What percentage of fans need a life?

Eighteen percent of pro football fans are so dedicated to their teams that they would never marry a fan of their team’s biggest rival.

More than four in 10 pro football fans would rather have their child become an NFL star than win a Nobel Prize.

Those disturbing findings were produced by Expedia’s “Go Like Pro Survey,” which also revealed:

Forty-one percent would miss their own birthday party to see a game.

Thirty-nine percent would skip a “hot date” to see a game.

Twenty-five percent have a better memory for pro football statistics than they do for the birth dates and anniversary dates for family and friends.

One in five fans would travel 1,000 miles or more to see their team play an important game.

Of course, Southern Californians who still are interested in seeing the Rams or Raiders play live have no choice but to travel to see their team in action.

Trivia time

Who was first Heisman Trophy winner to play in the Rose Bowl?

Red flag warning

How formidable is agent Scott Boras’ influence within the realm of major league baseball?

Oakland A’s owner Lew Wolff recently told the Associated Press his team was preparing for an amateur draft when he noticed that certain prospective selections were positioned on one board with different colored cards.

“What is that?” Wolff asked his baseball operations staff.

Reply: “Scott Boras clients.”

Big Apple Bowl?

With the Giants and the Jets in first place in their respective divisions, New York already has begun to discuss the once-unthinkable: a Subway Super Bowl.

Noting that the Super Bowl is “only 68 days away,” Tuesday’s New York Daily News published position-by-position matchups for “the dreamiest of Super Bowl dreams.”

The Giants get the edge at every position except wide receiver, linebacker and secondary -- including quarterback, Eli Manning over Brett Favre, which is a claim that wouldn’t have been made before the last Super Bowl.

The Daily News favors the Giants to win this one, 27-23.

Now, about the next two months. . . .

Said the pie man

After wolfing down 41 mince pies in 10 minutes to win an eating competition, Denzil Gunner told the London Daily Telegraph he was thankful for the timing of the event. “I’m glad it’s over a month to Christmas when I have to eat another one,” he said.

Trivia answer

O.J. Simpson. After winning the 1968 Heisman Trophy, Simpson rushed for 171 yards in USC’s 27-16 loss to Ohio State in the 1969 Rose Bowl.

And finally

Headline at the satirical website theonion.com: “Jimmie Johnson’s car put out to stud.”

-- Mike Penner