And thank God for that. No, not the media whitewash about the 'dawn of a new era' down at Club Med Subi, otherwise masquarding as WA's second football team, that guff will be going on til well into this season...I'm talking about Christmas of course.

If you think  there's nothing better than watching children devour christmas wrapping and develop boredom with the contents in 0.75 seconds, and spending time with rellies that live on the other side of the continent for very good reasons, than good on ya pal, send me some of that yuletide contraband quicksmart. Apart from that, you wouldn't want the Christmas I had.

Christmas Eve I was fighting with the missus for control of the bathroom, as we jostled for the toilet, bucket in hand, as our backsides and stomaches fought it out to see which could expel the greatest amount of body fluid in the least amount of time. Simultaenously. Then the 4yo started. Then the bub.

So with that out of the way, I've noticed that it's sport, sport and more sport on TV as we hit New Year. Now I like to watch athletic young ladies run around a tennis court as much as the next married man, but all that grunting is starting to remind me of Christmas Eve. Cricket's still the same old monkey business and New Idea are offer big bucks to any media outlet that catches Ponting cracking a smile. Now there'll be some of you sports tragics out there that be saying the usual stuff..." too much sport is barely enough, and if you do any less than watch Fox Sports for 16 hours a day and tape the bits you miss when you were asleep, then you're a Gaylord."

 But cricket and tennis overload really only means one thing: Footy's nearly back. I got one of those DVD recorder thingos for Christmas. I even know how to work it. I had a few hours to spare lying on the couch with the manual.

It sort of made Christmas worthwhile.