Coach Prime

The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! I am excited for this one, my favorite article of the year—the annual Merry Christmas shout-out! Life is good and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to ramble about sports in this amazing publication. I have been doing this Merry Christmas shout-out since just before 2010. That’s called a 15-year tradition!

Yuletide Greetings, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Show Me Those Sugar Plums, Joyous Kwanzaa, Let’s Scrooge, Season’s Greetings, Deck My Balls—I am sure there are more than 1,000 ways to say it, but for me it’s always been Merry Christmas once December hits. So let’s say it over and over to a wide variety of personalities.

Merry Christmas to you, the reader! I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. I know that I tend to say ridiculous things in these articles, but I do it because I know somewhere out there somebody may learn something, or better yet have a proper laugh. I have no worries of being canceled or labeled something or other. I just am appreciative to have this platform where I can voice my honest thoughts on today’s crazy world.

Merry Christmas, Tennessee Volunteer athletics! No matter how Rocky it gets, I will always love you. You are and will always be a constant in my life. We jump from basketball to baseball to football and I am there with you every step of the way.

Merry Christmas, Dolly Parton! Born in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River here in Tennessee, Parton went on to become one of the best-selling artists of all time. The legend has composed over 3,000 songs and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. This 77-year-old isn’t done either, looking fabulous in Tennessee orange hanging out with Peyton Manning and singing “Rocky Top” to a sold-out Neyland. Keep rocking, Dolly.

Merry Christmas to Hailie Deegan! She warms my heart. Beautiful. Deegan is an up-and-coming star in the world of racing. The most popular driver in the NASCAR truck series, she is taking a leap forward in 2024, stepping into a Ford Mustang in the Xfinity series. In a sport where female drivers are rare, I truly hope Deegan does well and inspires other young women to dream about racing! Don’t call me a sexist pig just because I pointed out she’s easy on the eyes.

Merry Christmas to Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama. These four teams will compete in next month’s College Football Playoff. The semifinal games are set for Jan. 1, with #1 Michigan vs. #4 Bama and #2 Washington vs. #3 Texas. The winners will face off in the National Championship at NRG Stadium in Houston on Jan. 8. My prediction is a rematch of Alabama vs. Texas and, unfortunately, I believe Alabama wins it this time. I am rooting for Washington though, so I don’t have to hear all those daggum Bama fans I work with scream “Roll Tide.”

Merry Christmas to Taylor Swift! I wouldn’t call myself a Swiftie by any means—it isn’t my style. She may be the most popular superstar on the planet, and that leaves me a little baffled. She is good . . . but it’s like nails-on-a-chalkboard good. I feel like I might be turning into a Swiftie now, given how much she’s intruded into the world of sports.

Merry Christmas to Travis Kelce! The superstar tight end for the Chiefs is making even more noise by dating the last person I mentioned, Taylor Swift. Travis is still catching footballs and now is a paid actor for Pfizer. He wants you to know the double jab is a great idea. I like Kelce, but he can stick that Pfizer jab where the sun doesn’t shine.

Merry Christmas to Aaron Rodgers! The Super Bowl-winning QB invites controversy, but he has my respect. Many love to ridicule Rodgers for pointing out that informed choice is a good idea. Then someone like Kelce comes along getting paid the big bucks to tell us the double jab is cool. Different perspectives are all well and good, but I’m rocking with Rodgers on this.

Merry Christmas, Coach Prime Deion Sanders! When you took the job in Colorado, the world exploded with intrigue. When Colorado started the season off with a win over an awful TCU team, we all were tricked! Colorado ended up losing eight of its last nine and in ugly fashion Coach Prime blew a 29–0 halftime lead against Stanford. So how in the hell did Prime get awarded Sports Illustrated’s sportsperson of the year? Other candidates reportedly included Steph Curry, Rafael Nadal, Lionel Messi, Armand Duplatis and Kylian Mbappé, all more deserving. Heck, I would have been more deserving after making the playoffs in all three of my fantasy football leagues; that’s an achievement! Yeah, Colorado won a few more games than last season and Sanders generated noise in the media, but his season was a disaster down the stretch. Stop the pandering!

Merry Christmas to the Tennessee Titans! This season has been a rough one for Titans nation. Titans football is my number-one sports passion and has been since the Titans came to Nashville. I can respect the team for keeping key pieces around and attempting to fight this season, but it just didn’t work. The offensive line was a mess and the depth wasn’t there. The fan base has plenty of things to look forward to, though, heading into 2024. The team will have a high draft pick in the next draft, and that bodes well for a team with a quarterback on a rookie deal they appear to have faith in, one who’s playing decent ball. Not to mention, this team has more money than any other team in the NFL next season. The most salary cap space in the NFL next season will help fund change for second-year Titans GM Ran Carthon.

Merry Christmas to King Derrick Henry! My running back is that dude! Even nearing the age of 30, Henry continues his reign of yards and touchdowns. I have no clue what the future holds with this being Henry’s last season on contract and as new GM Ran Carthon will be looking at change. Maybe this is Derrick’s last season as a Titan? I hope not. I would fully support a team-friendly, King-friendly deal that has Henry stack up the franchise numbers. I speak for many Titans fans when I say I would love to see him surpass Eddie George for the all-time rushing crown. Unfortunately, he needs one more season to accomplish that oh-so-close milestone of 10K-plus yards. Regardless, he is one of my favorite players from over the last decade and I am thankful for Henry no matter how it plays out.

Merry Christmas, old Joe Biden! You have created an America where everything is now overpriced—an America where a paycheck doesn’t go nearly as far as it did just a few years ago. Say what you will about Donald Trump, but Americans didn’t cringe after a trip to the grocery store when he was in charge. So, Mr. President I hope you, Jill and that corrupt crackhead son all have a phenomenal Christmas in whatever mansion you are visiting (all while that grandchild you disowned, and many other Americans, struggle).

Merry Christmas to the families of Jim Brown, Dick Butkus and Bobby Knight. These three legendary sports figures all passed away in 2023. We lost others as well, but these three left a huge imprint in the sports world. Jim Brown was one of the most dynamic football players to ever play the game. The Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown played in the NFL for nine seasons and led the league in rushing eight of those. Dick Butkus is arguably the greatest linebacker to ever play the game of football, playing his entire career for the Bears. A menace! The history of college basketball isn’t told without mentioning this fiery coach famous for his outbursts and, more importantly, winning three Nattys with the Hoosiers, Bobby Knight. Their memories certainly live on.

Merry Christmas to the Florida State Seminoles football team! The first undefeated power conference champion to be left out of the College Football Playoff field, the committee decided to take a one-loss Alabama over the unbeaten FSU. Some say it stinks and is dripping with SEC favoritism. I don’t know why folk are crying. College football has a committee that decides the four best teams and they don’t have to explain it. It’s unfortunate that FSU lost its star QB at the end of the season and it’s unfortunate their conference, the ACC, was trash this season, two huge factors for them being left out, I’m sure. I love college football, but I believe the system sucks. Thankfully some of this nonsense will quiet down and we will have an 12-team playoff after this season. Then we can start crying about who gets left out of that.

Merry Christmas Megan Rapino! The smug, purple-haired prima donna gets much hate these days for good reason. It was a tough ending for her as the well-known soccer player’s last professional game ended with her collapsing in torn-Achilles agony. I would never celebrate another person’s injury, but I don’t feel sympathy for her. After Rapino went down to injury, she claimed it was proof there is no God. I say good riddance to Rapino after years of disrespecting America on a global stage. The entitled millionaire celebrity has played victim for far too long and I would be lying if I said I didn’t smile at the way she limped off the big stage. I have no doubt we will hear her yapping somewhere soon enough.

Merry Christmas to Little Debbie! You make a delicious little snack; Swiss Cake Rolls are the best! McKee Foods created the Little Debbie cakes rights here in beautiful Tennessee, and, if you haven’t visited it yet, they now have a 10-acre Little Debbie park in Collegedale, Tennessee. I haven’t been yet, but it is now on my bucket list.

Alright, that’s my Merry Christmas article. None of you can call me a hater—I went out of my way to wish Merry Christmas to a diverse group of people. It’s not easy being cheesy. I do honestly wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The train is rolling into the station. Choo-choo!