HBO bought the rights to Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO and the Steroids Scandal That Rocked Professional Sport, the infamous book penned by Chronicle reporters Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams. According to a sister over at Variety, in it Bonds is "painted in 'Game of Shadows' as a gifted player who made a Faustian bargain to increase his power." (Might we suggest Damn Giants as a working title, then?) Ron Shelton -- auteur......

In the 49ers' final game of the 2006 regular season, the team will have something more important on their mind than football. * San Francisco vs. Denver Sunday, December 31, 2006. 1:00 PM, PST. Week 17 The Battle Of Remembering #72 Last time the Niners were in Denver was Week 2 of the 2005 preseason. At the end of the game, 49er offensive lineman Thomas Herrion collapsed in the visitor's locker room after running......

There was no sophomore slump for the Whiskeytown setting this past Saturday in the 19th annual Lemurian Shasta Classic. In fact, enhanced by temperatures in the eighties, this year's Lemurian, was absolute, total brutality -- just as nature and race director Ron Bresolin Jr. intended.

Which was perfect, because that's exactly what more than 300 tough-ass mountain bike muthas from Oregon to Santa Barbara came to the banks of Brandy Creek to experience.

2005 Long Course winner Tim Olson of Chico put on another clinic, setting a course record of 2:12:21 en route to his second consecutive Lemurian win. On the Sport Course, Chris Coble of Concord also set a new standard, tearing it up in an impressive 2:01:11. Former World Champion Linda Eckhart of Auburn was the first woman finisher on the Long Course, putting up a 3:04:22 on a single speed.

For the rest of the competitors, it wasn't so easy. Across the board, times were about five minutes slower than last year even though the course was actually drier and more manageable. Blame it on the heat.

Like SFist Emily, I'm bad at lists. So I'm just going to relish the chance to write in the first person singular for a moment and break down the highlights and lowlights of the year for me, in no particular order: Best Moment of the Year My Life: Getting married Bravest Mayor/Person Most Wrongly Accused of Losing the Democrats the Presidential Election: Gavin Newsom Senator Who Actually Should Take the Blame: John Kerry Worst......