Christmas is on the horizon, and the real question is whether you’ve been naughty or nice.

Remember when that was the endless question you heard — or maybe still hear today? If you were considered bad, you were told a bag of coal was coming your way from Santa.

So how about on the Philly sports scene? Who was naughty, and who was nice?

In this version of my Yesterday column — reminiscing about sports and pop culture from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s (and sometimes before and beyond) — I’ll recall some Philly perceived bad and good guys, revisit a forgotten Christmas NFL game, and reveal the results of a Facebook poll on popular sports-related toy gifts.

And what popular Phillies second baseman was born on Christmas? And what wrestler was known as the “Christmas Creature”?

Give Them a Bag of Coal ... In Philly sports circles, there have been some “villains” or disgruntled players who either needed — or wanted — a different address.

Here are a few:

• Terrell Owens: “T.O.” certainly was one of the most talented wide receivers of his era, and delivered a valiant effort on a broken leg in the Super Bowl loss. But he became a locker-room distraction — notably with Donovan McNabb — and a suspension ultimately led to his exit.

• Carson Wentz: Once viewed as a franchise quarterback, Wentz eventually split the locker room and was perceived as a poor leader. The tipping point came with the drafting of Jalen Hurts. Wentz struggled mightily that season, was traded to the Colts, and never reached his anticipated potential.

• Scott Rolen: Offered a then-$14 million extension in 2002, Rolen wanted out, believing the organization lacked commitment to winning. He was traded to the Cardinals, though he and the club later appeared to mend fences when he was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2023.

• Lance Parrish: The former Tigers slugging catcher signed a one-year deal in 1987 and was viewed as a much-needed power bat. Parrish flopped as a fan favorite. Over two seasons, he hit 32 home runs and batted .230.

• Ben Simmons: Another foreseen savior, Simmons was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. His four-year stay with the 76ers, averaging 11.5 points per game, was marred by injuries, holdouts and controversy.

• Frank Thomas: On July 3, 1965, Thomas got into a fight with Dick Allen near the batting cage and swung a bat at him. Thomas was waived after the game. He carried a reputation as a troublemaker throughout his career and allegedly made racial comments toward Allen.

However, J.D. Drew may be the biggest one — and we all know what he did.

National Scene ... Beyond Philly, here’s a short list of nationally perceived “bad guys” through the years: Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, John Rocker, Latrell Sprewell, Don King, Bobby Knight (maybe), and Pete Rose (when he wasn’t with the Phillies).

The Good Guys ... Through the years, Philly sports also has had its share of widely admired figures:

Ron Jaworski, Bill Bergey, Harold Carmichael, Tony Taylor, Johnny Callison, Julius Erving, Darryl Dawkins, Bobby Clarke, Dave Cash, Tommy McDonald, Bernie Parent, Darren Daulton, Joe Frazier and Charles Barkley, to name a few.

The Forgotten Christmas Game ... Aside from the famed 1971 Christmas night Dolphins–Chiefs playoff game, many may have forgotten the Cowboys–Vikings playoff matchup earlier that day — the first-ever NFL playoff game played on Christmas.

Played in Minnesota, the Vikings never found a rhythm, and the Cowboys capitalized on five turnovers for a 20-12 victory in 22-degree weather at Metropolitan Stadium.

Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach completed 10 of 14 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown, while Duane Thomas rushed for 66 yards on 21 carries.

Minnesota’s Bob Lee went 7-for-16 for 86 yards with two interceptions, and Gary Cuozzo finished 12-for-22 for 124 yards with a touchdown and two picks. Clint Jones ran for 52 yards on 15 carries. Gene Washington, who caught five passes for 70 yards, was Minnesota’s top pick in 1967 and later became better known for his years with the 49ers.

We All Had Some of Them ... With Christmas approaching, many of us can recall the sports-related toys and games that made the following year memorable.

One of the most popular was Tudor’s Electric Football, which dates back to 1949. In the 1970s, Tudor introduced larger models featuring the Steelers, Dolphins and Cowboys with iconic painted players.

Tabletop hockey games by Coleco, Munro and Eagle were also big hits. You didn’t have Flyers players, but you did have Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Bruins and North Stars — complete with a sliding goalie.

Mattel’s Electronic Football was another classic, and a precursor to the video game boom. Released in 1977, it was mesmerizing in its simplicity.

And of course, there were Nerf footballs and basketballs. The hoop with the suction cups was a staple. You may have had the giant Nerf football or even the Nerf golf set.

You Said It ... We posted a poll on the Times News Lehighton Facebook page asking about favorite classic sports games.

Tabletop hockey led with 42 percent of the vote, followed by Electric Football (37 percent), handheld electronic football (15 percent), Nerf football and basketball (5 percent), and “other” at 1 percent.

Hey, Hey, Hey, and Ho, Ho, Ho ... In 1977, Fat Albert’s Christmas Special debuted as an offshoot of the famed CBS Saturday morning cartoon. It’s one holiday special that may have slipped through the cracks.

If you remember Mushmouth and Rudy, you earn a gold star.

A Simple Christmas Gift ... Besides the mountain of packages under the tree, some of us remember stockings filled with fruit and nuts.

That was common back in the day, before stockings overflowed with trinkets. You could also buy stockings filled with candy and toys — even versions for adults and pets.

WWWF/WWE Wrap ... In keeping with the Christmas theme, which wrestler was known as the “Christmas Creature”?

That would be Kane, whose real name is Glenn Thomas Jacobs. Born in Spain, Kane wrestled professionally from 1992 to 2021, making his final WWE appearance in the Royal Rumble won by Edge.

He played football and basketball at Truman State University, and had a tryout with the Chicago Bears as a defensive lineman before a knee injury steered him toward wrestling.

Kane compiled a career record of 1,569-1,338-117 and was portrayed as The Undertaker’s half-brother. He held the WWF Championship for one day in June 1998 after winning the King of the Ring, before losing the title to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Kane also was a multiple-time tag team champion, holding titles with The Undertaker, Daniel Bryan and X-Pac.

He currently serves as the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.

Christmas Cheer ... Several Phillies players were born on Christmas Eve or Christmas.

Born on Christmas Eve:

• Kevin Millwood (2003-04): Signed as a free agent, Millwood went 23-18 with a 4.34 ERA over two seasons.

• Jamey Wright (1996): Enjoyed a 19-year pitching career and later filled in on the Phillies’ coaching staff.

• James Norwood (2022): A reliever who went 1-0 with an 8.31 ERA in 20 games.

Born on Christmas Day:

• Manny Trillo (1979-82): A .277 career hitter, three-time Gold Glove winner and Silver Slugger. Trillo was traded in 1982 as part of the deal that brought Von Hayes to Philadelphia and finished his career with the Reds in 1989.

Thank you for your continued support, and my personal thanks to Marta Gouger, Patrick Matsinko and Rod Heckman, and best wishes to Ed Hedes.

Have a blessed and Merry Christmas — and a happy holiday season.