Merrrrrry Christmas

'Tis the season to be jolly, blah blah blah blah blah blah-blah blaaaaaaah. I know this is about 95% of the people's favorites time of year, but I'm just not feeling Christmas and haven't since I was maybe 7. Call me a Grinch, but the holiday spirit that made the Grinch's heart grow 3 times it's size doesn't exist. The season has very little meaning, and serves the purpose of providing retailers a few months to work out of the black from.

As a secular nation making a Christian holiday a federal holiday is asking for trouble. Even though Christianity dominates the landscape all it takes is several people with big enough mouths to create a problem, and that's exactly what has happened. So we now have "Christmahanakawanzika" a ridiculous combination of traditions to appease everyone. The problem with appeasing everyone is it water down the true meaning of the holiday/season.

I'm not a zealot or extremely devout, but I was raised Catholic and do believe in the true reason for the season-Jesus. It's supposed to be a celebration of his birth that brings family and friends together, but what the season has become is an obsession with bigger and better things. Christmas is now more about big red bows on cars, video game system bundles, or tickle me Elmos than the coming together of loved ones. When people get trampled at Wal-Mart or fist fights break out in aisles because Timmy or Sally HAVE to have 'x' or else Christmas will be ruined for them-guess what? It's already ruined! These kids already value the material more than the season, so sure call me a Grinch for not being excited enlighten the people of America my heart won't do any growing.

Tiger Tiger Tiger Woods Yall!

It's the story that won't die, Tiger Woods has slept with as women as dollars he made last year. Sure he's not the only athlete to do so Derek Jeter, his now former Gillette teammate, is not only famous for banging out hit on the diamond, but also for the lovely ladies banged out. The difference with Jeter and Woods, though, is what creates the story. Jeter has never once been linked to the word marriage, while Tiger is married with two children. Without debating the issue of cheating, I've always wondered one thing: why do athletes bother getting married?

Athletes and marriage go together like oil and water. For most of the year you're working, traveling the country to make coin. What good is an absentee husband and why keep an absentee wife? Doug Christie found one of the only women devoted enough to spend the money and time to travel with her man to ensure a happy relationship. Their story is known only because it's so rare. Long distance relationships suck and are hard enough, so why enter a long distance wedding? Another huge factoring the lifestyle of athletes is the amount of opportunities provided by the air between themselves and their wives. Women flock to these men and as Michael Jordan said, there are way too many women to say no to. Everywhere an athlete goes attention follows, and where ever the spotlight is women will try to find their moment in it. This means doing anything to get into your pants. Knowing this why bother exchanging vows and promising to another that she will be your one and only for eternity in front of the world?

The promises made within a marriage need to be taken more seriously. Marriage isn't just the "next step" in a relationship, it's THE step! Marriage is what you strive for, so before getting down on one knee and telling someone else you will, "love, honor, and obey them 'til death do you part" be sure those words are the truest words you've ever spoken. Sadly for athletes you may have to wait until after you've exited the spotlight to make this promise.