Once upon a time I had every local sports schedule and knew who and when and where.

No certainty involved here, but this is usually a kind of lullful time of year when there’s a break in the action to let fans take a deep breath and gear up for the stretch drive.

Fans are real people, too, you know. They need recovery time after the post patterns and fast breaks and stolen bases and service aces and holes-in-one and digs and cheers and groans and missed calls and hand warmers and blankets and sun screen.

Southeastern basketball resumes Thursday, January 3, when Southern Arkansas visits the Snake Pit. That doubleheader will be followed with Saturday afternoon’s twinbill against Arkansas-Monticello.

Teams playing well going into the break will pout a little because they can’t keep playing. Teams not playing well will try to find a way to turn things around for the second semester.

I know it’s really easy to dismiss a team struggling to stay on the sweet side of the win-loss record.

I know it’s really easy to hit the recliner, grab the remote and snack/doze/read instead of physically going to a game.

If you think it’s no fun watching a team lose games, think how difficult it must be for that losing team to play games. Practices are much easier and more fun when a team is winning.

A losing team probably works harder and has much less to show for the effort. That’s why it means so much more when fans show up.

All teams need fans to attend the games. Losing teams are more needy than winning teams.

Why not let your recliner finish second a few nights and show our kids how much their efforts are appreciated.

Records won’t mean much a few years down the road. Effort will.

There’s no way to tell when your appearance at the football field, gym, baseball or softball field, tennis court or whatever could make a positive difference in the life of a boy or girl, young man or young woman.

Your support just might be the greatest give you could ever give.

Try it. You might like it. Gifts work both ways, you know.

THE “PEACE ON EARTH and good will toward men” plan may be down the drain, but we can still enjoy the season.

You know which season – the one we’re not supposed to mention in written or vocal form.

You know, Christmas. Okay, now I’ve gone and done it. Not even a lump of coal for me this year unless it’s delivered by the PC police in a black helicopter. I think it’s worth the risk, so here goes: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.

May we all get what we need instead of what we want. Nobody looks good in a fluorescent pink thong.