It’s a Wonderful Life in Boston for Peanut Vendors

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe, writing on the decision to allow vendors to once again sell their sausage and peanuts outside of Fenway Park:

“It’s a wonderful life, after all. And every time a bell rings, an angel gets a sweet sausage.

“Third generation peanut vendor Nick Jacobs [Thursday] was Jimmy Stewart playing George Bailey. Boston was Bedford Falls. . . . And John Harrington [Red Sox chief executive officer], after playing mean Mr. Potter for a couple of weeks, finally softened and allowed the vendors back to Yawkey Way. On Christmas Eve.”

“And so the Great Sausage Rebellion of the Winter of ’98 is over. Let there be peanuts and slush for everybody. God bless us one and all.”

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Trivia time: Larry Smith is one of four coaches to lead four different schools to bowl games. Which schools did he coach?

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Mystery man: Ron Rapoport in the Chicago Sun-Times: “Guess who said this to the London Daily Telegraph: ‘When I see the figures paid in the Premiership [Britain’s top soccer league], I just laugh. It’s a joke.’

“ ‘If people are willing to pay that money, they’ve got more money than sense. It’s absolutely ridiculous.’

“Would you believe Elton John?”

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Harsh advice: Michael Wilbon in the Washington Post: “You know the first thought that came to mind when I heard news of this Jan. 7 deadline, the so-called ‘drop dead’ date, for the NBA and its players to negotiate a deal?

“The both sides should, figuratively speaking of course, drop dead.

“OK, I know that’s not exactly an expression of Christmas spirit. But it does come in the spirit of the NBA and its players, who subscribe to their own twisted motto: it is better to receive than to give.”

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Back to the future: Michael Rosenberg in the Chicago Tribune: “Bored this week? Take in one of those holiday movies: It Was a Wonderful Life.

“An NBA player gets to see what the world would be like without him. Before long, he realizes how important he really isn’t. Rated PG [Play the Games].”

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Looking back: On this day in 1964, the Cleveland Browns routed the Baltimore Colts, 27-0, at Cleveland to win the NFL championship.

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Trivia answer: Tulane, Arizona, USC and Missouri.

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And finally: Ben Dreith, who worked NFL playoff games for 29 seasons, says that today’s officials are often out of position to make calls, their technique is lacking and their judgment is poor.

Dreith blames NFL director of officials Jerry Seeman for not providing enough training.

“He’s putting referees in there who couldn’t take an old woman and lead her across the street,” Dreith told the Bloomberg News.

It’s not surprising that Dreith, 73, is so critical. After the league asked him to retire eight years ago, he sued for age discrimination. He eventually settled out of court for $160,000 in back pay plus $120,000 in attorney’s fees, according to the NFL.