SOME SPORTSFAN RESOLUTIONS.
January 4, 2002
by Bill Hogan

It's a new year. It's a time for resolutions. Here's my resolution wish list for the sports world:

Since the college bowl season is still fresh in our minds it seems like a logical place to start. The BCS has done nothing to eliminate any National Championship controversy.

It would behoove them to go back to the drawing board in 2002 and come up with a more credible system of determining college football's best team.

They got lucky with Miami winning the Rose Bowl. Nobody can dispute that the Hurricanes are truly National Champions. (And it didn't take the BCS brain trust to figure that out).

Had Nebraska come out ahead, the BCS would have failed miserably in their attempt to determine a definitive National Champion. Either way, under its current structure, what the heck do we need a BCS for in the first place?

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While I'm on my high horse. I hope that Major League Baseball resolves to resolve any and all disputes between players and management before April. The quickest way to kill our national pastime for good is to put the fans through another strike or lockout over mainly financial issues.

I really hope it doesn't come to that in 2002.

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It would be nice to see an American League team other than the Yankees in the 2002 World Series. No offense, but it's starting to get monotonous.

And maybe this will be the year the AL decides to get rid of the Designated Hitter and play the game the way it's supposed to be played. (I can almost hear some of you cursing me out).

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It'd be great if some small college hoops team like Gonzaga or Coppin State can make it all the way to the 2002 Final Four. Even better if they beat Duke to get there. (Nothing against Duke, I'm just a really big fan of the underdog. And Duke is the anti-underdog).

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If the surprising Bears have enough resolve to wind up with home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, I think it would be a great way to start off the 2002 post season. Think about it. Whoever goes to the Super Bowl would have to go through Chicago! Where 'sub-zero' and 'wind chill' mean something. Domes are for pansies. If the Rams are that good, let's see them "run and gun" on frozen dirt.

And let's all hope that the NFL didn't screw up a good thing with this realignment that goes into effect in 2002.

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In 2002, I want to see just one of these chicken-neck, country club, silver spoon American golfers grow some hair and really give Tiger a run for his money. Especially in the major tournaments and not just for a week or two, but for the whole golf season. The only thing more boring than watching a blowout in a golf tournament is watching a really close championship bowling match.

Scott Hoch's New Year's resolution should be to stop whining. It's always something with him - the course is too long, the rough is too short, the greens are too fast, it's not fair - boo hoo. And my balls aren't as good as Tiger's balls. In 2002, just shut up and play.

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This New Year is also an Olympic year. I'm going to be really teed off if NBC jams hours of prime time figure skating coverage down our collective throats while hockey, down hill skiing and Greco-Roman wrestling are relegated to the wee hours of the morning.

They spin too fast for me to tell a triple jump from a quadruple jump and what the heck is a Sowcow anyway?

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Now for section115's New Year's resolutions:

No more gratuitous references to Anna Kournikova. I've come to realize that there is nothing interesting about an Anna K. article that doesn't include pictures.

And haven't we all had just about enough Pud Galvin? I think I've exhausted all relevant references to Pud Galvin.

I will do my best to delve deeper in the origin and history of the big foam finger.

I promise to write more about the NBA and NHL. Well, maybe during the playoffs. After they carve the field down to eight, no make that four, teams. If they're not still playing in July.

And I'll start showing sportswriters a little more respect. As soon as they resolve to show us sportsfans a little more respect.

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