Good morning and welcome to your Tuesday. Thanks for being patient while I took some much-needed holiday down time. Now: Here’s some of your business:
1. AM News Talkers:
Yes, the Washington Crickets. Because that’s all we’re hearing — just the sound of crickets so far, people, so far — about the future of Washington’s hapless (cough, 4 and 12, cough) NFL franchise, as other struggling NFL teams made major changes this week. That may change real fast, as The Washington Post reports. Head coach Jay Gruden will be in the offices of two of his bosses this week. Gruden has a chit-chat with Bruce Allen, the team’s general manager, on Tuesday.
Then, into the weekend, Gruden has a sit-down with Daniel Snyder, the team’s owner. Will any of this spell a new direction for the team, other than down? And who will be QB1? Which coaches are staying, departing? What about the team name? We shall see.
Meanwhile, the team’s controversial nickname— which we and many other news organizations do not use— became one of the biggest-trending names in 2014, according to Dictionary.com— right up there with “Ebola” and “anaconda.”
ICYMI this morning, bodies and debris were found overnight in the search for the missing AirAsia jetliner, according to The Wall Street Journal. Authorities are said to be “95 percent” sure what they are finding is the remains of the aircraft that disappeared off radar screens Sunday morning. The search and recovery continues near Borneo.
2. Weather: Sunny, with temps tipping into the lower 40s. That’s our outlook for Tuesday, and hold tightly to it. The look ahead is colder as the new year nears and messier for the long weekend. Here. Have a look.
3. Business travel: Check the status of your flight. And Flightstats.com also has the details. Before you scram, check out the national weather forecast. Extreme cold in the Plains, upper Midwest.
4. Trending on Google biz news this AM:
- Shinzō Abe
- Xiaomi
- Euro
- AirAsia
- Saudi Arabia
- AirTran Airways
- Plastic bag
- Hyundai Motor Co.
- Wheat
- Toyota
5. Trending on Twitter in the D.C. area this AM:
- #confessionnight
- New Years
- #WizRockets
- #TheWireHD
- #o2lforever
- #SuperfruitLiveStream
- Lizzie McGuire
- Daniel Bryan
- James Harden
6. The biz rap: We have some of the nation’s top business stories, including why the new method shipping companies will be using to charge for package deliveries has some businesses scrambling.
7. Sports smack for the AM coffee run: The Wizards snuck one past Houston 104-103 Tuesday, the first win in Houston for Our Team in six years. Six. Meanwhile, the Caps weren’t so fortunate. They lost to the Islanders 4-3 — in OT.
8. Quote of the Jay:“Sometimes the best addition to your football team is subtraction.” — Coach Jay Gruden on the shape of Washington’s NFL team. Foreshadowing?
End note: That’s it for today. See you bright and early Wednesday.
