You were up late for an old Tom Cat, but, as usual, right on the mark. You have a great holiday season also and if you see or talk to your brother, tell him the same.

That picture of Aden reminds me of one of my favorite sports related Christmas stories of all time.

It's about Tom Dempsey, he of 63-yard field goal fame, and how Tom never received as much in his stocking as the other kids.

Of course it was this furious anger that motivated and propelled Tom to become the greatest placekicker in the history of the NFL.

And, did you know that there were conspiracy theorists at the time who were convinced that Tom Dempsey used human growth hormone? They claimed that its misuse manifested into the grotesque deformity that was his right foot. The entire "born without toes" a mere ruse I suppose.

Though Dempsey has never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, it's common knowledge that he can't walk through a metal detector at the airport. That's right. Tom Dempsey's right foot was comprised of aircraft engine grade titanium alloy (6AL-4V).

Why sportswriters don't spend any more time covering this travesty is just another example of the double standard between football and baseball.

Merry Christmas, simmons.

I'd like to leave for you the "Tom Dempsey Rule" that has been with the league since 1977, and of which I'm sure is hardly any consolation to Mr. Bert Rechichar.

"Any shoe that is worn by a player with an artificial limb on his kicking leg must have a kicking surface that conforms to that of a normal kicking shoe."

And by the way, Real Men play football outside!

Go Bears