Thursday recently became the official day to write my blog every week. But last Thursday was Christmas Day, a day I wanted to spend with my family and loved ones and an assortment of cookies and chocolate and holiday meat-and-cheese trays.

So naturally, like any seasoned sports fan, I rationalized myself out of doing an entry. Much in the same way a fan can talk himself or herself into believing that the team needs the talent of a player known to be devious and troublesome, and that his drug possession charges are "okay because all athletes do drugs," and that his steroid suspension is "okay because they're all juiced, anyway," and that his involvement in a local squirrel-fighting scandal is "okay because it's part of the culture where he's from," so too did I talk myself into believing that I didn't need to do an entry last week because I "had done an entry every week since I started doing the thing back in January," and because I "even did an entry that one week when I contracted the grippe," and because "nobody will notice because of the holidays, anyway."

What harm could it do? I asked myself. I've been informative, timely, and possibly even entertaining from time to time. I've earned a week off! Who cares about sports right now, anyway? It's Christmas!

And naturally, rationalizing myself out of writing an entry turned out to be a terrible mistake. The NFL newswire is overflowing with information at an astounding rate of 13 coaching staff and team personnel firings a minute, not to mention all of the must-win games and playoff implications that went on over the past two Sundays. Although, honestly, most of these events transpired between today and last Friday, so I technically haven't missed anything except maybe a couple of teams clinching playoff spots or home-field advantage. Still, I just feel kind of lost, so I'll do the best I can.

The Detroit Lions didn't win a single game all season (and ironically went 4-0 during the preseason--way to fake us out, guys). Call me mean spirited (and especially so during the holiday season), but I was rooting against them all the way on Sunday when they played the Packers. Not only have I been waiting my entire life to see a team go 0-16, but I still believe the only way the Lions were going to make significant changes in the organization was if they went winless. I don't dislike the Lions--they were a good and respectable team when I started watching football, and now it's a competition between teammates to see who can make the most fans wear bags over their heads when they go to Lions home games. Team president Matt Millen was fired earlier in the year, and it was a given Rod Marinelli would be gone by the end of the season. I guess that and getting the first overall pick in the draft will be a start. Good luck, Detroit.

Speaking of firings, I found the sacking of both Jets coach Eric "Mangenius" Mangini and long-time Broncos coach Mike Shanahan completely out of left field. (Yes, I am using a baseball cliché in a football discussion.) I know both teams suffered something of a late-season collapse this season, but geez, Magini was only with the Jets for three seasons and had a winning record in two of those. What are they looking for? Shanahan maybe makes a little more sense, considering Denver has disappointed for a few seasons now, but it was still something I wasn't expecting.

My Browns fired coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage, but we already knew those were coming. This team just can't do anything right.

My Eagles are in. I won't say they don't deserve to be there, because they straightened things out at the end of the year. But they're very, very lucky to be there--every team that needed to crap out crapped out in spectacular fashion. I'm very much looking forward to Sunday's playoff game against the Vikings, which I think will be a pretty good match-up. But I can't say more or else I'll probably end up jinxing them.

On that note, since I praise Charles Barkley any time he comes up in conversation, sure enough, he was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of driving under the influence. Come on, Charles! I asked for your book for my birthday, enjoyed it thoroughly, and now you go and do this?! That's turrible.

One last bit of sad baseball news before I wrap this up. Don't look now, but the Cubs signed former Cardinals infielder Aaron Miles to a 2-year, $4.9 million deal on Wednesday. Miles quickly became one of my favorite Cardinals after they acquired him. I think he's a stand-up, hustling, scrappy sort of guy, and those are always my favorites. I'm sorry to see him go, and I have a bad feeling the Cardinals will probably end up missing him this season. I thought the Cardinals still had Felipe Lopez, but it turns out he signed with the Diamondbacks. If I'm not mistaken, that leaves Adam Kennedy at second base, which is all right if he plays like he did in 2008 and not like he played in 2007. However, the Cardinals will have to repair their relationship with Kennedy after showing something of a lack of confidence in him last season by acquiring Lopez midway through the season. We'll see.

That's all I've got. Happy 2009, everybody!