Local Sports Digest

AREA
Poland's Nemeswins crown
BOARDMAN -- Segment one of the BTC Holiday Tennis Tournament crowned an old champion, a new one and an upcoming player in Friday's competition at Boardman Tennis Center.
In the boys 16-younger category, Pete Nemes of Poland, winner of numerous titles, continued that trend by knocking off frequent practice partner Anthony Rosselli of Poland by scores of 6-3, 6-4.
For girls, Caroline Reina of Beaver, Pa., won her first singles title with a 7-6 (2), 7-5 win over top-seeded Olivia Villano of Canfield. Their match lasted two-and-a-half hours.
The most dominant player was Poland's Roko Spahija in the 8-younger field who won 35 times and lost three in round-robin singles/doubles format.
NATION
NHL playerscelebrate at home
DETROIT -- While the NFL and NBA both played on Christmas Day, the NHL rested.
Not one game or practice took place Saturday or Sunday, allowing players to enjoy 48 hours delighting in life's simple pleasures.
"It's time spent at home, relaxing with your family," Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood said. "Christmastime is a good time to do that. You can just relax your mind for a couple days, then come back and be refreshed. I think it will be good for us.
"I'm glad we don't play on Christmas Day. Especially if you're on the road, it can't be fun for those guys. I'm glad we don't."
Like the other six Swedes on the team, Tomas Holmstrom celebrates Christmas on the 24th, with dinner and presents.
"My mom and dad are still here, so we'll have a nice Christmas dinner, lots of food, and then try to digest it the 25th and then practice the 26th," Holmstrom said.
For coach Mike Babcock, Christmas has a special appeal.
"For us it's always been about going to mass on Christmas Eve and then coming home and having a nice meal and then waking up and having your presents with the kids, big turkey, and all that stuff," he said.
Today, the team will gather again at Joe Louis Arena to prepare for Tuesday's game at Dallas.
Does Babcock have to take into account that many players may have overindulged during the two days off?
"It's always a fine line," he said. "You run too hard a practice on Monday, then you have nothing for Tuesday."
While Babcock sees the upside to having a break over Christmas, he realizes there's a reason the NBA and NFL both play.
"Obviously if the TV demand was there for the NHL we'd play on Christmas, and I'm hoping one day it's going to be there," Babcock said.
Faulk's futureup in the air
ST. LOUIS -- It's too soon to say whether the Marshall Faulk highlight montage the Rams showed at the finish of their home finale was a going away tribute to the running back.
Faulk, a former NFL MVP who's been used sparingly this year behind Steven Jackson, hasn't decided if he will keep playing. Earlier this year, he agreed to a restructured four-year contract and took a pay cut.
After the Rams (5-10) were swept by the 49ers for the first time since 1998 in a 24-20 loss Saturday, he said it wasn't the right time to discuss his future.
"I've been playing football for a long time and it's something I love doing," he said. "So to just give you a quick answer after a hard loss to a division opponent wouldn't even be right."
Then again, he also noted, that it might not be his call.
"You have to understand that although it's a game and it's my career and it's my life and it provides a living for me and my family, it's a business to the people who own it," Faulk said. "And they have to run it.
"There comes a time when they have to make decisions, business decisions."
Faulk had nine catches for 44 yards and three carries for 5 yards against the 49ers. Winding down his 12th season, he has 267 yards rushing with no touchdowns and 42 receptions for a 6.4-yard average and one score.
Red Baronsare fired up
MOOSIC, Pa. -- The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons are trying to figure out what their future might hold without an affiliation with the Philadelphia Phillies.
"We're going to be very aggressive. We're going to go after the top-tier organizations," Red Barons general manager Jeremy Ruby said, though he noted that it's still not certain that the Phillies affiliation will end with the 2006 season.
Last week's statement from Phillies assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle that he did not expect the team to continue its player development agreement with Scranton beyond 2006 -- opting instead to affiliate with a planned new Allentown team -- was widely expected.
Vindicator staff/wire reports