Let the players enjoy Christmas

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Dear Roger and Adam (Affectionately known as Commissioner Goodell and Silver):

Can you remember the holiday celebrations with your children?

The joy you felt when you watched them open the gifts they had asked for and the fellowship around the dining table as you devoured a huge meal and had great conversation?

There wasn’t much of anything to distract you as you played Santa and enjoyed the big day. While the memories are quite precious to you and your respective families, many of the players that make your leagues what it is today will once again be playing on Christmas Day when a total of seven games air on both television and Netflix, keeping your audience entertained between dinner and dessert.

This annual over-saturation of hoops and touchdowns on Christmas day has become an automatic distraction from a day that is both sacred and special for millions of people in North America and beyond. While it’s a ratings bonanza for the various networks involved, it remains a huge disappointment to the players and coaches that will have to spend their holiday via Zoom or text.

Despite what the marketing gurus tell you, America can wait a day or two for the games to resume after the holidays. You can be assured that players and coaches too would fully agree that the opportunity to spend it with their families is far more important than being part of a day-long slate of contests that really don’t matter.

Anyone who actually possesses an intelligent quotient greater than that of a toaster oven knows that it’s never going to change as after all, nothing goes with baked ham and candied yams better than LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes, with a side of Steph Curry and a big scoop of Lamar Jackson to boot.

While the NBA has turned into a run the floor and jack up the three-type product, the NFL has similar problems with just six teams (tops) that can win the coveted Lombardi trophy out of 32, so in reality why not showcase the fact that a big holiday audience simply proves it’s about mediocrity and not parity.

That aside, enjoy what has always been a direct assault on the players and their families in exchange for television ratings. Just mix in a second helping of your favorite holiday grub and tell the kids to go play with their new Xbox in the other room. It really doesn’t matter if the games are close or a blowout as they shouldn’t be on the air. 

The NBA and the NFL know it, but they simply don’t care. It’s no longer Christmas day but rather a day to place a bet or buy their official merchandise online at halftime. Happy Holidays America and don’t forget to drink your eggnog from one of their official team mugs too.

Danny Bridges, who will be in a honey baked ham coma before the first game starts, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or by email at bridgeshd@aol.com.