This Christmas, I wish for the continuation of this most extraordinary time in the history of Boston sports, for further proof that there is no better sports city in America, for more parades or rolling rallies or celebrations at City Hall Plaza.

I wish for the Red Sox to look as good on the field as they do on paper.

For the Patriots to take us to Dallas and beyond.

For the Celtics to play far better this season than they did the last over their final 55 regular season games, because everything should take care of itself after that.

I wish for Claude Julien to keep his job, for Bruins players to prove they believe in him, for many to remember that the best organizations are those with stable, qualified management and leadership.

But I fear that is wishing for too much.

I wish for the Patriots to continue serving as a reminder that the best teams sometimes sacrifice talent for chemistry, for diligence and hard work, and for reminding everyone yet again that the best teams do not always have the best players.

And I wish for the Miami Heat to fail for the very same reasons.

I wish for Rajon Rondo to start making more free throws.

And for Brandon Meriweather to stay away from Devin McCourty.

And for Tyler Seguin to become better than Patrice Bergeron ever could be (on the ice) and everything Bergeron is (between the ears).

I wish for Red Sox ownership and management to stop pretending they are any different from the Yankees and to start standing up for themselves and beating the Yankees at their own game.

Which, of course, is precisely what the Sox have done this offseason.

In the NFC Championship Game, I wish for Michael Vick and the Eagles to face Matt Ryan and the Falcons, just so everyone can see that, in the end, there was a great deal of good news that came from the dismantling of the Bad Newz Kennels.

Whoever wins, I wish for the Patriots to be there waiting in the Super Bowl.

But Brady vs. Vick would be the best story.

I wish for NFL owners and players to avoid a work stoppage.

And for NBA owners and players to do the same.

I wish for Milan Lucic to become the leader and presence he should be, for Glen "Big Baby" Davis to recognize that this is what he should have been last year if he didn't act like, well, a big baby.

I wish for Jonathan Papelbon to openly accept the presence of Bobby Jenks and to go out and have his best year ever as Red Sox closer, because that would be best for Papelbon and the Red Sox both.

I wish for Brandon Spikes to stop making stupid off-field mistakes that hurt both the Patriots and his career, because he has the chance to learn from a great coach who can give him a good career.

And while we're at it, I wish for McCourty, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Patrick Chung, Jermaine Cunningham and Sebastian Vollmer to recognize that they might not be the players they are becoming if someone other than Bill Belichick had drafted them.

I wish for Doc Rivers to stay.

And for Brett Favre to go.

And for Cam Neely to do whatever he damn well pleases because he is the face of the Bruins more than any player, coach, owner or executive.

I wish for Jacoby Ellsbury to come back and have a good year because he has the ability to be a good, productive major league player for a long time.

But I also wish for him to recognize that being a good teammate means making sacrifices.

I wish for Tom Brady to remain as invigorated by football as he has been this season because that may be all that stands between him and the chance to be regarded as the greatest quarterback of all-time.

Because I believe that Brady can win more than four Super Bowls.

And that he can win five.

I wish for Kevin Garnett to continue waking up and feeling better than he did the day before.

Because it shows.

And finally, I wish for everyone to remember that part of what makes Boston special is that we care, that we all show it differently, that disagreement can be healthy and the fight for the Boston sports fan - between the Bruins and Celtics and Patriots and Red Sox - is what drives everyone to be better.

And that 2011 could be proof.