In reverse "I really, really, really want it," "honest-I've-been-good, Santa" order:

10. A back-up goalie. Sorry,  Stephan.

9. For Dave Tippett. A handlebar mustache. I think it will inspire the boys.

8. Miraculous, overnight recoveries for the slew of players out with injuries (or at least Morrow, Lehtinen and Zubov).

7. For Mike Modano: Map to the fountain of youth. Without it, he’s bound to hang up his skates at the end of 2009.

6. For Les Jackson: Full GM authority. Sorry, Brett, but you only get a sack of coal because of the Sean Avery fiasco.

5. For Marty Turco: A Garmin GPS to help him find his game.

4. For Sean Avery: A "Christmas Vacation” with Uncle Eddie and his clan.

3. New Stars unis: Check out these amazing artist concepts from icethetics can be viewed here, and logos here.

2. A winning streak: Seriously, just two wins in a row. It hasn’t happened yet.

1. Just a Cup.

My junior year at TCU, Horned Frogs quarterback Jeff Ballard was in pursuit of one of Slingin' Sammy Baughs legendary records. In this case, the record was most consecutive starting wins by a quarterback. I was supposed to put together a story reflecting this, but unfortunately timing didn't work out with getting interviews set up and whatnot (college athletics are much less forgiving than high schools in that instance), but I was able to chat with Baugh's son.

Unfortunately, at this point Sammy had suffered a series of strokes and was unable to speak and was essentially bed-ridden and homebound. 

I wonder if today's weather is indicative of what he faced in the 1935 Sugar Bowl against LSU. Think about it. It was cool, wet and damp, and Baugh punted 14 times with a 45-yard average on each boot. That is quite a feat in and of itself, but now I wonder if Sammy is just toying with the clouds today to get people to remember golden era of leatherhead football.

Rest In Peace, Slingin' Sammy.

-Marcus Out-

If sports talk radio is your game (and let’s face it: it is), then there’s a new player in town.

Introducing 105.3 The Fan, the newest sports-centric radio station in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. It used to be Live 105.3, an FM talk station headlined by the newly let-go Russ Martin, but it will now be moving to an all-sports format.

According to the press release, “The Fan is anchored by the popular Jagger Show from 6:00-10:30AM, followed by market veteran Kevin Scott and former NFL and Texas A&M football player Greg Hill from 10:30AM-3:00PM.  KLLI’s midday program, The Ben and Skin Show, moves to afternoons (3:00-7:00PM) with The Fan rounding out the day’s lineup with Pete Stein and Mike Rodriguez from 7:00-10:00PM.  FOX Sports programming will air beginning at 10:00PM.”

My thoughts on the move after the jump.

Gary Bettman, the NHL’s commish, isn’t known for ruling with an iron fist. However, he did see fit to suspend Dallas Stars headache Sean Avery for six games. He’s already sat out two games. I figure he’s already spent the better part of those 48 hours picking out new scarves, so here are four ways this high-fashion, low-IQ hockey player can spend the rest of his sentence and learn a bit more about Dallas-Fort Worth:

Dec. 5 (Colorado Avalanche at Dallas): Instead of pummeling the rival ’lanche, Sean should attend IrvingArtCenter’s Celtic Christmas with the Hunt Family Fiddlers. It’s a free performance, which now matters for Sean (he’ll lose a cool $130,000 sitting out the games).

Dec. 10 (Phoenix Coyotes at Dallas): With or without Avery, this game is a “W” for the Stars. Lucky for Avery, the Plano Library is showing Jumanji, which is assuredly in his top 10 list of films starting with a “J” and ending with an “I”.

Dec. 12 (Detroit Red Wings at Dallas): Bah humbug! Of all the games he’ll miss, he probably wishes he could suit up against his former HockeyTown teammates. Instead, he should check out FlowerMoundHigh School’s presentation of “Scrooge.” I think there might be a moral or two he can pick up from this musical performance that features some high-tech effects.

Dec. 13 (Dallas at Nashville Predators): No need for Sean to hop on the plane for this one-game road trip to play the miserable Preds. Woo-hoo! On this Saturday, he should do all he can to convince Santa and special helpers that he’s been a good boy. They’ll be a ton of opportunities throughout the area: Lewisville, Cedar Hill, Flower Mound, Irving, Lancaster, Dallas and Rockwall.         

Good luck, Sean!

YOUR DALLAS STARS

Up: Two wins in a row, including one of their better games of the season against an unbeatable-at-home Cal-GARY Flames. ...
Down: Sean Avery said a terrible thing before that game and the Stars returned to Earth in last night's humbling loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

CYCLOCROSS
Up: It’s a cool mix of mountain biking and road riding, and everybody’s doing it in my hometown. …
Down: Like everything in cycling, it requires moolah. “Official” ’cross rigs will set you back about a grand for a complete or pay that for a sweet frameset like this old-stock Salsa Las Cruces.

THE BCS & BIG 12
Up: I must admit, OU probably is the right team to go to the Big 12 Championship. And if the Sooners lose, there’s a shot for my Longhorns to make it into the BCS title game. …
Down: Whining. Fellow Texas fans, it’s not becoming. Be honest – Did we expect the Horns to have this good of a season? Relish this year, enjoy the clubbing the team’s going to give the Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl and then get ready for next year. The Longhorns will be untouchable in 2009-10.

Confessions of a former Heisman Trophy voter:

In the mid- to late-1980s, I was a bona fide Heisman Trophy voter. I had followed college football since I was 13, so yes, I likes me some college football.

And yes, I had a regional bias.

It is pretty funny that he forgot the rules, especially when the last NFL tie happened during his career. Philly is 5-4-1, but is this dumber than the Leon Lett debacle of 1993, no, but it's up there.

Well, what're you gonna do? My suggestion - 15-yard penalty assessed on the Eagles' kickoff next week in Baltimore on account of knuckleheadedness. Even Tiki Barber said that type of flub is "indefensible."
-Marcus Out-

In a way, it hurts.

Another baseball season is finished and it is another five game World Series. Admittedly, the teams did get to play a thrilling three inning show down, but really, it didn't make up for the fact that now I have to settle for the NFL until the World Baseball Classic gets underway in the Spring.

In all honesty, I feel the same way about baseball season ending as I do about Boxing Day. It leaves a weird taste in my mouth and honestly, I'm inpatient. Thank God for beer league softball.

-Marcus Out-

John Miller: "A lot of the groundskeepers are unloading that water absorbent, SAND-like material."

Make it 14 references to sand.

Apparently meteorology is not the strong suit of John Miller and Joe Morgan. It is entertaining to listen to them try and find filler on radio, but really what are you gonna do. 

Well, now Crawford is up in the sixth with one out. The rain is coming down harder. Now there are two outs... For some reason it seems like the Rays are almost lack the capacity to take pitches.

I will admit, it would have been pretty awesome to see Tim Wakefield work his knuckleball in weather like this. Charlie Hough used to have the rainy knuckler mastered during his twilight with the Marlins.

Upton reaches on a slow roller. "Rain falls with gusto," according to John Miller.

Now there is something brewing. An Upton stolen base... So a basehit up the middle by Pena could/should score the speedy BJ Upton.

CARLOS PENA HAS 2 HITS!! ZOMG! I mean, it is obvious the Rays are having trouble finding offense, but anything goes.

This muck-covered infield now has enabled Pena to move to second on a passed ball. 

It doesn't matter... It is now 2-2 going into the middle of the sixth..

Oh, reference No. 15... "Water absorbent SAND-like material."

BOTTOM 6:
RAIN DELAY!! WOOOO!!