George Ferguson Column: I don't think my Christmas list is too greedy this year

Here it is, the big day has almost arrived. It’s almost Christmas. I doubt I’m alone in the fact that Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.

And probably like many others, Christmas has evolved for me in so many ways.

I’ll admit it. I used to be very greedy at Christmas. As a young kid, I would pout if I didn’t get a certain number of presents and pout even harder if I didn’t get the right G.I. Joes. In fact, mom, I’m still waiting on the U.S.S. Flag. That’s the famous G.I. Joe aircraft carrier, the biggest G.I. Joe toy ever made. And, you can still pick one up on Ebay for about $2,000.

No, in reality, I didn’t have to pout too much as a kid, because my mom always made sure my brother and sister and I had amazing Christmases. In fact, my childhood memories of Christmas are all great. Not good, great.

And that’s probably why I love Christmas as much as I do. And it continues to evolve. I love to give now. Actually, that trend started when I got my first job in high school. Working at Taco John’s in those days was awesome, and Christmas was very festive thanks to Dave and Judy Greenwood. And, having a paycheck coming in during those Christmas’s, I really got into buying gifts for other people.

That’s a trend I enjoy to this day. Don’t get me wrong, I still love getting gifts, too. I love waking up on Christmas morning and unwrapping surprises with my wife and dogs. But I really enjoy the people whom I love unwrapping gifts from me even more. It really is true no matter how greedy I was a youngster.

Now, this being a sport’s column, I have to tie sports into this, and that’s easy because there I things I want that I can’t unwrap on Christmas morning, and I won’t be able to receive until possibly well into 2017.

But as it pertains to sports, here’s my list I’m sending to Santa, and I promise, I’ve been way more nice than naughty this year.

First and foremost, I want all of the athletes and coaches in Havre and on the Hi-Line, no matter the sport, high school or college, to enjoy playing their sports over the next year, and for it to be a successful year, no matter in what capacity. A successful year in sports on the Hi-Line can be defined a lot of different ways, but as a journalist, when all of you are successful, so are we in the sports media business.

So, to all the athletes playing and the guys and gals coaching, best of luck in the coming year, and may you all find success in everything you do.

Next on my wish list is for the Montana Grizzlies to get their act together on the football field. I’m tired of reading the negativity on Egriz.com. Yeah, I could choose to ignore it, but for me, Egriz has become a vice, and I can’t stay away from it. So please, all of you associated with Griz football, have an amazing 2017. You don’t have to win a national championship, but you really have to be better than 2016. I’ll be behind you no matter what. I’m never not going to be a Griz fan. But, man, I sure would like to see the Griz start to become that powerhouse program so many of us have grown accustomed to. Hopefully, and even though its nine months from now, Santa can help deliver on that one.

And, when it comes to my sports Christmas list, I have but one last request. Normally, I would be begging Santa to deliver the Chicago Cubs to the promised land. Well, I obviously don’t have to be begging for that anymore. In many ways, the best Christmas gift a Cub’s fan could ever receive came back in November, long before any of us were writing letters to Santa or even thinking about putting up our tree.

Yes, the Cubs really did win it all in 2016. So now, I’m going to prove I’m not being greedy. I don’t need the Cubs to win the 2017 World Series. I want them to, and I hope they do. But I don’t need it. I can wait a little while for another one. So instead Santa, all I’m asking is that the Cubs don’t mysteriously go back to stinking for the next 108 years. All I’m asking is that they have some longevity as one of baseball’s best teams. They don’t have to win World Series’ every year, just let them be a contender, let us have a few summers in a row of enjoying the Cubs as one of baseball's elite teams. That’s all. That’s all I’m asking for.

So there’s my Christmas wish list for the coming year. I don’t think it’s greedy and I don’t think it’s too much to ask. In other words, I’m not that little boy who wants it all for Christmas and would run around the house trying to find all the gifts I was getting before they got wrapped.

I think I’ve actually come a long way from the little boy I used to be.

And lastly, I want to wish all of you, whether you love sports or not, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.