As I looked at the calendar today, I found it hard to believe that it is already the 14th of Dec. and that Christmas is a mere 11 days away.

    It’s difficult to tell when one holiday season ends and the next begins thanks to stores that put Christmas decorations out in July and radio stations that play “Deck the Halls” for the first time in August.

    That said, we are getting close enough to the most wonderful time of the year, and I am indeed feeling festive and in a giving mood. Or should I say, a wishing mood, in that if I wish I could give the following people something they truly need:

    The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (in Orange County) just made former Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton a very rich man. So rich, in fact, that Hamilton’s new $125 million contract will be paying him more money over five years than I am likely to ever earn throughout my entire life. If I could, I would give Hamilton my friendship, a very coveted and trustworthy thing. After all, he is going to need someone to help him spend his money. Why shouldn’t it be me?

    The current and former Saints players fingered in the bounty investigated recently had their punishments vacated by former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita, Will Smith and Anthony Hargrove all were “set free,” but with the exception of Fujita, Tagliabue agreed that the players had indeed committed violations of NFL rules. He found that the Saints’ organization and leaders/coaches had permeated and promoted the bounty program.

    Only in the NFL are you guilty until proven guilty, then innocent, but not really because you were just “following orders.”

    I would give Vilma, Fujita, Smith and Hargrove the ability to stand up for themselves. Why? Because according to Tagliabue, they only participated because coaches made them.

    The Los Angeles Lakers are a hot mess right, losers of five of their last six contests and currently holding a 9-13 record, not even Kobe Bryant knows what to do. The super star recently called Magic Johnson and Jerry West for advice on the matter. Let’s be honest, there have been some injuries for L.A. (Steve Nash) that may have affected its play, but the team isn’t even trying. I would give the Lakers a time machine. They can do what they want with it, i.e. go back and not hire Mike Brown, go back and get Phil Jackson instead of Mike D’Antoni, whatever.

    Speaking of disasters, how about the current state of the Big East Conference? The Catholic schools want to take their basketball teams and go home, all the good football squads want out as well and Boise State is left to really wonder about its future. Nobody knows what is going to happen, and there are still a lot of dominoes that will fall before the whole conference realignment thing is over, but it sure doesn’t look good. I would give the Big East, and Boise State, some Dramamine because this ride is getting really bumpy, real fast.

    Finally, my heart breaks for Filipino congressman, boxer and all-around good person Manny Pacquiao. That right fist of Juan Manuel Marquez ended an era of dominance and invulnerability for the man. It also sent Pacquiao to sleep earlier than he goes to bed, I believe. I think there is still some fight left in the congressman, but it will be a while before he gets back in the ring. I would give Pacquiao some aspirin, a soft pillow and maybe a few hours of mental counseling (with anybody except Dr. Phil, of course).