Plenty of reindeer games on TV

By David Mullen

Christmas Day is usually reserved for families, friends and family that wouldn’t be friends. It is supposed to be a time of peace, generosity and reflection. Songs have been written about how it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is not synonymous with touchdown passes, knockout punches and two-minute penalties for slashing.

But like so many traditions, olden times were different. Decades ago, along with opening gifts, ignoring the fruitcake and sipping eggnog, families gathered in front of the radio or TV to enjoy professional sports. Major sports leagues used the quiet time to showcase some of their best gifts. The day was used by NFL, NHL, college sports and even boxing to present games and matches to a captive audience.

While Boxing Day may be commonplace in Canada, the most famous Christmas Day boxing match in the U.S. took place in the Philadelphia Arena in 1933, when Frank Flick upset the aptly named Kid Chocolate for the Junior Lightweight title. Eligio Sardinias, known as Kid Chocolate, was considered one of the best fighters of the time and was the title holder for two years. 

A soft puncher, most felt Flick didn’t have enough kick to lick Kid Chocolate. But Flick whipped Chocolate in the seventh round, and it was considered a Christmas miracle. Christmas Day fights ended in 1969 and are now reserved for political discussions around the holiday dining room table.

In the early days of the NHL, games were often scheduled on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They even played just 18 days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Hockey is a winter sport, and Christmas is a winter holiday.

But since 1969, the NHL hasn’t scheduled a game on Christmas Eve. No Christmas Day games have been played since the California Golden Seals beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 in 1971. It’s ironic that the last time the NHL held a game on Christmas, it was played in sunny Southern California.

There was a time when the NFL regularly held games on Christmas Day, and some were historical. In 1971, the Miami Dolphins beat the host Kansas City Chiefs on a Garo Yepremeian field goal with 7:20 left in the second overtime. It is the longest game in NFL history and prompted the NFL to stop scheduling games on Christmas Day for 18 seasons. 

Earlier that Christmas Day in 1971, the 11-3 Dallas Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-12 in a divisional playoff game on route to becoming Super Bowl VI champions.

This Christmas, the NFL will present three consecutive lumps of coal for broadcast. The TV coverage begins on Fox at noon with the struggling Green Bay Packers at beaten-up Miami. For both clubs, some assembly is required.

CBS seems in a giving mood by broadcasting the Denver Broncos at the Los Angeles Rams at 3:30 p.m. It comes at the perfect time to take a nap. And NBC finishes the day with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that may win the NFC South with a losing record, at the Arizona Cardinals at 7:20 p.m.  

No sense “dreaming of a White Christmas” since the NFL chose the Christmas Day games to be played in Miami, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Seizing an opportunity, like a child rising before the sun on Christmas morning and attacking wrapped packages, the NBA owns the Christmas Day sports schedule and celebrates 75 years honoring the tradition. Unlike the NFL, the NBA matches best on best or most marketable against most marketable. 

The NBA is hitching their sleigh to Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Ja Morant, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokić. Games will be shown on both ABC and ESPN. Jingles from Andy Williams will be replaced by jumpers from Grant Williams. 

Beginning at 11 a.m., Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers face the New York Knicks at MSG. The Milwaukee Bucks face the Boston Celtics at 4 p.m., Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies head to San Francisco to battle the World Champion Golden State Warriors at 7 p.m., and the Phoenix Suns face the Denver Nuggets at 9:30 p.m. But in Dallas, Christmas basketball comes early.

King James and the Lakers face the NBA’s leading scorer and wunderkind Doncic and the Mavericks at the AAC at 1:30 p.m. 

A case can be made that it is the marquee game on the docket, given its time and the competition on other networks. No matter who’s the featured player, it’s always “Showtime” when the Lakers come to town. 

Despite the date, start time and match between two teams drifting around the playoff bubble, it will be a tough ticket.

The NBA has had plenty of Christmas memories. Knicks forward Bernard King scored 60 points in a loss to the New Jersey Nets in Manhattan in 1984. It remains the most points scored in an NBA Christmas Day game. NBA coach Phil Jackson got his 1,000th win on Christmas Day 2008.    

For the first time, in 2004, former Los Angeles Lakers’ superstars Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal faced each other as rivals, not counting the rumors of their prickly relationship as teammates. After three World Championships, O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat. Bryant had 42 points, Shaq fouled out and Dwayne Wade led the Heat to a 104-102 overtime win. America watched on TV.

The NHL still proves that Christmas is on their mind. Through their nhlshop.com website, the league is selling an NHL Kool Karz playground Zamboni riding toy car for $349. Unfortunately for the budding Jason Robertson or Jamie Benn, the mini-Zamboni won’t make it in time for Christmas. Maybe it can arrive by the time the Stanley Cup playoffs are over in late June. Only the NHL would miss out on pedaling a winter sport on a winter holiday.