NPR Sports

At Christmastime, it's long been the fashion for sports columnists to write an annual column about what various people in sports want to find under their tree — a new quarterback for this coach, a starting pitcher for this general manager and so on.

But, of course, the Christmas of Santa Claus isn't the only one. There's also the message that is found in the Gospel Of Luke, which we can all of us, of all faiths, support — as the angels sing: And on earth, peace, goodwill among people.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This might not be baseball season but former New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey has captured the spirit of the holidays. The National League Cy Young winner was recently traded to the Toronto Blue Jays after negotiations to extend his contract with the Mets collapsed. Rather than sulk off to the Great North, Dickey wrote a holiday card to his fans and team that was published in the New York Daily News.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It has become one big Christmas tradition, plopping down with a big glass of eggnog or something else of your choice in front of a big screen TV to indulge in a big dose of NBA basketball. The New York Knicks actually kicked off this tradition in 1948, beating the Providence Steamrollers at Madison Square Garden. Today's matchups don't involve the Steamrollers. There are five games in all and they promise to be just as exhilarating. And here with a preview is the always exhilarating Mike Pesca.

Hey, Mike.

Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mike Pesca about the sports news of the week, including some NFL records that could be topped this season.

Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks to Howard Bryant of ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine about the New York Jets, Tim Tebow and the NBA on Christmas Day.

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ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

Finally this hour, some football talk. Two weeks to go in the National Football League's regular season and sportswriter Stefan Fatsis joins us now to discuss playoff permutations and other football news. Hi, Stefan.

STEFAN FATSIS, BYLINE: Hey, Robert.

SIEGEL: Two weeks, of course, is a long time in the NFL. What teams are playoff-bound or likely to be?

I've never had any interest in hunting. Among other things, I'm a terrible shot, but I have friends who hunt, and it appears to me to be a perfectly reasonable sports hobby — certainly every bit as honorable as fantasy football. Moreover, shooting a deer or a duck with a bullet seems to me no more inhuman than catching a trout or a marlin with a hook.

Oh, sometimes I get a little piqued that those who hunt and fish are ennobled as "sportsmen," while people who play golf are just golfers and people who bowl are just bowlers. But then, that's just me being picayune.

Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mike Pesca about college football coaches and the wisdom of the Washington Redskins' backup quarterback.

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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. Of course, the news this morning is dominated by yesterday's events in Newtown, Connecticut. And while we're covering the shootings throughout the program, there is other news, even sports, which is sometimes called the great diversion. And maybe this is a good moment for that diversion. NPR's Tom Goldman joins us now.

Tom, thanks for being with us.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: My pleasure, Scott.