As is our tradition, we present my 19th Annual Sports Fan’s Letter to Santa Claus.

Dear Santa Claus,

As the years tick by, it seems I become more philosophical and truly more appreciative of what I have. I’m thankful for a wonderful wife who has been my best friend and biggest supporter for 30 years. I’m grateful for my first-born child, my son Joshua, who has found his place in the techie world with a good job, a loving wife and a beautiful, soon to be two-year old, daughter. Our first grandchild, Penelope, brings us so much joy and laughter, and I know that will only continue to grow as she does. I’m truly thankful for our daughter, Alyssa, who has had more than her share of hurdles to jump, but she makes us proud with each and every step along her path. We are truly blessed, as a family, however, as sports fans, well, that’s the reason for this letter.

Thank you for the Washington Nationals World Series title! As a longtime Montreal Expos-Washington Nationals fan, this past season was very exciting to watch. Okay, I’ll admit, in last year’s letter I requested you bring the Nationals a new manager because I didn’t think Dave Martinez was “cutting it.” Even in June, when the Nationals were struggling, the fans were calling for Martinez to be fired, however, the team stuck with him and instead fired the pitching coach. Things then began to turn around. Thanks Santa, for sometimes not giving me everything I request. Would it be too much to ask for back-to-back titles?

Speaking of which, it was almost back-to-back championships for the Tulsa Drillers, but they fell just short in the Texas League Championship series. Please bring their awesome manager Scott Hennessey back for another season. He really has these Double-A players playing well, and could very well bring another Texas League title to Tulsa.

For the University of Tulsa football team, please bring them more wins…a lot more wins. For the second bad year in a row, the TU brass has given head coach Philip Montgomery a vote of confidence, and announced he will return for another season. He’s a very nice guy, but there has been some questionable play calling at odd points in the games, that have had even the “press box coaches” (my fellow media members) scratching their heads. Please bring TU enough wins next season to be bowl eligible, because if they aren’t, it will be the end of the road for Coach Montgomery.

Thanks for finally bringing the Buffalo Bills a decent quarterback; as was on my list last year. Josh Allen had a very suspect rookie season, but this year he’s doing very well, and so are the Bills. I’m excited about the prospect of the Bills playing games in January, for once, and I request you bring them a good, long run in the playoffs.

For the Dallas Cowboys, please bring them whatever will make Jerry Jones and the Cowboys fans happy. That may mean a new head coach, as it appears everyone wants Jason Garrett to be fired, and if he is, please bring the Cowboys a top-notch head coach that can turn this team around. They have so much talent, but just can’t seem to get everything working right in the same game.

Please bring the ORU men’s basketball team a lot of wins this season, and keep them injury-free. The “head coach Paul Mills experiment” may be nearing its end. There are several talented seniors on the team right now, and if they don’t put together a 20-win season and a good run in the Summit League Tournament, then Mills will likely be shown the Mabee Center exit. Again, this year, I ask that you instill some loyalty in the thousands of local ORU alums. Nobody enjoys watching a losing team, but that’s no excuse to not support your alma mater. There should be far more people “Expecting a Miracle” in the Mabee Center for every game.

The FC Tulsa soccer team (formerly Roughnecks FC) has struggled since it’s inception six years ago. Their head coach, Michael Nsien, has the team going in the right direction, but it may need a boost in player talent to put them over the top. Please bring the Roughnecks some A-level players and a trip to the USL post-season. Their diehard fans deserve a team of which they can be proud.

I ask that you bring sensibility to the check books of Major League Baseball owners. This spending spree on aging pitchers, is going to continue to drive up costs that will ultimately be past on to the fans at the gates and the concessions. How can anyone think this is good for MLB?

Finally, Santa, please bring peace to our nation’s leaders. Let both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate, come to the realization that our President is in office, whether they like it or not, and if the American people don’t like it, they will duly vote him out of office next November. For the time being, can’t they just get back to the nation’s business and that which we sent them there to do? Also, bring peace to our military members serving all around the world. Keep them safe and return them home to their families in due time.

Win or lose, sports are a great diversion from the daily grind, and it’s fun to cheer for one’s team with unabashed loyalty and excitement, but help us all realize the true joy of Christmas and the greatest gift of all, Emmanuel.

Sincerely, your friend, Jeff Brucculeri