Good morning everyone. Let’s dive in.

1) More great news for Trump. Well, we’re sure he’ll find a way to spin it that way.

According to the latest CNN/ORC Poll, the president-elect (still feels a bit surreal calling him that) broke a record. He’s got to love that, right? Well … maybe not.

Donald Trump will become president Friday with an approval rating of just 40%, according to a new CNN/ORC Poll, the lowest of any recent president and 44 points below that of President Barack Obama, the 44th president.

Following a tumultuous transition period, approval ratings for Trump’s handling of the transition are more than 20 points below those for any of his three most recent predecessors. Obama took the oath in 2009 with an 84% approval rating, 67% approved of Clinton’s transition as of late December 1992 and 61% approved of George W. Bush’s transition just before he took office in January 2001.

So he’s got that going for him.

2) Big tobacco merger makes headlines.

British American Tobacco has agreed to take over Reynolds American Inc., creating the biggest tobacco company in the world. From WRAL:

The $49 billion takeover was agreed on improved terms compared with an initial bid made last year. It would combine BAT’s presence in developing countries, where anti-smoking campaigns are not as strong as in the U.S. and Europe, with Reynolds’ almost exclusive focus on the U.S.

BAT sells Dunhill, Rothmans and Lucky Strike cigarettes, while Reynolds owns brands like Newport, Camel and Pall Mall.

Let’s hope the deal doesn’t drive the prices of smokes up. After Friday, we’re gonna need all the Camels we can get.

3) Roy Williams gets 800th career win as UNC beats Syracuse.
 In a battle of Hall of Fame coaches, UNC delivered at the Dean Dome to give its coach a memorable win and make him one of only a handful of NCAA men’s basketball coaches to hit the historic mark. From the N&O:

When the final seconds expired on the Tar Heels’ 17th victory of the season – and their fifth consecutive, after that stunning New Year’s Eve defeat at Georgia Tech – a celebration began. Williams had accomplished, with his 800th career victory, what only eight other coaches in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball history had ever done. …

“It was never a dream of mine to win 800 games,” Williams said, holding a microphone and addressing his players as much as those who’d remained in their seats. “But it was a dream of mine to coach guys like this.”

That’s all for now. Gotta go buy 1,000 cartons ahead of the inauguration.