Derrick Henry leads the NFL in rushing going into December
The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! Let me start off this article by saying I pray you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hopefully you were fortunate enough to spend it with your loved ones. The holidays can be hard on many Americans, and this past year has not helped anyone’s mental state.
Everyone has a different story. Some of us deal with heavy depression, some of us don’t have family, and some of us just need interaction with others to feel needed. I can’t imagine living in one of these progressively run cities where draconian measures on gatherings have been enacted.
I am very thankful that I live in Middle Tennessee. I know without doubt if some of those measures were attempted here, the people and myself included would fight back and say “no.” We have numerous recent examples of lawmakers getting caught doing things they tell us not to do. “Do as I say, not as I do.” This makes it extremely easy for those of us opposed to these restrictions to simply say “Eff you, I am going to do what my family and I decide is best.”
Look, sometimes a man has just got to say what’s on his mind. If you disagree with me, that’s okay! I fight for small business, folks’ livelihoods and mental health. Sorry if I don’t think shutting the world down for over a year is the answer to COVID.
Enough of that, this is the annual Merry Christmas article! I can’t believe I just said that. I guess my motto of “embrace life” works because the more I enjoy it, the faster it moves, and it seems like I never have enough time in a day now.
I started doing my annual Merry Christmas article in 2008 for the Pulse. That’s insane! I will send out a Merry Christmas to some of my more memorable characters of 2020.
Merry Christmas to Titans running back Derrick Henry! A stud and a man among boys on the football field! Last season Henry was the NFL’s rushing champ, ending 2019 with 1,540 yards and 16 TDs. At the end of November, with five games left on the season, Henry leads the league once again with 1,257 yards and 12 TDs. With Dalvin Cook the only player on his tail, King Henry is poised to become the first player to lead the league in rushing back-to-back years since LT in 06–07. Can Henry run for another 743 yards in five games and be the first 2K-plus rusher since Adrian Peterson in 2012?
Merry Christmas to the Atlanta Braves! Yep, my baseball team made a decent run in what we just call the weird 2020 COVID season. The Braves finished the short season first in the NL East and went on to make a run all the way to the NLCS, ultimately losing to the World Series champion Dodgers in a game 7. It was a good season that ended just a tad short!
Merry Christmas to the Nashville Predators! Tough ending to the season, losing a qualifying match versus the freaking ’Yotes, but, like Tim McGraw, I like it, I love it and I want some more of that Predators hockey! The Predators went unconventional and selected a goaltender with the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old Yaroslav Askarov was the No. 1-ranked international goaltender ahead of the draft. It may have been a surprise move, but this kid is an elite prospect and many say he was absolutely the best player available.
Merry Christmas to the MLS expansion team and the new Nashville Soccer Club! Yeah, it’s still something not everyone knows about in Middle Tennessee, but I did watch the team’s amazing playoff run and was actually entertained. I may not be a huge soccer fan but I do enjoy World Cup soccer, and the fact is I can see myself becoming a fan of this Nashville team. Nashville SC won two recent playoff matches, one of those against Toronto, who has reached the MLS final in three of the past four seasons. Nashville’s playoff run ended in a 2–0 loss versus Columbus but still an amazing start for an expansion team!
Merry Christmas to Rocky Top Tennessee, my Volunteer football program! Call 911, because we need help! The fact is, Rocky Top nation is loyal. Life has been hard for well over a decade; we had a little light at the end of 2019, but it seems to have all come crashing down again as we navigated 2020. Stay loyal, Rocky Top. Eventually, I hope, brighter orange is ahead!
Merry Christmas to the Mayo family. The Editor in Chief of this great paper and his amazing wife, Sarah, had a baby in 2020—a beautiful, healthy baby boy! My full respect to this family. COVID really could have messed this paper up, but Bracken and Sarah fought and kept it going. The Mayo family continues to put out these amazing free publications monthly and I think the people of Murfreesboro should be incredibly grateful for that. Merry Christmas, my friends!
Merry Christmas to my dogs! Molly, the 8-year-old lab, and Sadie the 4-month-old lab puppy! Yeah, that’s right, I don’t have children, but I have some pretty amazing, loyal and intelligent dogs, and for that I give thanks!
Merry Christmas to Titans QB Ryan Tannehill! I know you said some stupid things prior to the season about how the country was founded upon racist ideas, and I wrote about it, but in the name of Christmas I can forgive. A wise man would tell you that America was founded upon the freedoms that ultimately ended the atrocities of slavery. I get that you may be under pressure from the media, your smoking-hot wife and the players themselves, but to say America was founded upon racist ideas is so stupid I have a hard time believing you actually believe that. I applaud your play so far in 2020. You’re doing what the team paid you to do: making plays, limiting mistakes, and leading the team, so far, to another great season. Tannehill, as of press time, has thrown for 2,608 yards, 23 TDs and only four interceptions with a couple rushing scores added. Nice!
Merry Christmas to the Tennessee Titans organization as a whole! You have created a feeling of excellence in Nashville and have really given fans something to be proud of. The national media has finally started to show some respect the last few seasons and it feels good knowing we have a GM, a head coach, and some special players on contract as we head into the future. Exciting times, Titans fans! I think I speak for many Titans fans when I say “all I want for Christmas is a Super Bowl championship.”
Merry Christmas, COVID! You suck, please go away. The world is ready for a 2021 where we can forget the virus and shutdowns of 2020.
Merry Christmas to you, the reader! As I said, I have been writing for this amazing publication for many years. I do this because I enjoy it, and if I can make a few of you laugh along the way, then bravo!
Merry Christmas to my haters! I get it, truly! I sometimes write about politically incorrect things regarding politics or race, and for whatever reason that makes some of you guys go crazy. Some of the emails I get from you at titanman1984@gmail.com are intense. My mama said the best fans are the ones that keep coming back and you haters don’t disappoint in that regard. I have love for everyone, but I have no problem ridiculing this soft PC world being created around me. It is a sad day when a comedian must double-check his work to make sure he did not put anything too offensive in it.
The Train is rolling into the station! I sincerely hope you and your family all have a Merry Christmas! I pray that brighter times lie ahead as we enter 2021. A fully open economy and a Titans Super Bowl victory would be a beautiful start to the new year. MERRY CHRISTMAS! HO-HO-HO!
