THE SPORTS SECTION (Items on Martina McBride, Jessica Simpson, Vince Gill, Billy Bob Thornton, Heidi Newfield, Cledus T. Judd, Julie Reeves, Willie)

Martina McBride will supply the National Anthem before Saturday's NFL division playoff between the Titans and Ravens in Nashville, which is good news for Tennessee, which is 26-4 in games in which the songbird has sung beforehand at LP Field.

Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo are supplying several recipes to the "2008 Cowboys Family Cookbook." , presented by the wives of the Dallas Cowboys. Jess and Tony supplies the how-to's for a banana breakfast fruit smoothie and no-fat broccoli and cherry tomatoes...I'm sure Romo won't choke on the vittles, as they are not playoff-related.

Vince Gill and Billy Bob Thornton and his Boxmasters are helping St. Louis Cardinals skipper with his "pet" project by appearing at upcoming charity gigs in Missouri and California.

While some scouts doubt whether University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow can make it in the NFL, his teammates already know that the pal of Kenny Chesney will never make it as a country singer.

Political Page: Heidi Newfield and The Davisson Brothers will supply the entertainment at the Inaugural Ball, um, not that one...the one for West Virginia's (re-elected) Governor Joe Manchin, as he prepares another stay on the Mountain State's Governor's Manchin, um, mansion.
Cledus T. Judd is back with a new single, "Waitin' on Obama," Angry Country informs us...that and I (at least) learn that Judd and Julie Reeves are no longer attached, which means I'll have to take that pic thingy down from the right column of this page (but, jeepers, she's so purdy to look at!).

From the Scanner: Willie, weed and Bubba, 1994...