Dear Santa, You probably remember that I wrote to you last year and asked for a return to the World Series for our KC Royals. Boy, did you and Rudolph deliver! I will never doubt you again! Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus! A World Series Championship over those snobbish easterners from New York. Am I being too selfish to ask for a repeat this next year? Three straight appearances in the World Series would be sweet even WITHOUT Johnny Cueto!
Dear Santa, I don’t usually root for those Oklahoma Sooners but, gee, it IS the Christmas season. Joy to the World, good tidings toward man and all of that so I am going to ask that this Christmas you bring a national championship to the Big 12 in football and that means it will be Oklahoma delivering it . Has the Christmas spirit made me all warm and fuzzy? No. It’s just that I don’t want Michigan State, Clemson or Alabama winning it. Pull that prairie schooner out of the sky Santa and deliver a national championship to the red dirt country!
Dear Santa, Reach into that bag of goodies Santa and dig out a little healing medicine for Joel Embiid. You will remember the tall and talented former Kansas Jayhawk who was drafted by the Philadelphia 76’ers to remake their NBA franchise? A broken foot has sidelined him since the last few games of his college career and now into two seasons of the NBA. He hasn’t been able to play a game. I’d like to see him on the court this next year.
Dear Santa, Last year we wrote you and asked for a winning season for Great Bend Black Panther football. You delivered in a big way for coach Tony Crough and his gang. How about we create a little dynasty in the WAC and let them win the league title this next year?
Dear Santa,You’ve already started delivering on one of my wishes and that was for St.John’s Dean Wade to have a good entry year into Kansas State basketball. To get to play some and make his mark. WOW! Little did we know that you and coach Weber were going to run off a bunch of malcontents and leave this Wildcat team with a bunch of young guys! Wade has not only contributed, he has been a force in many games. What fun to watch his career!
Dear Santa, How ‘bout those Chiefs? Come to think of it, Santa, coach Reid looks a lot like you. A white beard and a little white hair and Andy — you aren’t Santa are you? The Chiefs have been playing like a Christmas gift. Santa, how about a deep playoff run for this football team dressed in their red just like it was Christmas?
Dear Santa, Got a tough one for you now. I would like to see you straighten out Johnny Manziel. I just hate to see such a talented athlete blow his opportunity because he’s too caught up in himself. There’s been a few get away with it but the athletic fields of life are littered with those that have wasted their lives, their opportunities, because they couldn’t master their own demons. How about a little help for Johnny from you and your elves Santa?
Dear Santa, From one white-haired old guy to another, how about a Bowl victory for Bill Snyder and his Kansas State Wildcats against Arkansas? This could be Snyder’s last year of coaching and a bowl victory would be a nice exclamation point. He can’t go on coaching forever CAN HE? Then again, Santa, you’ve been going a long time and I hear you aren’t thinking about quitting yet. Do you and Bill Snyder have more things in common than the color of your hair? Does only your beautician know? Can coach Snyder outlast Santa Claus?
Dear Santa, Thanks. The milk and cookies are by the fireplace. Merry Christmas!
Charles Tabler is a contributing writer from Larned.
