One of our favorite little quirks in sports is that, when a hockey player is listed as active or inactive for a given game, the announcers say "so-and-so will [or will not] be dressed for tonight's game". It made us giggle as eighth-graders; it makes us giggle today.

But giggling seems somehow inappropriate at today's Globe story about the New York artist named Kurt Kauper, who's causing a splash in the art and hockey world with his nude paintings of Bobby Orr and Derek Sanderson. The former Bruins stars (who didn't pose for the pictures and didn't know about it until the Globe contacted them for comment) are part of a big hockey-art exhibition by the Scituate native. Images are available at Boston.com, but they've cropped the ones you're interested in.

Kauper, who similarly uncloaked Cary Grant in a previous show, says, "It occurred to me that it would be interesting to try to make a painting of an icon in the nude and see what kind of response I got from viewers." You want to push the boundaries, buster, we've got two words for you - Rich Garces.

Otherwise, the local sports scene is quiet right now. The Red Sox are talking to Minnesota about what sort of package they might put together for Twins ace Johan Santana. Just what we need, another reason to consider Minneapolis Boston's AAA team. Since any trade would have to involve at least 2 out of [Lester, Buchholz, Ellsbury], it's possible the Sox may just be talking, possibly to drive up the price that Hank Steinbrenner will have to pay to get Santana to the Bronx. Incidentally, the Sports Guy compared Hank to Spaulding Smails from Caddyshack; we're stealing that and running with it for the rest of time.

The Celtics host the incredibly dysfunctional Knicks at the Garden tonight; the Bruins visit the Florida Panthers. The two best teams in the NFC meet tonight; the Packers visit Dallas in a game that most of America can't watch because the NFL and cable companies are too busy whining and blaming each other about who's responsible for making sure people are able to watch it. The whole thing makes us sick, but not as sick as we'll be when the Pats-Giants regular season finale will be in the same boat. Folks in WCVB territory will be OK, but Pats fans in Western Mass., NH, RI, CT and beyond may be up the proverbial creek without a satellite.

Photo of a clothed, comfortable Bobby Orr from the Hockey Hall of Fame.