We're just a few days before the holidays, and here are some gifts I wish for those in the sports world this Christmas...

1.  Pat Bowlen, Denver Broncos owner.  The common sense to let Mike Shanahan, VP of football ops go and get someone who has a better eye for talent.  Shanahan the VP of ops has let Shanahan the coach down big time. 

2.  Colorado Buffaloes.  A verbal commitment from Darrell Scott, the top RB prospect in the country.

3.  Atlanta Falcons.  Anybody who wants to be there.  I feel for Arthur Blank.

4.  Jamal Tinsley.  Common sense not to be out at 2 a.m. anymore.  Dude, wake up and realize nothing good happens at 2 a.m.

5.  Roger Clemens.  The guts to put actions behind words and start dropping lawsuits if you're truly innocent.  As John Smoltz said...if that were me and I'm innocent, I'd come out swinging (from the Jim Rome show about a week ago)

6.  NY Mets.  A front line starter.  Without one, the Mets are doomed for another year like last year. 

7.  Oliver Perez.  Some control.  Stuff of a #1, control of a #4.

8.  The NBA.  Anybody but the Sprus winning the west...too dull for me to watch.  Phoenix, Denver, Dallas...HELLO???

9.  The NHL.  Relevence, and common sense to beg ESPN to show your product again.

10.  Florida Marlins Ownership.  Realization that you'll never succeed in south Florida and get out of there.  The fans couldn't care less.  Besides, you can't watch baseball in Florida in the summer outside...it's unbearable. 

11.  Steve Moore.  Justice in your lawsuit.  No player has been wronged by a peer anymore than you have been. 

12.  NY Knicks...Isiah hitting the streets and taking that god awful owner James Dolan with him.  Together they've ruined the Knicks and make them  more of a soap opera than pro wrestling.

13.  College football fans.  Show enough outrage to demand a playoff system so this great sport gets a true national championship

14.  To all of you that you get everything on your list to Santa. 

Happy Holidays everyone!

With the departure of Rich Rodriguez from West Virginia to Michigan, it's very easy to compare how Rodriguez handled his departure compared to how the cowardly Petrino handled his change of scenery.  Let's take a look...

Addressing his players.

Rodriguez was a man.  He faced his team, looked them in the eye this past Sunday and informed them of his decision.  Petrino left a letter in each player's locker letting them know he was leaving town. 

Player reaction.

While it may be unfair to compare between college kids and pros, you don't hear words like coward or disloyal coming from West Virginia players.  You don't hear anger in the tones of voices of the Mountaineers.  Falcon players were irate, and when Warrick Dunn calls out the coach, you know something is wrong.  One of the Mountaineers said that he was a man about it. 

Being straight up

Rodriguez was grilled by the media regarding the reports.  Instead of going Nick Saban and saying he won't be the head coach at Michigan, he simply refused to talk about it.  Despite the constant prodding during that press conference, Rodriguez simply refused to comment.  Petrino, reportedly told his owner in the recent days prior to going Bob Irsay on the Falcons said he was in it for the long haul.  He looked his boss in the face, and lied. 

I think Michigan made an excellent choice.  They are bringing in a guy who will put in a type of offense you don't see in the Big 10, and you've seen Big 10 teams struggle with the spread offense.  Simply look at last year's BCS title game and Michigan's first two games.  Ohio State simply couldn't handle the spread, and Oregon simply beat on Michigan like a rented mule, not to mention the App State upset.  Once Rodriguez gets his guys in there, they could very well have the speed to simply dominate the Big 10, and bring that conference into the 21st century.

I live in the Fort Myers, Florida area, spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. 

Ever since I've been here, I've been amazed at the fact that chowd fans camp out overnight for...SPRING TRAINING TICKETS.  Are you kidding me?  This isn't camping out for a hot concert ticket like Beyonce...you know what you get with her, but to watch a game where the stars may play 3 innings, and I bet that you won't know the roster by the time the game is winding down. 

This year is no exception.  The first fan, Brian Griffiths, according to a story in the Bonita Daily News (www.bonitanews.com), started camping out Thursday.  Tickets went on sale today.  That's two days parking your can outside a ticket window for games that don't count.  What am I missing here?  I don't get it.  Is it passion, or do you chowd fans not have a life?  Mr. Griffiths wasn't the only one.  Reportedly, there are dozens of you pathetic no life Chowd fans just waiting for the chance to see one Manny Ramirez at bat, Jonathan Papelbon pitch one inning, or Jacoby Ellsbury make a play in center field. 

One fan was quoted as saying this is no different than those who waited all night for Harry Potter books.  He's right...they're just as pathetic.