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December 24, 2002

Another holiday shopping list

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


It is that time of year. We have all been thinking about what we want to give to others and this is the week that most of those gifts are distributed.

The sports community, despite being busy with tournaments and bowl games, is no exception. Therefore, let us take a few moments of your time to offer this wish list.

These are the gifts that we would give – if we could – during this holiday season. Some are in fun, others quite serious. A few are even repeat gifts from previous lists that have not yet materialized. We hope you enjoy them.

MIKE ALLEGRETTO: that expanded recreation staff he’s been fighting for.
BILL HUF: another weekend in Kansas City with Bill Osborn so he will stop talking about the last one.
JIM SCHAFER: a two-week Super Bowl party.
PAUL RODIO: a new arena at The Prep worthy of his basketball program.
BUD RINCK: a beautiful home with a spacious porch in Linwood for his retirement.
DAVE TALARICO: a World Series for Baltimore.
TOM FERACO: a 6-8 transfer from New Zealand.
STEVE PARKER: a new press box at his alma mater.
KARL GEISINGER: a good girls basketball season for Mainland and a good boys track season for Ocean City.
JIM HANDSHAW: a whiffle ball stadium.
WALT TUCKER: an elevator into his new two-story press box.
DAVE TROIANO: a championship season for Pittsburgh (any team from Pittsburgh!).
COACH JOE FUSSNER: dinner with his wife while he is home for the holidays.
JOHN BRUNO: a new gymnasium (still on back-order).
GENE BARBER: another No. 1 ranking.
WHITEY HAAK: a spot in the Senior Open.
JOHN HUFF: his own gym.
DAN HEYMAN: a vacation home in Holmdel Park.
LAURIE CARTER: success as a coach like she had as a player.
MIKE McALARNEN: special congratulations on being selected as an NCAA second team All-American.
GREG GOODWIN: an upset-free season.
TOM GETZKE: a week in Florida.
JOE RICCI: his own key to the city of Sea Isle so he won’t have to keep borrowing Rick Rock’s key.
NUNCIE SACCO: a fishing trip with Tom Jorgenson.
BILL BECKER: a cell phone.
ROB SEITZINGER: Paul Collins strike zone for every game.
WAYNE COLMAN: a track team filled with young sprinters.
CHAD SEVERS: that one more win Penn State needed to reach the NCAA Soccer Final Four.
TERRY BRADWAY: a Jets-Eagles Super Bowl.
MIKE LOMBARDI: a Raiders-Eagles Super Bowl.
BRIAN CUNNIFF: a day off so he can go see a basketball game.
MATT LeFEVER: that the people in EHT won’t find out he’s wearing a red and white shirt under his black and gray one.
MIKE O’BRIEN: a book of stamps.
MONICA JOHNSON: an NCAA championship.
JACK NIXON: two injury-free seasons.
DENNIS SMITH: his own hospitality room.
JACK BOYD: season tickets to the Surf and the Bullies.
LARRY DiGIOVANNI: a tougher schedule.
RICK TRAVERS: a dozen golf balls, with built-in birdies.
FRANK BASILE: a case of diapers for his new son with the St. Louis Rams logo on them (rather appropriate, considering how the Rams have played).
RACHEL CONSTANTINE: a return to action by Valentine’s Day.
TOM BECKER: the return of the Yankees in 2003.
SCOTT LIPFORD: a shot at moving up from the practice squad in the NFL.
JOE FAGAN & JERRY BEEBE: Little League championships.
DAVE LEWIS: a win over Sam Botta.
DAVE PFEIFER: a new, all-weather track.
SCOTT WAHL: just one win in NFL Challenge.
WILLIAM GREEN: the kind of career that will make his rookie card quite valuable.
GEORGE McNALLY: a trip to Disney World.
BILL NICKLES: continued help from the ghosts of the high school gym (it worked last year).
ANTWAINE CAMPO: lots of Christmas cookies.
STACEY MILLER: the Mickey Mantle rookie card.
TOM PARK: a couple more like Larry Johnson.
AMY MASON: success with her new role in Dawson’s Creek.
GARY DEGENHARDT: dinner with Butch Gleason.
JIM GINN: everything live on the Internet.
JEFF WUNDER: a few more like Matt Dicken.
BOB COFFEY: continued success in Group 4.
PETE YARD: lights in all the trees.
WHOEVER IS IN CHARGE OF BROADCAST PLAZA IN LINWOOD: A new title on the building’s nice new sign – Howard Green Memorial Broadcast Plaza. It is overdue!
MIKE GILL: the chance to do some baseball play-by-play.
JOHN LOCKWOOD: a Super Bowl for the Browns while he can still enjoy it.
ROSEMARY O’DOWD: a 2000 Mainland yearbook.
TRISH LeFEVER: a time-share condo in Ewing she can use every November.
OFFICER JOE FUSSNER: another week in Hawaii.
GARY HEGH: plenty to eat.
CARL PRICE: another big win for him and his Irish partner in their fantasy league.
ERNIE TROIANO: capacity crowds starting Thursday at the Wildwood Convention Center.
BUTCH GLEASON: a good time at his LaSalle reunion.
BRUCE BEAVER: new customers in West Chester.
JASON KAYE: winning seasons at both George Washington and Absegami.
PAT DOUGHERTY: lots of applause for her recent (and overdue) selection to the South Jersey Basketball Club Hall of Fame.
TO THE REST OF YOU: a very happy holiday and the chance to see the kind of exciting high school sports in 2003 that we did during the past year.


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