Alan Wolf and our readers share their sports holiday wish lists!
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When I was a kid, the holidays were filed with anticipation: I hope I get the gift I really want!
I no longer need or want anyone to buy me anything. What I really want is something I cannot buy. I want a winning sports team.
We can surely amass too much stuff, but a sports fan can never have his or her team win too many championships. In my lifetime the Knicks have won two, the Rangers one, the Giants four, and the Yankees seven. But that is not enough! I want my favorite teams to win this year and every year. I am not interested in rebuilding years.
To quote Veruca Salt, “I want it now!”
I am not interested in long-term contracts and salary caps. Those concerns are not mine. I am not interested in the business of sports, but rather on the results on the field. A sports fan can only hope for the competent ownership and management of their favorite team. Unfortunately, these qualities have all been lacking from my teams.
With that said, here is my holiday wish list:
The New York Knicks: Trade Carmelo and Bring In Players Who Can Run The Triangle Offense
4-20! It’s a good thing they signed Carmelo Anthony this off-season to a $124,000,000 contract! I shudder to think where they’d be without him! Actually, I’d really like to see that.
They brought in a new team president, coach and offense, but brought back the same problem. The Knicks are never going to win with Carmelo. Sure he scores a lot, but that’s only because he shoots the ball almost every time he touches it, but this is a team sport!
Trade him now, let’s get some players who can pass and play defense, and then let’s see how the triangle offense is supposed to work.
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The New York Yankees: Dump A-Rod!
What has become of them? They used to make big waves, now they barely make a ripple. They did sign a new shortstop, who hit a whopping .226 last year!
The number one thing that I’d like them to do is to get rid of A-Rod, not during spring training, not during the season, but right now! He is going to be a horrible distraction, and let’s face it, he cannot play, so he’ll be using up a valuable roster spot If not for his absurd contract, he would have been released a long time ago. I do not care about the money the Yankees still owe him, that is their problem, not mine, but I am suffering for it.
Dump A-Rod now and let’s move forward!
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The New York Giants: An Offensive Line
The quarterback is definitely the most important player on the team, and I am convinced that we have a good one. Eli Manning is a two time super bowl MVP. That cannot be an accident.
But watching him this year sometime it is hard to see his ability (or for that matter that of the running backs). What good is it to have a quality quarterback and then leave him out there to get mauled? None!
Let’s get a solid offensive line and see what Eli can do!
(By the way, thanks for last year’s present, Odell Beckham Jr.!)
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Sports Editors Note: We also asked to hear from you, our readers and contributors, on what is on your sports fan holiday wishlist.
Here is what you said:
Alyssa Royse:
Besides Richard Sherman coming down my chimney? All this “sports fan” wants is for people to care as much about education and social justice as they do about their team. Because, you know, we’re really all part of the same big team.
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Doug Zeigler:
All I want for the Holidays for sports-type things are: 1) Dan Snyder finds the Zoltan Machine and goes back to being a child, not a petulant adult who’s politically tone deaf, 2) to walk in a mall and see Rodger Goddell as a Paul Blart wannabe, 3) be able to dunk just one more time, 4) Scientifically prove the “Ewing Theory,” and 5) to be able to go to the bathroom without any interruptions from children. Fine…that last one isn’t sports-related, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t wish for it.
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Joe Rutland:
Here’s my Sports want for Christmas: A replay of Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS between the Houston Astros and New York Mets with the ASTROS winning, forcing Game 7 at the glorious Houston Astrodome (don’t laugh … childhood memories for me … good ones … Eighth Wonder of the World) and putting Mike Scott on the mound.
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Michael Kasdan:
Very simple. For this hell that is the New York Knicks to end. And it’s been a long long time. What I want is the Dolans out. Now.
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Miguel de la Fuente-Lau:
For the San Antonio Spurs to rest their starting unit….for the rest of the season.
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Elyse Olster:
For the Giants to pick up a few wins to make my husband a bit happier! It would be a Christmas miracle!
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Got more?!?!
Send them our way in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter using the #GMPSports hashtag @GoodMenProject!!
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Photo Credit: AP/Don Wright
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