Athlon's Essential 11 Links of the Day

This is your daily link roundup of our favorite sports posts on the web for Feb. 1.

• It's finally Super Bowl weekend. Here's everything that you, the fan, needs to know about the Big Game.

• If you just can't wait until Sunday, here's a sneak peek at supermodel Bar Refaeli's GoDaddy commercial. The screen grab alone is priceless.

• Ravens cheerleader claims she was fired for gaining a pound and a half. Who knew that cheerleaders had weigh-ins like they were Vegas showgirls?

• Some tasty Super Bowl morsels from our friends at Mandatory: Infamous Super Bowl moments, and even cooler, the biggest plays in Super Bowl history at all 100 yard-lines.

• Randy Moss is an all-time great receiver. He's not an all-time great judge of personnel. Moss ruled himself out of any future GM jobs yesterday by including Terrell Owens (and himself) on his list of the five greatest players of all time.

• JJ Watt "proposes" to an adorable six-year-old fan. Supremely cute, or strangely creepy? You be the judge.

• As recruiting season reaches a crescendo, here are the top 10 SEC recruiting classes of the last 10 years. Those classes have gone on to win quite a few national titles.

• Phil Mickelson came agonizingly close to a 59 yesterday.

• The New York Post has a hold of this Dan Marino story like a dog with a chew toy. Not good for Dan.

• Now that "30 Rock" is in the dustbin of television history, here's a rundown of great sports moments on the dearly departed sitcom.

• In today's video, a D-II player throws down a between-the-legs slam. As a reminder that this is D-II, the dude at the beginning totally clanks it off the bottom of the backboard, WNBA-style.

--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com

January 31

• It's almost time for the Super Bowl, which brings together the two best teams in the NFL…along with their cheerleaders. In case you haven't seen it yet, we have a gallery of the fabulous Gold Rush cheerleaders.

This is your daily link roundup of our favorite sports posts on the web for January 30.

• Look who was reporting from Super Bowl Media Day. Yep, the object of Brent Musberger's affection.

• $114 million is a lot to pay a disgraced steroid user, even for the Yankees, who are exploring their options to void A-Fraud's remaining contract.

• Hines Ward has really let himself go since his retirement.

• From Mars and Michael to Li'l Penny to Grandmama, the guys at Mandatory present the best athlete ad campaigns of all time.

• Apparently, the deer spray craze has poked its antlers into the college game. Three Alabama players reportedly met with the guys at SWATS prior to the BCS title game with LSU.

• Jeff Saturday wants a one-day contract to retire as a Colt. Let's hope that day is a Saturday.

• College hoops' newest villain, Ole Miss gunner Marshall Henderson, struggled last night in a loss to Kentucky. This GIF offers a delicious morsel of said struggles.

• Bama's facilities (and players) looked a little different in 1965. Thank God Nick Saban doesn't have to recruit under these conditions.

• Apparently, Ronaiah Tuiasosopo admitted to Dr. Phil that he fell in love with Manti Te'o, later copping to being "confused." Join the club, Ronaiah.

• Lest we forget, there's an NBA season going on, and the Blazers and Mavericks put on a show last night.

• Talk about under the radar: Ohio Bobcats guard D.J. Cooper is on pace to become the only player in the history of Division I college basketball to have 2,000 points, 900 assists, 500 rebounds and 300 steals. Let's make this kid famous before it's too late.

• Now this is good parenting at work. A 2-year-old unveils a masterful array of WWE impersonations.

--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com

January 29

• Competing for eyeballs this Sunday in the Mercedes Benz Superdome: the lovely Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders. I think they'll hold their own.

• In anticipation of today's Super Bowl Media Day circus, here's an amusing roundup of Jim Harbaugh press conference non-answers. My favorite: "I know what you just asked, but I was so mesmerized and dazzled by your voice right there. You have got a great voice. I lost my train of thought."

• Ray Lewis has forgiven Wes Welker's wife for disparaging him on Facebook. Our long national nightmare is over.

• JaMarcus to the Jets? What could possibly go wrong?

• A clinic in Miami was apparently providing PEDs to athletes. Maybe you'll recognize some of the names in their little black book: A-Rod, Melky Cabrera, people like that.

• Tiger Woods played this weekend exactly how the game of golf needs him to play: He was both dominant and vulnerable.

• This was as inevitable as Taiwanese animation: Somebody auto-tuned the Katie Couric-Manti Te'o interview. Speaking of Te'o, the folks at PETA found an animal-rights angle to exploit.

• This should be a conversation-starter: Columnist says that college basketball stinks now.

• Terrifying photo of the day: Some lunatic surfed a 100-foot wave.

• Ray Lewis enjoyed the way that SNL spoofed him. He enjoyed it so much that he laughed until he cried. Why does everything always end with Ray Lewis crying?

• Former Yankee great Bernie Williams is known for his guitar chops, and he got to bust them out with Paul Simon for charity.

--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com

January 28

• Jennifer Lawrence had a wardrobe malfunction at the SAG Awards last night. Now that I have your attention, here's the sports news:

• The prop bet: Adding a whole new layer of Super Bowl enjoyment for the degenerate gambler in your life.

• If you're going to New Orleans for the big game, here's a guide to the new and improved New Orleans. They've come a long way.

• Yesterday's Pro Bowl score was 62-35, but the best highlight came from a kicker. That says it all about this annual affront to the game of football.

• Aussie Open, Rondo, Real Madrid, POTUS and more: A handy weekend wrapup from Grantland.

• The little snarky sports website that could: An oral history of Deadspin. When you break some big news amid all the pee-pee jokes, people start paying attention.

• Attention, recruiting coordinators: What you do today could impact the Super Bowl 10 years from now. Patrick Willis is still pissed that he got snubbed by his home-state Tennessee Vols.

• Charles Barkley delivers weather news about as well as he swings a golf club. Hint: His golf swing is an abomination.

• If you attend the Winter X Games as a fan, make sure your insurance is in order.

• Evidence that there are way too many "celebrity" reality shows: Ndamukong Suh had to save obese comedian Louis Anderson from potentially drowning on some stupid diving show.

• A CM Punk fan watched The Rock take away his guy's belt last night. He did not take it well. Strong language warning.

• Ray Lewis was the subject of some gentle ribbing from SNL over the weekend. Well played, Kenan.

--- Email us with any compelling sports-related links at links@athlonsports.com