Weekend Hot Clicks: NFL Playoffs; The Shirtless Tongan Flag-Bearer From Rio Olympics is Back

Remember Pita Taufatofua, the shirtless Tongan flag-bearer from the Rio Olympics that stole millions of hearts around the world? Well, he's back.

Playoff Weekend

One of the biggest sports of the year features four NFL playoff games and Monday’s CFP National Championship. Predictions for each NFL playoff round and Super Bowl LII, along with Alabama-Georgia. Kirby Smart gave ‘Bama -- who is the betting favorite -- some bulletin-board material at his Saturday press conference.

Patriots fallout

ESPN’s bombshell report on the Patriots has prompted tons of follow-up questions. Should Brady and Garoppolo have shared the same agent? And because Brady and Kraft aren’t going anywhere, does that mean Belichick could leave? Maybe for the Giants’ opening?

Andersson doesn’t play for 2nd

Sweden captain Lias Andersson wasn’t happy about losing the World Junior Championship Gold Medal game to Canada. So he threw his silver medal into the stands.

Lovely Lady of the Day

Your first Weekend LLOD of January is Ashley Vee (Click here for full-sized gallery)

Pita is back

Remember Pita Taufatofua, the shirtless Tongan flag-bearer from the Rio Olympics that stole millions of hearts around the world? He switched sports (from taekwondo to cross-country skiing) and is on the verge of qualifying for the Winter Olympics.

$1 Gin and Juice drinks too?

An AHL team will wear the jersey from Snoop Dogg’s "Gin and Juice" music video.

Look what you did UCF

Tulane is now officially selling "1998 National Champions" shirts pic.twitter.com/HPqjIgElRK

— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) January 6, 2018

So he’s not attending the parade?

That parade is a joke don’t call yourself a true browns fan if you go to that thing! Going 0-16 was embarrassing enough as a player. That is like adding fuel to the fire and it is completely wrong!

— Emmanuel Ogbah (@EmanOgbah) January 6, 2018

This is weird, right?

Also, scoring was down across the NFL this year. Way down https://t.co/umN0N40NyQ pic.twitter.com/3nbxFJoqQS

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) January 6, 2018

Ashley Graham talks SI Swimsuit cover

"Getting on the cover of Sports Illustrated completely changed my life." https://t.co/htqN20WehY pic.twitter.com/1MUl8yiIkO

— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) January 5, 2018

Odds and Ends

25 college football cheerleaders from the 2017 season ... NYC’s no-pants subway ride returns this weekend ... 30 best player rivalries in the NBA right now … The Trae Young NBA Draft debate is getting heated and complicated … Where will UCF be ranked in the final AP Top 25? ... A city in New Hampshire is bracing for a minus-100-degree wind chill ... Taco Bell is going to serve fries soon ... Here’s where you can watch all the Golden Globe Best Picture nominees.

Tatum 1, Towns 0

Want some nightmares tonight?

Happy weekend

Email andy_gray@simail.com with any feedback or ping him on Twitter. Click here for previous editions of Hot Clicks. Visit our Extra Mustard Page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories. Also check out the SwimDaily Page for the latest updates and Instagram pictures of models who have appeared in our issues.