With Christmas just one day away, I thought I'd share a few of the worst gifts I have ever received.

Everyone has been the unfortunate recipient of a horribly ugly piece of clothing. When I was a boy, my grandmother gave me the most hideous sweater in the long history of sweaters. The base color was brown, but some insane designer thought it would be a good idea to weave flecks of bright colors, every color in a box of Crayolas, into the fabric. The result was a sweater that instantly reminded me of the time our Weimaraner ate an entire box of crayons. The most colorful dog crap ever!

Stocking stuffers are usually stupendous -- filled with favorite candy, maybe a CD, or even a paperback book. But in junior high, Santa Claus gave me a stocking stuffer that would humiliate and haunt me the entire school year. The first day after Christmas break, I happily splashed on the Old Spice cologne after showering. I was a young man now, no longer a boy. But as I proudly walked the halls of Parkside Junior High that day, I distinctly heard - over and over - whispers of, "I smell an old man," and "I think my grandfather is here." And the confinement of the classroom was much worse. I slumped in me seat like a typical punk, but there was no escaping the odor of Old Spice.

Yet even more embarrassing was a gift I received my sophomore year of high school. Again the gift was given by my grandmother, the one on my Dad's side of the family. I recall feeling incredibly intrigued by the present, because it was a long solid tube...yet not long enough to be a poster. I eagerly unwrapped the gift, and then the pointing and hearty laughter from my family and relatives began. My grandmother gave me a three-pack of popular Speedo-style underwear! At the time, I was strictly a Fruit-O-The-Loom briefs teenager. The thought alone of wearing underwear that would tightly cradle my package like a jock strap made me nauseous.

Feel free to share your worst gifts ever. I certainly hope that this year Santa only brings the good stuff!

And now for today's selections...

The Poinsettia Bowl
Utah Utes +130

College Basketball
Mississippi +11

Soccer Over/Under Parlay
Sochaux/Stade Rennes (French League) Under 2.5
Paris Saint-Germain/Grenoble (French League) Under 2.5
FC Groningen/NEC Nijmegen (Dutch Cup) Over 2.5