Wishes and Resolutions For 2010

Now that we are officially in twenty ten or two-thousand and ten, or however you choose to refer to this new year, wishes and resolutions are buzzing everywhere you go. I've heard at least a dozen people talk about their new workout routine for 2010, and if I remember right, I am one of them. I noticed more people out walking yesterday when I took my morning stroll with my good friend Jake. Jake is my dog of course, but even he seemed to possess an unusual level of energy. Maybe he senses his masters exuberance and anticipation for a fresh start in the new year.

After all, clean slates and new beginnings are some of the greatest aspects of crossing over into January. Many people may actually dread the month of January for reasons such as cold weather, starting back to school or work, or poor retail numbers, ( at least for those of us who have worked in retail). In any case, I am excited about the new year and the chance to see how long my resolutions actually last! I have taken to putting them down in writing in hopes of making me more accountable to ME.

One of my resolutions is to learn more than the 30 or so Finnish words that I grasped last year while coaching overseas. In 2010, I plan on learning more of the language so I can better communicate with the team management and Finnish players. Another simple resolution I have is to learn how to go to bed earlier. You are supposed to learn this one around age 8, or probably in early adulthood at the latest. I am middle aged now (did I actually admit to that!) and I still haven't figured it out. I have been a night owl for as long as I can remember. I recently read that Churchill was a night owl who claimed to do his best work and writing between the hours of 9pm and 3am. He was known for his "Winston hours", and those who know me well better understand that I have always operated on "Eric hours". I would like to adjust this somewhat in 2010. However, I am not off to a good start so far. Last night, I headed off to slumber at the crazy hour of 4:20 am and was up to start my day at 7:15 am. Sounds like my old coaching/teaching hours at Trinity, but I am seriously getting too old for this. Another one of my goals for the upcoming year is to offer my insights to President Obama for major health care reform. Since I have seen over 7,000 dollars disappear out of my checking account in the last 8 days for dental bills, vet bills, health insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance; I am ready to draw a line in the sand!

In truth, I do have several resolutions for the new year, but I am also counting my blessings. That idea of wanting what I have and thereby having what I want is not lost on me. I am excited about the chance to live another year as a father to my three kids and a husband to my wife. Our family is very blessed and I thank God everyday for the chance to keep my life rolling forward. On top of that, I feel privileged to live in such a special place. The world is rapidly becoming a more volatile and dangerous place and the cost of freedom is rising each year. Despite all of these challenges, America is still one of the best places on the earth to call home.

Now that I've gotten all serious and patriotic on you, it is time to change gears and list some new year wishes/resolutions pertaining to the wide world of sports.

Here are 10 to start with. Send me one of your own

1. I wish that in 2010 the Detroit Lions will still be playing meaningful games in October.

2. I wish the agents and publicists for Charlie Sheen and Tiger Woods the best in putting a positive spin on their irresponsible behavior in 2009.

3. I wish the NBA's Washington Wizards would change their names back to the Washington Bullets to more closely connect with their gun toting players.

4. I wish that more Tiger Woods sponsors would jump off his image based bandwagon and allow him the freedom to pursue fresh endorsements like maybe "Boys Gone Wild" videos.

5. Speaking of videos, I wish that Bill Belichick would finally get a guest appearance slot on the reality show "Cheaters" and that he would do a better job of teaching his long-suffering assistants how to be more productive head coaches. (See also: Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, and now Josh McDaniels)

6. I wish the New York Yankees would change their name to the New York Spenders or the Bronx Bankers and just leave everybody's free agents alone for one season.

7. I wish Al Davis would hand the keys to the Raiders over to someone a little more aware of what is going on in the 21st century as it pertains to football. The only thing consistent in Raider land is the leg of Janikowski.

8. I wish sporting event ticket prices would fall from the stratosphere where they currently reside and put Joe the common fan back in the seats. Too many players who play games meant for boys don't appreciate how much they are getting paid and their collective sense of entitlement is spoiling a future generation of American athletes. Housing prices have tanked 30-40%, maybe it is time for ticket prices to follow suit.

9. I wish the BCS would finally fall on the sword and a playoff system would take root in college football. Then the pundits and so called experts couldn't rob teams like Boise State of a chance for a national title after going 14-0. Most of the dogs have roared during the college bowl season, and the phrase "Any given Saturday" is especially true in the college game. Let the teams decide who is national champion.

10. Last but not least, I wish coach Mike Leach the best in finding new employment. Maybe, I can convince him to return to Finland and coach with me next season. Leach once coached the Pori Bears in western Finland several years before his stint with Texas Tech. In truth, Leach has probably had more impact on the college game over the last 10 years than anybody other than Urban Meyer. His spread offensive schemes have influenced coaches all over the country and he has been proven that imitation is the highest form of flattery. I don't believe any QB's actually go under center in the Big Ten conference anymore, so Leach's methods and principles have taken root all over. Leach is certainly a quirky individual as well as an unconventional coach. He put the wrong "entitled athlete" in the shed that day. I don't necessarily agree with his methods, but his firing smells funny to me.

Happy New Year and Lights Out!