Twas the Night Before Xmas

[Blitz]

Twas the Night Before Xmas provides a window for Lionbackers to post Xmas messages.

Thank you to all Lionbackers for your passion and your thoughts, insights, and reflections, about Lions football and the CFL.

This is a great football website due to everyone's contributions. Wishing all Lionbackers an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas holiday and all the best in 2019.

The 2019 football season is shaping up to be a most intriguing one so far.

Merry Xmas!!!!

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE XMAS

Twas the night before Christmas, all through Leo Land
Not a creature was stirring, heck, not even B. C. Fan
All Lionbacker's stockings were hung by their chimneys with care,
In hopes that St. Hervey would soon be there;

Lion Guy and Johnny Musso were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Grey Cup 2019 danced in their heads;
And Sammy Greene in his 'kerchief, and TheLionKing in his cap,
Had finally settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Hambone sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.
Far away, to his window, BelizeCityLion flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave lustre to the face of our own West Coast Joe
When, what to the Pauser’s wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a driver who drove the sleigh fast and sometimes quite swervy
Rammer knew it could be no other than our own St. Hervey
More rapid than eagles his sleigh pullers they came,
And St. Hervey whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Toppy now, David, now Dusty, and Cromarte,
Oh, I also need Squishy, Toppy, Cardiac Kid and Dano T.
To the top of the stadium, lead us all, KnowItAll
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As the sleigh first flew past the moon and circled the sun
St. Hervey promised a 2019 season of excitement and fun
Then up to Sir Percival’s house-top, the Lionbackers they flew,
With their sleigh full of footballs, and St. Hervey too.

Then, in a twinkling, David went outside and looked up at his roof
And gazed at "St. Hervey, pleased he now had the proof
While at Gridiron Ernie's home, Ernie was just turning around,
When down the chimney, St. Hervey came with a bound.

He was dressed all in orange and black, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
Bundles of 2019 Leo season tickets he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they penetrated, his expression was surly
It made me wonder if he’d gotten to the practice facility too early
He looked determined, his droll mouth curled up, like a bow
I knew he was serious about getting our Leos back to the “Show’

St Hervey knew, as Leos GM, there was no time to rest
He had a ton of players to sign, again being put to the test.
His halo encircled his head like a wreath;
His philosophy engrained, his plan a belief

Davon Claybrooks was the new leader he’d selected to hire
Also back was Stubler, whom Wally had unwisely decided to fire
St. Hervey had taken a broom to the past regime
The time had more than arrived for a new football dream

He was frank and intimidating, a right tough and cranky type elf,
But still I laughed when he saw me, in spite of myself;
Next came a harsh glance of his eye and a twist of his head,
It said “Don’t mess with me or you’ll have something to dread”

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the Lionbacker's stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside his tough Compton nose,
He gave a command, and then up the chimney he rose;

He walked to his sleigh, to his sleigh pullers he gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But then St. Hervey exclaimed, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL LIONBACKERS AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"

[The_Pauser]

Merry Christmas Blitz! And Merry Christmas to all Lionbackers! I hope everyone has a safe and joyous holiday season.

[WestCoastJoe]

Great stuff, Blitz.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all Lionbackers, Lions' players and Lions' staff everywhere.

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[B.C.FAN]

Blitz, I’ve been waiting for your annual Christmas post. This one didn’t disappoint. It sure seems different with nary a St. Wally in sight.

Merry Christmas to all Lionbackers. Counting down 145 days to training camp.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Thanks for this entertainment Blitz (or should I say 'Blitzen' -- wasn't he one of Santa's reindeer?) I appreciate the good cheer shared by all here annually at this time of year on Lionbackers. My very best wishes to each and every one. Merry Christmas!

[jwbavalon]

What's Christmas without a Blitz post.

Merry Christmas to all

[Belize City Lion]

"Also back was Stubler, whom Wally had unwisely decided to fire"... brilliant line!

Merry Christmas to you Blitz, and all my fellow Lionbackers!

[CardiacKid]

Surly St. Hervey.....

I would like to commend all the posters to Lionbackers who keep this forum civil through out the year. Because of that we get to enjoy a sincere and fun post by Bltz that really does tickle the funny bone in a festive way.

When I look at online forums in general and CFL-based one’s in particular, it leaves me thinking that Lionbackers is this lonely outpost on the inter-webs of civil and adult sports discourse. We can agree to disagree without name calling and all the other nonsense that be-devils so-called online debate.

Myself, a noob when it comes to the complexity of the game, appreciate the insights shared by those well-acquainted with it. I think it makes me enjoy the game more.

So for that, I want to say thank you to all the Lionbackers and wish you and all the Lion’s fans across the globe a Merry Christmas!

[TheLionKing]

Merry Christmas to fellow Lionbackers

[Toppy Vann]

Merry Christmas and the best of the season to everyone!

Feliz Navidad

祝聖誕節快樂

[SammyGreene]

Awesome as always Blitz!

Merry Christmas to you and all Lionbackers. Thanks for another great year of reading.

[Dusty]

Well said Blitz!!! Your suggestion that the upcoming season will be a "most intriguing" one is spot on!

Like others (i.e.Cardiac Kid above), I appreciate this forum for my football education. My being able to follow the ball and watch for other aspects of the game comes directly from this forum. I remain amazed by the level of knowledge and calm discourse that I read here.

My heartfelt best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season for all Lionbackers and may we all enjoy the upcoming football season, an "intriguing" one for sure.

[Sir Purrcival]

Thank you Blitz for that stirring Christmas poem.
And thank you to D for keeping this forum for all of us fans
And finally, my thanks to all the members here that make this a great community.

Merry Christmas to All
And to all, go 10 and break right.

[BC 1988]

Well said Blitz!!! Your suggestion that the upcoming season will be a "most intriguing" one is spot on!

Like others (i.e.Cardiac Kid above), I appreciate this forum for my football education. My being able to follow the ball and watch for other aspects of the game comes directly from this forum. I remain amazed by the level of knowledge and calm discourse that I read here.

My heartfelt best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season for all Lionbackers and may we all enjoy the upcoming football season, an "intriguing" one for sure.

Ditto--this site is where I look first if I want to find out about what is really happening with the Lions. I've enjoyed the CFL since 1970, but was never involved in the X's and O's of the game. It's all here in an easy to understand format.

May it continue in the New Year (which will indeed be most "intriguing").

[DanoT]

Surly St. Hervey.....

I would like to commend all the posters to Lionbackers who keep this forum civil through out the year. Because of that we get to enjoy a sincere and fun post by Bltz that really does tickle the funny bone in a festive way.

When I look at online forums in general and CFL-based one’s in particular, it leaves me thinking that Lionbackers is this lonely outpost on the inter-webs of civil and adult sports discourse. We can agree to disagree without name calling and all the other nonsense that be-devils so-called online debate.

Myself, a noob when it comes to the complexity of the game, appreciate the insights shared by those well-acquainted with it. I think it makes me enjoy the game more.

So for that, I want to say thank you to all the Lionbackers and wish you and all the Lion’s fans across the globe a Merry Christmas!

^^^Well said Kid.

And well done as usual, Blitz.

Merry Xmas to all Lionbackers and hoping for a great 2019 for all Lionbackers and Lion players and coaches and their families.