NFL16 Cherry Picks W16: Holiday Pigskin, Christmas Songs & My Favorite Things

Dec. 20, 2016

Minute Waltz - NFL Week 15

Richard Sherman on Thursday Night Football = “poopfest.” Classy, dude. You do know you've got a union, right?

LA - Seattle: Rams helmets rocked but the game, and Hawks uniforms, color that looked “a cross between piss yellow and puke green,” that was all fertilizer.

I shed no tears for axed millionaire Jeff Fisher but cow-pies for the Junior-media who campaigned for it to happen.

Vikings' Mike Zimmer might wish he’d had patches over both eyes after having to watch the Indianapolis Colts kick his guys around their own brand spanking new field.

Packers are peaking at the perfect time and showed shades of Don Chandler (Crosby) in closing field goal win over the feisty Bears.

Sooooo sticky-glove: Garment game-changers aid Odell Beckham in what proved to be game-winning TD grab vs the toothless Lions.

To NFL GameDay Live: No more on-air Michael Jackson “love”-fest.

--- --- ---

My Favorite Things

No “raindrops on roses” or “whiskers on kittens” in this write. No siree, Bob. That kinda’ imagery is just fine when it emanates from the beautiful & talented Mary Martin and Julie Andrews as they nurtured their youthful yodelers in the pre-War Austrian Alps, but not from this blogisphere burgermeister.

Instead, fasten that imaginary seat-belt, tune in the gold standard sounds of Christmas royalty like Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jo Stafford, the Sinatras, Al Hirt, Vaughn Monroe, Jack Jones, Barbara Streisand, Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Bobby Vinton, Peggy Lee, Neil Diamond, Mel Tormé, Ella Fitzgerald or Gene Autry and page through this sport fan’s Yuletide album of holiday favorites.

Among those favorites, America’s greatest music genre that takes center stage throughout December, getting continuous playtime in nearly every faithful home & spirited store in the land. Though, for some, maybe those Santa disappointed or have begun to see the season’s activity start to appear on their CC bills, the season’s songs begin to overstay their welcome (grate on the nerves) by the month’s end. Ah.

And you won’t see Blue Christmas or Mele Kalikimaka here, either. Sirius favorites this 2016 holiday season, my song list is already jam-packed.

? Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet ?

Sport: Yule football, outside, in the daytime, cold (15+), no promotions and won on a scoring bomb

Athlete: That baller who refuses (@ 20°+) to don sticky gloves and realizes that his personal success turns, in measurable part, on team

NFL coach: Pats’ Bill Belichick. A favorite press-conference retort in deflecting a cub reporter‘s criticism of Bill’s non-devotion to metrics strategy: “You (reporter) could attend Northeastern Analytics Conference, get your fill of it there”

NFL team: In the Black & Blue division (NFCN)

College team(s): Wildcats, Northwestern (Ill.) and Arizona (Tucson)

Christmas film: Holiday Affair, Mitchum - Leigh - Corey - Morgan (49)

Christmas song: Winter Wonderland, J.Mathis (58) - Bernard & Smith

? Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ?

Voice: White Christmas, Crosby - Trotter - Darby (42), Berlin

Pop: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of Year, Williams - Pola & Wyle (63)

Rock: Jingle Bell Rock, Helms, Garland & Kerr - Beal & Boothe (57)

Rockette: Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee, Marks (58)

Tribal: I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Vale (64), Kent - Gannon - Ram

Global: O Tannenbaum, Nat King Cole (60) & Army, Anschütz & Franck

Film song: Have Yourself, Meet Me in St. Louis, Garland - Martin (44)

Duet: Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé, That Holiday Feeling (64)!

? Tiny tots with eyes all a-glow ?

Kid: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Ray Coniff (59), Coots & Gillespie

Hymn: Joy to the World, Philadelphia Brass Ensemble (67), Handel

Orchestra: Sleigh Ride, Boston Pops (49), L.Anderson & M.Parish

Jazz: Cool Yule, Louis Armstrong & Commanders - Steve Allen (53)

Blues: I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Billie Holiday (58), Berlin

Fun: You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch, Ravenscroft & Geisel - Hague (66)

Warm: It’s a Marshmallow World, Dean Martin (66), Sigman & DeRose

Glow: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Lena Horne (66), J.Marks

? Thumpety thump-thump, thumpety thump-thump ?

Hot: Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt, J.Javits & P.Springer (53)

Cold: Frosty the Snowman, Patti Page - Rollins & Nelson (50)

Hope: There’s Always Tomorrow, Rudolph (TV ‘64), Janis Orenstein

Swing: The Little Drummer Boy, Count Basie Orchestra (15), Davis

Elvis: Here Comes Santa Claus, Presley (57), Haldeman & Autry

Beatles: Happy Xmas (So This is…), Lennon - Ono - HCC (71)

Instrumental: Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas (65)

Chorus: We Need a Little Christmas, Percy Faith - J. Herman (66)

? Fire’s dying but we’re still good-bying ?

Christmas toy: Tudor Electric Football, of course

Holiday TV: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (64), A Charlie Brown Christmas (65) and Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas (66)

TV spot: André Champagne, “Ring in the holidays (1970-80s)”

Holiday snack: Pistachios, cashews, Snyder® GF-pretzels & Figis®

Dinner: Baked ham, twice-baked taters, corn & chilled Chardonnay

Good Cheer: Retail: Baileys Irish Cream; Homemade: spike egg-nog

Date: The day Nike’s NFL (K) terminates (See; Color Rush, Bucs, etc.)

Cherry Picks Week 16: Bad Blood II (Lambeau)

Giants (10-4) @ Philadelphia (5-9): 12.22 NBC 8:25: Eagles win

Miami Dolphins (9-5) @ Buffalo (6-8): 12.24 CBS 1:00: Bills win

Tennessee (8-6) @ Jaguars (2-12): CBS 1:00: Jacksonville wins

Minnesota (7-7) @ Green Bay Packers (8-6): Fox 1:00: Packers win

Washington Redskins (7-6-1) @ Chicago (3-11): Fox 1:00: Bears win

Atlanta (9-5) @ Panthers (6-8) GTW: Fox 1:00: Carolina wins

Indianapolis (7-7) @ Oakland Raiders (11-3): CBS 4:05: Colts win

Buccaneers (9-5) @ New Orleans (6-8) GTW: Fox 4:25: NO wins

Cardinals (5-8-1) @ Seahawks (9-4-1): Fox 4:25: Seahawks win

Cincinnati Bengals (5-8-1) @ Houston (8-6): NBC 8:25: Cincy wins

Baltimore (8-6) @ Steelers (9-5) GTW: 12.25 NFLN 4:30: Ravens win

Denver (8-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (10-4): NBC 8:30: Chiefs win

Detroit (9-5) @ Cowboys (12-2) GTW: 12.26 Disney 8:30: Lions win

Record: 68 -80 - 2

Steven Keys

NFL HunchLine

Photo credit: B.Belichick-Patriots, wc, K.Allison, 5.28.09; LambeauField, wc, JL1Row, 8.2.10; C.Plummer, J.Andrews, wc, SoM, 1964, 20CF; Armstrong, wc, LoC, NYWT, 1953; A-Charlie-Brown-Christmas, J.Flannery, USPS, 2015; Tudor-Electric-Football, wc, 1974, J.Mena; cherries, wc, Chirak, 6.24.7; NFL-symbol, wikiproject