Good morning! Let’s get this blog post rolling this morning. It’s two days until Christmas, after all. I’m sorry I took a weekend break from the blog. DJ play that music. It seems like a good morning for some Christmas vacation music.

A lot more stories and opinions have surfaced of the NBA and it’s problems. Colin had a good take.

The NBA is facing a significant challenge with its viewership numbers, as ratings have declined sharply in the 2024-2025 season. Through Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinals, viewership for the league’s games on national TV networks ABC, ESPN, and TNT were down 19% year over year. This decline is even more pronounced when including NBA TV, with overall viewership dropping by 25%.
The downward trend is evident across various matchups and time slots. ESPN’s opening night doubleheader saw a staggering 42% decrease compared to the 2023 season. Other high-profile games have also suffered, with a Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers matchup on ESPN drawing only 1.71 million viewers, a 33% decline from a comparable Celtics-Knicks game in 2023. Even TNT, traditionally a strong performer for the NBA, has experienced significant drops, with a Spurs-Mavericks game seeing a 29% decrease from a similar time slot in the previous year.

What’s to blame? There are too many three-point shots and load management. If some players can’t be bothered to play and want a rest, then I as a viewer don’t have a desire to watch. Plain and simple.

Does anyone remember the good old days? Now we have 7ft 4 centers launching threes.

Golf Amateur to the Professional

We had our last tournament for our Men’s Club and I’ve been bringing in the new year early with some swing changes. I’ll have spurts where everything is great for six holes. Anyway, lets just say it was a struggle and not how I wanted things. Disappointing? Yes. But I’m not thinking of today; I think of the future. 2025 is going to be a big year. Special shoutout to my buddy Jimmy, who finished 2nd in the Sycuan Cup. Slow and steady.

Moving onto the Professional game, the PNC Championship was this weekend, and it’s a scramble with kids and family members. So we got to see Tiger Woods play alongside his high school son Charlie, who had a hole-in-one this weekend.

Tiger even had his daughter Sam on the bag for a few holes.

Happy Holidays

Yesterday, I went to one of my favorite spots, Hooley’s, for a Taco for lunch, which always hits the spot with its delicious flavors and vibrant atmosphere. As I settled in, I noticed that a nice woman, Rachel, who’s usually a server, was taking on the role of the bartender for the day. I’ve gotten to know her some over my visits, and I can confidently say that she’s a bright and ambitious girl, balancing her work while putting herself through law school, which is especially impressive in this fast-paced age where many struggle to manage both time and finances. While I was enjoying my meal, the patron next to me finished his bill and was getting ready to leave. Rachel walked up to him with her warm smile and politely said, “Happy Holidays.” To my surprise, his response was a rather curt, “Merry Christmas.” She looked at him, evidently a little taken aback, and replied, “I don’t celebrate Christmas, and that’s why I said Happy Holidays.” He simply shook his head and muttered, “Young kids today,” as if dismissing her choice with a sense of bewilderment. It made me reflect on how different generations often interpret traditions and greetings, highlighting the need for understanding and respect in our diverse society.

Peter Ziehan’s Take…

I had been waiting for his take on the election since now we have exit polling from all fifty states showing the issues that mattered to people.

Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukah soon!