WHAT THEY MIGHT BE DOING TODAY ...

Mardy Fish might be looking for a breakthrough vs. Roger Federer.

Robin Ventura might be hoping the Twins are just the cure for what ails his White Sox.

Brady Hoke might be trying to remember why he thought it would be a good idea for Michigan to open with Alabama.

FIVE THINGS

Only 16,013 showed up at UNLV for Thursday's game vs. the Gophers. No nonconference game last season involving a Big Ten team failed to draw 20,000 fans, and only five fell short of 30,000:

21,181: Indiana at North Texas

25,317: Purdue at Rice

26,886: Rice at Northwestern

28,042: Eastern Illinois at Northwestern

29,878: Illinois vs. UCLA, Fight Hunger Bowl

Have a good list? Send it to mrand@ startribune.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"He told me to get my act together, first of all." -- Maria Sharapova, on what her coach told her during a rain delay. After the delay, she rallied to beat Nadia Petrova.