1-9-12: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - News Drought Beginning

Time for some some links, and with the season over for the Cards news is starting to slow down so not much to report here.

Being a captain in sports takes great responsibility, focus
Whether or not it is visible on their uniforms, there is a heavy burden of responsibility that comes with being a captain for a professional athlete. The very weight of the word "captain" belies the strength a player must possess to be named one in the first place. He is one of the first people that teammates look to for guidance and assurance. He is often the main player that the news media seek for comment. He is the man coaches and general managers have entrusted to represent their franchise with class and to lead it with conviction. Captains must also have an eye toward the future, a blueprint for sustained success. The Cardinals have multiple captains and inside linebacker Paris Lenon understands his role carrying that title this season.

Arizona Sports News:

Steve Nash's 17 assists lift Suns to rout of Bucks
The Suns lost 13 games at US Airways Center in 2011. The first 11 cost the Suns a chance at challenging for a playoff spot. The final two gave Suns fans great trepidation that they would be denied a postseason again this season. Once the calendar turned, the Suns' hopes have too. The Suns won consecutive games and got to .500 this season for the first time with a visit from their most reliable victim, the Milwaukee Bucks, in a 109-93 romp Sunday night.

Arizona Wildcats basketball tops USC to split weekend
Arizona dominated the opening five minutes against Southern California and kept on going. Jesse Perry scored 20 points, Solomon Hill added 11, and the Wildcats won 57-46 Sunday to salvage a weekend split on their first Pac-12 road trip of the season.

ASU basketball dismisses leading scorer Keala King
Upon his return from Los Angeles this morning, Arizona State coach Herb Sendek dismissed sophomore guard Keala King from the team.

NFL News:

NFL Playoffs 2012: Tim Tebow Time Strikes In Denver; Giants Dominate Falcons On Wild Card Weekend - SBNation.com
Tim Tebow and the Broncos escaped the Steelers in the AFC Wild Card now enter New England in the Divisional round.

VIDEO: Tim Tebow, John Elway Celebrate After Broncos Win - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
The scene in the Denver Broncos' locker room following Sunday's NFL playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was about what you'd expect. Players were happy and hugging, team executives were grinning ear-to-ear and head coach John Fox preached "nobody thought we could do this" in the postgame speech.

PHOTO: Tim Tebow Celebrates In The Only Way Possible - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Because you just knew it would all happen like this, Tim Tebow hit Demaryius Thomas for a touchdown on the first play of overtime, thus rendering the new rules useless and giving the Broncos a 29-23 win over the Steelers. And then, of course, Tebow went ahead and ... Tebow'd.

ANIMATED: Hakeem Nicks' Dirty Bird - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Hakeem Nicks' second touchdown against the Falcons was a thing of beauty -- he split the Falcons' secondary in the middle of the field without even touched, galloping 72 yards into the end zone. The only thing better? Once he arrived, he brought back the Dirty Bird -- much to Jamal Anderson's chagrin:

ANIMATED: CBS Studio Crew Tebows, Too - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
As a jubilant scene unfolded in Denver, the CBS crew threw it back to the studio, where we were greeted by -- what else? -- five Tebowers. Yes, the whole studio Tebow'd, completing the circle for the day -- or whatever you want to call it. This is what it's come to: Just when you thought Tebowing was dead, the whole thing starts up again.

At Least Ben Roethlisberger Went Out In Style - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
It was a hat battle in the postgame press conference. Tim Tebow's beanie can be found here. Ben Roethlisberger's hat can be found below the jump. It's worth it.