Family, Gifts and Tom's Yuletide Blog

   Come on, what would Dec. 25 be without my First Annual Yuletide Blog?

   A few things.

   First, hope your day and your week have been wonderful. We all have traditions. One of ours is to, after the dust and wrapping paper settle, run. The day was ideal, with soft temperatures, clear sunshine and almost no traffic. But I had nothing. Shins were killing me -- I've had shin splints and a stress fracture, the price of being pigeon-toed -- and even though I had to stop three times to stretch, I couldn't get loose. Yet, being out there among the trees and creeks and empty streets felt right. And it means I can eat with impunity the rest of the day.

   Secondly, I did not pass a single bell-ringer in front of a store this month without sticking at least $1 in his bucket. Last year, I skipped one and felt guilty for 12 months. Somebody wrote The Buzz and complained about how aggressive the bell-ringers are. I've yet to see one. They're friendly and some tell jokes and they make you feel part of something. Thanks.

   I felt part of something Tuesday night with Thomas Davis and his wife Kelly. Kelly is the executive director of Thomas' Defending Dreams Foundation. Many athletes have foundations; I admire the work they do.  What impressed me about Davis was how deeply he cared. In little more than a week he and his Carolina Panther teammates raised enough to hand 32 families a turkey and a $400 Wal-Mart gift card.

   When Thomas talked, his passion for giving was such that I handed him a $20. Next Christmas, he promises, he and his foundation will do more.

   I believe him.

   Lastly, please enjoy the day. Let it come to you. Slow down, think about what counts and, no matter how tired you are, smile. We don't get many opportunities like this one.

Comments

[Krueger]

Hey Tom !
I wish you a merry christmas and happy holidays, but i had to laugh, when i read "Yuletide" in the header. I have danish roots and actually lived there for about 11 years, before i moved back to Germany, but is it supposed to be "Yuletide" in the States ? We pronouce it "Juletid" . Since you got Sørensen as surename, you know about Denmark, dont you ;)?

Anyways, it is sure a good thing Davis did with his Foundation !

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from icecold Denmark / Germany :).

[Catholics Rule]

Xmas is nothing but a ripoff for merchants. Dont people need merchandise 365 days a year? Why did gift giving become so major so that even Wall St uses Xmas sales as a gauge to the economy health? This is pure insanity. You dont have to wait to Xmas to buy presents or gifts anyway. This is all a scam. Santa was invented by merchants so kids could pester the hell out of their parents. Learning Santa was a myth can be extremely psychologically damaging to children too and those toys last about 2 mos max. We dont wont to eliminate Xmas, just educate. Theres nothing wrong with exhanging gifts but The Jman was not born on Dec 25th and we know Roman emperor Constantine in the 3rd century AD after converting Rome to Xianity took the pagan holyday sun winter soltice and made it the birthday of the messiah guy. Pagans and witches still celebrate it. Even in late December in Israel it gets below freezing in the fields and pastures where the sheep graze.
The giving idea came from 3 wisemen who brought presents to the 13 yr old virgin mom of the Jman who was born in a barn in a feeding trough obv for the effects having traveled 80 miles to pay their taxes. In those days tax collectors were worse than the satanic. They still are. Merchants now take advantage of this for Wall St profits. Pretty sicko but thats America.

On another note we believe Obama was a major assholio jerk by announcing he wanted a college playoff. He never stipulated that he was being biased since every single NCAA division has a playoff system and has for ages except for D1A. DIII, DII and D1AA all have playoffs including a few smaller divisions.
Maybe he is unaware that only D1A does not have a college playoff because they relish in the luxury and excitement plus big tv contracts and big time gala events of the great historical Bowls and have for 100 yrs to determine a national champ or final rankings with the BCS.

This idiot Obama would be the grinch who stole the fantastic Bowl games and the historic colorful pagentry and parades etc. Would you eliminate the Rose Bowl and its Rose Bowl parade that is planned for 364 days?

Can anyone imagine a lackluster playoff and only one final Super Bowl for D1A but no Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl etc etc?

Keep the great tradition and spectacle pagentry of the Bowls and tell Barryboy to keep his mouth shut.

[Shaun NJ]

catholics rule,

just shut up. do what most catholics do and go to church and pray harder for Obama to have a sudden change of mind about college football .. perhaps he will have a change of heart. catholics aren't supposed to curse and judge either but you're doing just that.

[Roman Catman]

Whatever nevermind. Its called Mass as in Christmas or Christ-Mass as it used to be without one "s". Be glad we gave you protester rebels (Protestants) led by the ultimate traitor German Luther this holiday plus the entire big #1 worlds best seller media Book. Who do you think put it all together? Who do you think built the European world headquarters for the worlds #1 religion that has 1/3 of the worlds population? Who conquered and ruled the civilized world with an iron fist? Who led the great Crusader War charge for 200 yrs? Who destroyed all competition and owned the world for 15 centuries (thats 1500 yrs) ? We have now owned the universe for 2000 yrs and this where Catholic or Universal gets its label for the education.
And theres another problem.
Why did protester rebels take "y" out of holyday and substitute it with an "i" and change the English pronunciation?
Its Christmass and holyday not Christmas and holiday.
It is a Mass for the Christ child birth, not a mas holiday and they even have the nerve to use holly trees as a lame substitute. Insane. We discussed the protester Santa Claus idiot crapole and whay they decorate trees and use colored lights is insane. What about these freakin raindeer? Rudolph the red nose raindeer? Gimme a break. What a laugh these protesters are.
This all came from the screaming protesting rebels who all seem to turn into idiot theatrical flailing retards on Sunday. Jeesh. And we dont get into this Billy Graham crap either. Another big moron.
And thats another problem. Rome gave the world the 12 month calender and days of the week too and Sunday is not the 7th day of the week. Check the calender. Saturday is the 7th day and Sabbath yet protester rebels are too stupid to observe this.
Monday is the 2nd day of the week.

We could go on but why bother? Ignorance is eternal. Maybe some are enlighented though.

[Russ Liachoff]

Tom, what time should the team return to BOA tomorrow?