de la Fuente). I know somebody won last year, but I only remember Jason Taylor.
That is, until this season, when defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who's a few inches shorter than Taylor (6' 6" vs. 6'2") but a few pounds heavier (244 vs. 300), blended Rice's work ethic with Smith's effortless charm and Taylor's statuesque presence
to be a dance-floor powerhouse. On Monday, he did a "Matrix"-flavored paso doble with partner Kym Johnson that was at once strange, beautiful, powerful and sexy.
It so impressed the judges that Sapp and Johnson were asked to do an encore on the Tuesday-night results show. Sapp, of course, survived elimination, which fell instead on Kim Kardashian and her pro-dancer partner, Mark Ballas.
They may not always win on the show, but the men of the NFL (and, have you noticed, not a QB among them?) have done the league proud and proved that a guy who knocks other guys on their butts for a living still retains the sensitivity and class to show a woman a good time on the dance floor.
Now, when is the first quarterback going to step up and take the "Dancing" challenge? It's not as if they're uncomfortable in the spotlight. Maybe we can talk Brett Favre into it, if he ever actually retires for good, that is.
I've been wondering about the house-flipping shows myself. Surely they will feel the crisis, and shows like "Hope" may proliferate, with perhaps bigger budgets and a slicker look as part of the format.
Is HGTV feeling the crunch overall? Will TV fuel an interest in Habitat for Humanity and the like? Or will reality shows' popularity dip as the credit crisis-weary TV audience escapes into fantasy shows or sitcoms? (Last year's striking writers would no doubt appreciate that!)
I'd like to see some back to basics -- showing people how to live better but within their means. It'll be interesting to see what happens to HGTV over the coming year.