Well, here we are again. It’s now just a couple of days before Christmas. Has it really been a year since we were celebrating this most holy of holidays?
I know this is a hectic time for many. Making last minute preparations, wrapping gifts, cooking food, hoping the mailman will bring those mail order items are some of the things on many minds right now.
For me, it has become a tradition to send the man at the North Pole a letter asking for some needed sports-related gifts. I know he is extremely busy but with the invention of e-mail, I know this will reach him in time.
With that in mind, I am asking Saint Nick for:
•Two wins to close out the 2009 season for the Atlanta Falcons. I realize the playoffs are officially out of the picture for this year, but two more wins would end the morbid streak of never having back-to-back winning seasons in the franchise’s four decade plus history. How is that even possible?
•Continued success for the Atlanta Hawks. How many were ready to write off Mike Woodson as he slowly but surely went about building this franchise, literally from the ground up? Ever season has seen more wins and now the Hawks have the second best record in the Eastern Conference. Patience is so important in the sports world and the Hawks are being rewarded because of.
•A book on loyalty for University of Georgia football coach Mark Richt. His dismissal of three assistant coaches following the 2009 season has tarnished his reputation in my book. Those three coaches helped Richt become a success as the Bulldog head coach. Now, they are out of work. Loyalty is indeed rare in the sports world.
•A thank you for the long hours our local high school coaches put in. These men and women will never receive the proper recognition for what they do, but their work with student-athletes should be admired and not criticized. Too often the “coaches in the stands” will look to drive a coach out of town without realizing what the proper role of high school athletics is. Only a few truly understand it’s not all about wins and losses, but building character and helping mold young people for their lives after high school.
•For Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson: continued success with his triple option offense and a victory against Georgia in 2010.
•For Georgia State football coach Bill Curry: a welcome back to football in 2010 as the Panthers begin their first season of play. You’ve been away too long Coach.
•For The NFL Network: a programming director who realizes fans want to see more classic games uncut.
•For Bobby Knight: one more team to coach.
•For Bobby Cremins: a trip to the NCAA tournament at the College of Charleston.
•For major college football: a playoff system so we can finally have a real national champion and not a mythical one. It seems I’ve been asking for this gift for many, many years.
•For readers of this sports section: A thank you for your support in 2009. I look forward to the new year and continuing to make this your sports section of choice. Your support is greatly appreciated.
One gift has already been delivered as Georgia Southern football will be returning to the triple option offense under new head coach Jeff Monken, a long-time Paul Johnson discipline.
Merry Christmas to all.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
