“A very merry Christmas
And a happy New Year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear”
– John Lennon

It seems this is a time for making lists. People are running around the newsroom voting on which is the top story of the year from last year. I overheard someone say something about a goose.
Others are quitting bad habits. That reminds me of a line from the Bill Murray movie “Ghostbusters” where he says, and I quote from a top 10 list of greatest “Ghostbusters” quotes, “Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!”
Since I’ve only been on the job for 25 percent of 2016, I thought I might try looking back even further and come up with a couple of all-time great “Everybody Loves Raymond” sports desk moments. I’ve always been attached to Murphy’s Law at the hip so here goes, I’ll kiss the Blarney Stone and see if you get a chuckle or two for the new year on me.
Left-handed golf putter – I’d never golfed in my life and, at the urging of my coworkers, bought a used set of clubs. Got the driver out in my backyard and hit a few Happy Gilmores so I thought at least I can hit the thing. Brought said clubs to the office and was staring at the putter realizing something wasn’t right. The little L side was facing the ball and the part you putted with was facing the other way. I scratched my head, looked puzzled and our investigative crime journalist Duane Sherrill (that’s why he gets the big bucks) said you bought a left-handed putter. I didn’t know they had two so I exchanged it but it reallly never made much of a difference in the long run.
Star sighting faux pas at Titans’ game – Waiting for the elevator during halftime to get off the field level, this man and a woman in a Titans jersey were kissing in the hall waiting for the elevator. I mumbled something like get a room and when the elevator stopped I got in, my co-worker and graphic artist extraordinaire Seth Wright got in, the kissing couple got in and no one else. Weird, I thought, as we got off at the snack level.
“Do you know who that was?” Seth asked, exiting the elevator. “Umm, not really why?” He then informed me it was Tim McGraw and Faith Hill who had sung the national anthem at the start of the game. Now you know why I need the numbers on the jerseys for sports.
My first football game back this time, I made a list, checked it twice, but got to Nunley Stadium and the memory card for my camera was still back in my computer at the office. I could go on but by now you can tell Murphy and I have been friends for a long time.