Idle Thoughts, while waiting for New London-St. Bernard hoops, road construction season to end and for the Giants to torture us by making Sunday’s game with the Colts closer than it needs to be:

• Dr. Idle, Dr. I to his close friends, would like the attention of all those forward thinkers in Westerly who actually defended their high school football coach for running it up Thanksgiving Day against Stonington.

Here is what Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur did in a similar situation:

Leading 24-12 with 1:39 left during a recent Monday night game, Green Bay had a first-and-goal at the L.A. Rams’ 1-yard line. LaFleur’s team took a knee three times to end the game, rather than score another touchdown.

“I just think there’s a way you handle winning,” LaFleur told reporters after the game. “I’ve got a lot of respect for those guys we’re competing against.”

Holy Lightning Bolts, Batman. An actual voice of reason from the wilderness.

• Dr. I is often amused by sports jargon. But this whole “statement win” thing is out of control.

What “statements” do these teams make?

It’s not what your country can do for you; it’s what you can do for your country?

The quick, brown fox jumped over the lazy dog?

Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn?

• If North Carolina women’s basketball player Deja Kelly married filmmaker Victor Vu, it might be something we’ve experienced before: (Deja Vu).

• As you know, Dr. I is rarely wrong. But when he’s wrong, he admits it.

So major apologies to Audrey Steward, a freshman basketball player at Waterford High. Dr. I’s recent column about strong bloodlines in the program identified Steward as the granddaughter of late, great First Selectman Dan Steward. Nope.

Former Waterford (and UConn football) great Zach Hurd reports that Audrey’s grandfather was not Dan Steward; merely that Steward was her dad’s uncle (and Zach’s niece, too).

Give Dr. I credit for not allowing the facts to get in the way of a good story, though.

• Dr. I nearly had a conniption the other day upon learning that some Baseball Hall of Fame voters are hiding behind anonymity.

Dear voters: As media types, you should understand better than anybody else the perils of anonymity in our business. And one other thing: You’re gutless.

• The UConn women’s attendance for the Florida State game Dec. 18 at Mohegan Sun Arena: 7,654.

The Providence men’s basketball team drew 1,102 more (8,756) at Mohegan a month earlier.

So who is southeastern Connecticut’s team again?

• Here is how bad BC sports have become:

Dr. I has people from Holy Cross – Holy Cross! – talking junk to him now.

Dr. I reminds all of you that BC has two notable home football games next season: Holy Cross (Sept. 9) and UConn (Oct. 28). And if you believe Dr. I insufferable now, think Bachman Turner Overdrive if the Eagles emerge victorious. (Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.)

• Presented without editorial comment: The New York Football Giants are not on local television today. Channel 3 has opted to show Pats-Dolphins instead.

• Next time Red Sox fans begin any comparison of their team whatsoever to the Yankees … remind them of this offseason. The Yankees may not be able to hit with men on base, but they’d never subject their fans to this kind of fraud.

• Boatloads of thanks to Tom Cantone, Mike Libera and the gang at Mohegan Sun for making the second Day Holiday Classic (and previous Day Volleyball Classic) smashing successes.

They are truly good people.

• Dr. I resolves to make no New Year’s Resolutions. But he does ask one thing:

Can you all get out of his way at Shop Rite?

• Say. What is the UConn men’s KenPom ranking? None of their yahoo fans have asked the question in the last 32 seconds.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro