Celtics, Red Sox, Pats, Bruins merchandise make great gifts

I must confess that I actually missed last week’s so-called Black Friday, the post-Thanksgiving day, which finds droves of shoppers racing out to begin the Christmas shopping season.

In my house, we do keep lists, giving everyone from Santa Claus to Aunt Linda just what we’d like to see under our tree that special morning.

Perhaps you and yours do the same thing, or at least have a similar ritual.

Today, I thought might be as good a time as any to look into a sports fan’s list, finding just the right gift to put a smile on anyone’s face.

That special Boston Celtics fan may jump for joy when he or she finds former Boston Globe sportswriter Peter May’s new book hanging in his or her stocking hung, of course, by the chimney with care.

This one, “The Top of the World,” chronicles the amazing one-year turnaround by the Celts to become last season’s NBA champion.

Celtics fans everywhere will revel in the glory of a new Big Three and hang on May’s every word as readers return to the glory days of, arguably, the greatest professional basketball franchise in the history of the league.

No basketball fans in the house, you’re saying. That’s OK, too.

The Boston Red Sox – everybody loves the Red Sox – are promoting heavily their own holiday wares, beginning with a delightful “Greatest Red Sox Players of All Time” DVD. This one is available online at fye.com.

I’ve seen this one, and it is impressive. The period footage makes this one the perfect gift.

New England Patriot fans shouldn’t feel left out, either. Also available at f.y.e., shoppers may purchase the “NFL History of the Patriots” in a two-disc set. Boy, after Christmas dinner, this one will entice the gridiron buffs to the new large-screen TV that Santa left.

Oh, I can hear the Bruins boo-birds screaming for their own piece of the pie.

The pro hockey scene has certainly improved in Beantown of late – finally – as my friend Graham would say.

Bruins merchandise is on the upswing this shopping season, too, including shirts, jackets and the official sweaters made by Reebok and a variety of companies. Click on Bruins.nhl.com for all that stuff, then sit back and enjoy the rest of the turkey.

Yes, there’s something for everybody this year, and with all the Boston professional sports teams showing great success, no fan should be unhappy Christmas morning.

30-Second Time Out

I couldn’t help thinking as I watched UMaine women’s basketball coach Cindy Blodgett walk off the court after her team’s 68-60 loss in the annual Dead River Company Classic consolation game to New Jersey Tech, that she was thinking this: “It won’t be like this next year.”

Hmmm … was that a smile I just saw, Cindy?

You see, dear readers, Cindy just landed a well-known recruit, who, quite frankly, plays the game just like she did.

In incoming recruit Rachele Burns of Gorham High School, coach Blodgett has just found her diamond in the rough of southern Maine basketball stars who used to look first to recently retired University of Southern Maine head coach Gary Fifield’s program before considering other schools.

Coach Blodgett and player Burns will provide fans next year with the same combo that Coach Joanne Palombo McCallie and player Blodgett once did.

Hang on, Cindy, you’ll be there soon.

bdnsports@bangordailynews.net