Naughty or nice in the sports world?

He’s makin’ a list and checkin’ it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice. Yep, Santa Claus is comin’ to town, and if he’s makin’ a list of the good and the bad in the world of sports, well, those could be some interesting lists.

There has been some very good and some appallingly bad this season.

On the nice list, Jolly Old Saint Nick probably has Michael Phelps. The swimmer dominated the sports world for much of the summer with his record haul of gold medals at the Summer Olympics. Hey, when LeBron and Kobe take time to check someone out, you know the guy’s a big deal.

Also on the good list: The New England Patriots. They made NFL history with the first 16-0 regular season. Then, the New York Giants denied them a championship with a Super Bowl shocker. They’re on the nice list, too.

There were plenty of Oklahomans who were plenty good this year, too. Bill Self won a national championship. Matt Holliday inked a big contract. And Clay Bennett and Co. brought an NBA team to OKC.

The Thunder leave a lot to be desired on the court, but it’s hard to put the players on the naughty list. These guys have been everywhere in the community recently. They’re buying Christmas gifts and handing out coats and serving meals. I know that NBA players are contractually obligated to make community service appearances, but that doesn’t change the fact that they’re doing good for people in the area.