The Christmas Speech

And so, like the man who shows up at the party believing – nay, knowing – that he's doing you a favour, Sport Is A TV Show has made it to another Christmas. Huzzah for you!

A very big thank you is due to (in order of appearance) Brian, Elliott, Mark and Richard for their Larsson-esque loan performances this year, as well as hosting some of my profound musings at their places – respectively, The Run of Play, Futfanatico, Sport without Spin and A More Splendid Life. Thanks also to the fine folk at Soccerlens, The Onion Bag, The Norman Einsteins, Football and Music and – gulp – anyone else I may have inadvertently forgotten (do let me know) for accepting the same privilege. Cheers also to those who have posted links in this direction. Prayers are being said for you as I type.

And as for you, gorgeous readers – without you ... well, without you, this site would have no readers, which would not make it that much different to how it is now. But I do enjoy imagining the look on your awestruck little faces as you read one of my missives and it dawns upon you just how lucky you are to be living at a time when I'm around to guide you along the treacherous journey we call Sport. So bless you, poppets.

I'll admit, I'm more than a little devastated that the popularity of this site has not yet reached the critical mass required for that sweetest of career phases, the sudden and violent backlash. No matter: when that glorious day does arrive, you can say "I was there before Sport Is A TV Show was universally acknowledged to have rendered all other sportswriting utterly moribund; quite honestly, sport isn't as much fun as it was before he ruined it for everyone". I wish I was down there looking up at me. Treasure these times.

To play us out, here is Usain Bolt with the two greatest sporting occasions of the year – possibly of all time, if we're not counting Anders Limpar's goal against Manchester United in October 1990. Sadly for Usain, we are counting Anders Limpar's goal against Manchester United in October 1990. Better luck next year, Usain! Happy Christmas, or happy whatever-it-is-you-crazy-gringos-get-up-to. Ta-ra, chucks.