Twas The Night Before Xmas
Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 7:51 am
The Night before Xmas and Christmas Day will soon arrive in this festive season. In a spirit of collegiality and goodwill I wish all Lionbackers a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year. May the Football Gods be with us and our Leos team will be playing in Grey Cup 2024. Have a wonderful holiday season.
'Twas the Night Before Christmas'
or Account of a Visit from our Lions' Saint Rick
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Leo Land
Not a creature was stirring, heck, not even B. C. Fan (or Toppy Vann)
All Lionbacker's stockings were hung by their chimneys with care,
In hopes that St. Rich and his assistants would soon be there;
The Lion King and Dano T. were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Grey Cup 2024 danced in don corleone’s head;
And OV54:40 in his 'kerchief, and Hambone in his cap,
Had finally settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Grid Iron Ernie sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.
While far away, to his window, elmo 89 flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave lustre to the swell face of Lionbacker cro (martie)
When, what to Sammy Greene’s wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a driver, who looked neither lively or jolly, and in fact ‘kinda’ blue
Sir Percival knew it could be no other than the son of CFL legend Hugh
More rapid than eagles his assistant coaches they came,
And Santa Rick whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Jordan now, Mike, now, Ryan and Kelly
On Travis, On John, on Trysten, and of course Tanya
To the top of the stadium, to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As the sleigh first flew past the moon and then circled the sun
St, Rick was reminded to never give Davis the football on third and one
Then over to Rammer's house-top, the assistant coaches they flew,
With their sleigh full of footballs, and Santa Rich too.
Then, in a twinkling, Lion Guy went outside and looked up at his roof
And gazed at St. Rick, pleased he now had the proof
While at home ‘swervynmerv’ was just turning around,
When down the chimney, St. Rich came with a bound.
He was dressed all in red and black fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
Bundles of 2024 Leo season tickets he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
St. Rick had offered a new vision, not more of the ‘same’
We were winning more often but there was still no running game
Wally looked on from a distance, his droll mouth curled up like a bow
And the curly hair on his head remained, and as white as the snow.
Thankfully Omar did not hire Wally to consult, as did those old ‘Esks’
Still, ‘ol Wally advised Rick the key to success was to ‘work over’ the press.
During a game, when in doubt, Wally said: “Just give the football a boot,
“You know, you know, ya gotta make plays and ya gotta just execute”
St. Rick replied “Another season with a tailback named ‘Smoke’
The Football Gods won’t forgive, and “I’ll be having a stroke”
”Prior to next year’s playoff, disco songs will be banned.
Adams will not dance in the pocket – that can’t be part of the plan”
“Pass, pass, pass in the regular season was so, so, so much fun”
But in the playoffs, Dusty knew “five running plays would not get it done”
The Football Gods said “You gotta stop the run to win playoff games”
And if you can’t run the football, “2024 will just be more of the same”.
Santa Rick spoke not another word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all Lionbackers’ stockings and then turned with a jerk,
Laying his finger aside his strong Campbell nose,
He gave a command, and up the chimney he rose;
He walked to his sleigh, to his coaches he gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
Santa Rick then exclaimed, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL LIONBACKERS AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"
'Twas the Night Before Christmas'
or Account of a Visit from our Lions' Saint Rick
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Leo Land
Not a creature was stirring, heck, not even B. C. Fan (or Toppy Vann)
All Lionbacker's stockings were hung by their chimneys with care,
In hopes that St. Rich and his assistants would soon be there;
The Lion King and Dano T. were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Grey Cup 2024 danced in don corleone’s head;
And OV54:40 in his 'kerchief, and Hambone in his cap,
Had finally settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Grid Iron Ernie sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.
While far away, to his window, elmo 89 flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave lustre to the swell face of Lionbacker cro (martie)
When, what to Sammy Greene’s wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a driver, who looked neither lively or jolly, and in fact ‘kinda’ blue
Sir Percival knew it could be no other than the son of CFL legend Hugh
More rapid than eagles his assistant coaches they came,
And Santa Rick whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Jordan now, Mike, now, Ryan and Kelly
On Travis, On John, on Trysten, and of course Tanya
To the top of the stadium, to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As the sleigh first flew past the moon and then circled the sun
St, Rick was reminded to never give Davis the football on third and one
Then over to Rammer's house-top, the assistant coaches they flew,
With their sleigh full of footballs, and Santa Rich too.
Then, in a twinkling, Lion Guy went outside and looked up at his roof
And gazed at St. Rick, pleased he now had the proof
While at home ‘swervynmerv’ was just turning around,
When down the chimney, St. Rich came with a bound.
He was dressed all in red and black fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
Bundles of 2024 Leo season tickets he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.
St. Rick had offered a new vision, not more of the ‘same’
We were winning more often but there was still no running game
Wally looked on from a distance, his droll mouth curled up like a bow
And the curly hair on his head remained, and as white as the snow.
Thankfully Omar did not hire Wally to consult, as did those old ‘Esks’
Still, ‘ol Wally advised Rick the key to success was to ‘work over’ the press.
During a game, when in doubt, Wally said: “Just give the football a boot,
“You know, you know, ya gotta make plays and ya gotta just execute”
St. Rick replied “Another season with a tailback named ‘Smoke’
The Football Gods won’t forgive, and “I’ll be having a stroke”
”Prior to next year’s playoff, disco songs will be banned.
Adams will not dance in the pocket – that can’t be part of the plan”
“Pass, pass, pass in the regular season was so, so, so much fun”
But in the playoffs, Dusty knew “five running plays would not get it done”
The Football Gods said “You gotta stop the run to win playoff games”
And if you can’t run the football, “2024 will just be more of the same”.
Santa Rick spoke not another word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all Lionbackers’ stockings and then turned with a jerk,
Laying his finger aside his strong Campbell nose,
He gave a command, and up the chimney he rose;
He walked to his sleigh, to his coaches he gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
Santa Rick then exclaimed, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL LIONBACKERS AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"