Big Shots for January 4, 2012

This week Big Shots dons our lederhosen in the Alps for the Four Hills ski jumping tournament, gets our beers spilled courtside as the NBA returns to action, and wonders if a winter swimmer in Harbin, China ever came up for air. Check out The Big Picture next week for an in-depth look at the Dakar Rally in progress now in South America. ( 32 photos total)

New York Knicks fan Freddy Klein, who has had Knicks seats for 52 years, waits for the Knicks' NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics to start at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 25, 2011. (Kathy Willens/AP)

Andy Hamilton celebrates, or perhaps needs more fiber in his diet, during in his match against Simon Whitlock during the World Darts Championships semifinal at Alexandra Palace on January 1, 2012 in London. (Tom Shaw/Getty Images) #

Is it something he ate? A college football fan grimaces at the 2012 Fiesta Bowl between Stanford and Oklahoma State in Glendale, Arizona January 2, 2012. (Rick Scuteri/Reuters) #

Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals grimaces before the NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks on January 1, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. What are they putting in the water in Glendale? (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) #

The Anaheim Ducks' Bobby Ryan looks at the clock against the Vancouver Canucks during their NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif. on December 29, 2011. (Mike Blake/Reuters) #

Mascot Freddie the Falcon of the Atlanta Falcons teases team photographer Jimmy Cribb before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 1, 2012 in Atlanta. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images) #

Head coach Gene Chizik of the Auburn Tigers gets a bath after beating the Virginia Cavaliers during their bowl game on December 31, 2011 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) #

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during the NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Arlington, Texas December 24, 2011. (Mike Stone/Reuters) #

Denard Robinson of Michigan celebrates beating Virginia Tech during the Sugar Bowl on January 3, 2012 in New Orleans. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images) #

The Washington Capitals' Troy Brouwer celebrates with fans after scoring against the Calgary Flames in Washington January 3, 2012. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) #

A man is hit by a bull during a traditional "Corraleja" or bullfight on New Year's Eve in Turbaco, Colombia December 31, 2011. (Joaquin Sarmiento/Reuters) #

The Los Angeles Lakers' Troy Murphy falls into fans as he runs after a rebound against the Chicago Bulls during an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles December 25, 2011. (Danny Moloshok/Reuters) #

Liverpool's Martin Skrtel (right) vies for the ball against Manchester City's Edin Dzeko during their English Premier League football match in Manchester on January 3, 2012. (Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images) #

Mitchell Huenders falls during the 'Azencross Loenhout' cyclocross race in Loenhout on December 28, 2011. (Peter Deconinck/AFP/Getty Images) #

Virginia Tech's Corey Marshall tries for a "strip sack" of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson during the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game in New Orleans on January 3, 2012. (Bill Haber/AP) #

Wyoming's Joe LeBlanc (top) holds down Oklahoma's Erich Schmidtke during their NCAA college wrestling match on January 3, 2012 in Laramie, Wyo. (Joshua A. Bickel/The Casper Star-Tribune/AP) #

Liverpool's Luis Suarez (right) challenges Blackburn Rovers' Adam Henley during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield in Liverpool on December 26, 2011. (Phil Noble/Reuters) #

The Toronto Raptors' Amir Johnson falls into the photographers row against the Indiana Pacers during their NBA basketball game in Toronto December 28, 2011. (Mark Blinch/Reuters) #

Tom Hilde of Norway crashes during the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Vierschanzentournee (Four Hills Tournament) on December 30, 2011 in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Stanko Gruden/Agence Zoom/Getty Images) #

A surfer rides off the top of a wave in Encinitas, California on January 3, 2012. (Mike Blake/Reuters) #

Motorcyclist Robbie Maddison and snowmobiler Levi LaVallee jump over a water gap in San Diego on December 31, 2011. (Gregory Bull/AP) #

Finland's Matti Hautamaeki takes off during practice for the third event of the 60th Four Hills ski jumping tournament in Innsbruck January 3, 2012. (Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters) #

A winter swimmer jumps with a mop into the icy water of the Songhua River in Harbin, China on December 26, 2011. (Sheng Li/Reuters) #

Fulham's Stephen Kelly (right) challenges Arsenal's Robin Van Persie during their English Premier League soccer match at Craven Cottage in London on January 2, 2012. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters) #

Clermont's Gerhard Vosloo runs with the ball during the French Top 14 rugby union match against Lyon on December 31, 2011 in Lyon. (Jean Pierre Clatot/AFP/Getty Images) #

Donald Cerrone (left) trades punches with Nate Diaz during their UFC lightweight mixed martial arts match on December 30, 2011 in Las Vegas. (Eric Jamison/AP) #

Bethells Beach compete in the New Surf Boat Championships on January 2, 2012 in Whangamata, New Zealand. (Hannah Johnston/Getty Images) #

Ethiopia's Tariku Bekele wins the 87th Sao Silvestre New Year's eve 15k road race on December 31, 2011 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images) #

People relax in a public swimming pool during heavy snowfall in Davos, Switzerland on December 30, 2011. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters) #

Australia and the US face off in the Water Polo by the Sea match on Bondi Beach on January 4, 2012 in Sydney. Picture made with a variable plane lens. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) #

A dinosaur costumed runner joins the "Corrida Internacional de Sao Silvestre", a traditional New Year's Eve event in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on December 31, 2011. Twenty-five-thousand runners participate in the 15k street race, held since 1925. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images) #

Nahid Ahmadi plays at the Pardis Club in Isfahan, Iran on January 1, 2012. Groups of women frequently gather at the The Paradis club to play snooker and pool together. (Vahid Salemi/AP) #

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Big Shots for January 4, 2012