-----Original Message-----
From: AJ Johnson [mailto:ajj@tpri.com]
Sent: Monday, December 18, 2000 12:54 AM
Subject: 'Twas the morn before Christmas
'Twas the morn before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Wegley soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a mid-morning nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The sun on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of 10 AM to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes seemed hard,
But 20 damn fools, playing football in the yard,
With a spry old man, so lively on his legs,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Wegs.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Wallin! now, Justin! now, Katherine and Smitty!
On, Joshua! on Slifka! on, Scotty and Suzy!
To the line at the fifty! you'll get the call!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So down to the goal-line the coursers they flew,
Right over the defense, and St. Wegley too.
And then, in a twinkling, I saw what was next
A kick to the upright, but this one was hexed.
A cheer rose from the crowd, and do you know what?
The ball hit MJ right in the gut.
But all this paled in comparison by sight,
For I looked at St. Wegley, and I thought it just might.
I rubbed my eyes, to clear the illusion,
And focused my mind to rid the confusion.
Is this a dream that seems so real?
St. Wegley was there, right there on the field!
You see, St. Wegley, he once was the star,
With a ring from the 80's he'd never let mar;
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples -- so very!
The schoolgirls they'd swoon -- "Me! will you marry?"
Back then he'd play football without a second thought,
'Course running down the sideline he'd always be caught.
He didn't care, he'd double blink with a smile,
And the girls would come running, hardly single file.
But St. Wegs hasn't played in nigh years gone by,
Excuses he made, like "I thought it was nine,"
The real reason, I think - a shattered self-image,
Since Scotty picked him off at the line of scrimmage.
But his spirit's not dead, how could that be?
I know deep down he wants to play QB.
And so I took a breath, and hoped with all my might,
Maybe this year my holiday wishes were right,
How fun it could be, to discover this day,
That St. Wegley had shown, to play the big game.
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Ho Ho Bowl 2000
Christmas Eve
Sunday, December 24, 2000, 10:00 AM CST
Appendix optional