As we celebrate the holiday season, one need look no farther than the roof to see the effect sports has had on celebrations.

Along the edge of the roofline is that famous sleigh, with sports written all over it.

Let’s begin with Dasher. This lead reindeer was named for all the great horses who have blessed the Triple Crown tracks. To be a great dasher is to be at the finish line first. “On Dasher!”

Dancer represents all those who show it and take it away on the gridiron. The dancer of the year is USC’s Reggie Bush. He will college dance one more time in the Rose Bowl.

Prancer is in the reigns for all you who head to the Bangor Fair and watch the world of Hanover Farms and others who round the track in the harness race world. Hey, horses are athletes, too.

Vixen is in the mix, and we need not go far to relate that creature to sports. This being a family paper and the holidays, we will leave it there.

Donner needs a bit of history. Originally this reindeer was the German Dunder. That got changed to Donder and then to Donner. Still, it’s about the NBA and thunder (that’s what dunder means) dunks.

Blitzen represents those crashers of the offensive lines who make there living tackling opponents in the backfield. The blitz of the gridiron has always had a heart pounding ring to it, just like the Blitzen of the skyways, another word of German derivation that means lightning (the defending Stanley Cup champs.)

Comet stands for all those who flashed sports greatness and flared out well before their time. The Mark “The Bird” Fidrychs and Bo Belinskys of sports know all to well what it is like to fly through the air with the greatest of ease only to find their comet life is but a spark.

Cupid is all over sports. The Mia Hamms and Nomar Garciaparras of the sports world make cupid sports headlines all the time.

Funny how Comet and Cupid are harnessed together in the drawing team of this great sleigh.

Then there is the driver of this group, a right jolly old elf. He is the representative of the sports owners of the world, who fly around the globe to dole out gifts, like George Steinbrenner to Johnny Damon (ouch, Sox fans.).

Rudolph came late to the team. He with the very shiny nose represents all the expansion teams of sports, many of whom, like the Florida Marlins of baseball, have gone on to lead the pack.

So, you see, the world of sports is well represented this season by the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

Whatever you may call the celebration at this time of year, even if it’s just some time off because other people are celebrating, may it be a joyous, peaceful, loving, tolerant, and caring season, the actions and feelings of which remain for the other 364 days of the year.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.