Wishes For The New Year

As 2011 seamlessly transitions into 2012, here are a few things I would like to see in our final year on earth according to the Mayan calendar:

A Stanley Cup in D.C.

As of right now, I realize that this is an incredible long shot.  In the current standings, the Capitals aren't even in the playoffs.  They have won two straight and hopefully they are starting to understand Dale Hunter's style of play.  Listen, a Stanley Cup is long overdue though.  The Caps have won four straight division titles, won the President's Trophy in 2009, and have had several 100 point scorers over the course of the last few seasons.  The playoffs are constantly a huge letdown.  Losing to an 8 seed or going 0-for against a division rival is baffling.  It's like they recoil when the light is shining brightest.  The Caps resolution this year should be to put it all together late in the season, and bring home the Cup that the city has expected for the last few seasons.


Smart Decisions and Decent Football Play in Ashburn

Look, I'm not delusional, though sometimes it seems like it.  I expect very little from the Redskins in 2012.  The issue is that after starting 3-1, the 2011 season was over by Week 8.  The team went from
6-10 to what looks like 5-11 with a better roster than they had in 2010.  All I ask is that they continue to draft well.  They did great with Ryan Kerrigan, and almost all of their draft picks have played at some point this season.  That's positive.  Now you have to get a quarterback.  As much as I love tons of draft picks, you have to do what you have to do to get a legit quarterback.  Grossman is gross, and Beck is some sauce.  You have no choice.  The Shanahans have painted themselves into a corner.  They say all the right things like the politicians running in the 2012 elections.  Now you have to get it done on the field.  Let's at least make an attempt to keep improving.  Approach .500.  The Redskins' New Year's resolution should be to not be last in the NFC East in 2012.  Or at least compete for third.


Another #1 Pick for the Wiz

The Wizards are still amidst a huge rebuild, so they aren't going to win many games in this shortened season.  John Wall is the cornerstone for this franchise and they need to surround him with talent.  Chris Singleton was a nice pickup last year in the draft, and Jan Vesely's impact remains to be seen.  At this point, the best thing would be for the Wizards to not win very many games and improve their chances at another #1 pick to pair with John Wall.  That sort of talent makes a huge difference, especially in basketball.  The Wizards resolution should be to get the fans in D.C. jazzed up for a new season after acquiring game-changing talent.


A Surge for Turge

Everyone expected a step back for the Maryland basketball team with the sudden retirement of legend Gary Williams.  At the same time, everyone is excited about what Mark Turgeon brings to the table.  He has hired serious local recruiters and already has a top-20 recruiting class coming in next year.  Not only that, but he and his staff found the 7'1" Ukrainian Alex Len who finally became eligible part-way through this season.  He adds much needed size to the current team.  Combine his growth in year two with the solid prospects coming in next year, and this team should be much improved.  Maryland is also in on some serious prospects for 2013.  If he can lockdown some of this high-end talent, Maryland's future looks bright.  Credit Turgeon for his solid coaching and knowing what he needs to win.  Maryland's basketball resolution should be to keep pressing for top-flight talent and hoping to land a few.


Put Up or Shut Up

Perhaps the polar opposite of the above wish for 2012, the Maryland football team is going in the opposite direction.  Randy Edsall took a 9-4 team and turned it into a 2-10 team.  He has said all the wrong things and mishandled every situation so far.  The claim is he is a good recruiter.  Now is the time.  You want to do things your way, then prove to the fans that you're way is working.  The university had to cut seven sports because fans don't enjoy going to football games.  It might have something to do with the product.  Edsall's resolution is simple: win and prove people wrong.


Premium Channel Programming Continues its Dominance

The best shows on TV are on the premium pay channels bar none.  Between True Blood, Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Shameless and even the 24/7 HBO series, they are the most compelling, sexy, well-done shows on the tube.  Here's to those networks bringing in new programming that matches the quality of what they already air.  In 2012, HBO and Showtime should provide a resolution for what happened in the latest season finales of their current lineup.


3D Movies Don't Continue to Dominate Theaters

I understand that if anything there will be an increase in 3D movies.  I just really think that most movies that have been converted to 3D didn't really need to be.  Let's not use 3D for the sake of 3D.  Use it the way Avatar used it.  It's part of the story, and was the huge draw to that film in the first place.  Let's not make a movie 3D just because there is a few minutes of action in the script.  I can enjoy the action just as easily without an overdone gimmick.  I enjoy special effects as much as anyone.  I just prefer it when it serves a purpose other than to overcharge for ticket sales.  The movie studios should maintain a resolution to not overthink the movies they are making.  If it's filmed in 3D, great.  If not, leave it alone.


A New Job For Me

This won't happen until at least the spring, but at some point its gotta change.  Maybe this is the year.


Here's to a prosperous and healthy 2012.  Happy New Year all.

Bogus Corrupt Selections

The BCS is a joke.  It's like anything else in college sports.  It's all about the bottom dollar.  Yet the BCS isn't run by the NCAA.  It just operates the exact same way the NCAA does.  The "computers" determine rankings based on a whole set of factors that apparently objectively rate each team each week.  So at the end of the season, where teams are rated in the BCS standings determines which schools go to the Orange, Sugar, Fiesta, Rose, and championship bowl games.  So in this particular year it would be pretty hard for anyone to argue that LSU and Alabama shouldn't play each other for the championship.  They have certainly looked like the two best teams on the field this year.  It's the other BCS bowls that are totalling baffling.

All the Big Six conference champions earn a bid.  Then the remaining four teams are chosen at-large.  Ok, well the issue is that Virginia Tech and Michigan were invited to the Sugar Bowl.  These two teams won 10 games and had really good years.  But Virginia Tech lost twice to Clemson, including a loss in the conference championship game.  Late losses generally work against a team.  Michigan, after a wonderfully resurgent year, did not even compete for a conference title!  How on earth do both of these teams get a bid to the Sugar Bowl??  Boise State, everyone's favorite underdog small school, lost one game this year in the middle of the season to a decent TCU team.  What are they thinking?

The whole thing is so ridiculous.  Virginia Tech and Michigan were chosen because their fans travel well and can be found everywhere.  They are two of college footballs best brands.  The amount of fans heading to New Orleans on January 3rd will be a boon for that area.  Not only does the city make money, but the bowl itself makes money and the schools make money to continue their dominance of college football media publicity year after year.  These schools don't deserve to play in the Sugar Bowl.  Why are computers determining the best teams in Div.-I football?  It's the most assbackwards thing I've ever heard of. 

This has obviously been going on for years, but this year with this Sugar Bowl matchup, I think people are realizing there is no equity in the BCS.  One or two loss teams are at the mercy of selection committees.  In every other level of college football and every other sport, there is a tournament/playoff.  Everyone knows whether professional or amateur, playoffs are exciting, nerve-wracking and dramatic.  Where is the drama in computer rankings?  There are none.  Behind the computers are guys that are determining which games will bank the most money for the respective BCS games.  These teams aren't going to play until one team stands alone.  They are going to play one game and have to ask "what-if". 

I'm as big a fan of more college games as anyone.  I'm going to watch a lot of the bowl games.  Of course, I can't watch them all since there are nearly 40 of them.  (Seriously, like half of all FBS teams make a bowl game.  6-6 teams are getting into bowls.  Aren't you supposed to be good to play in the post season?)  That's only because I'm a football fan.  I'm not watching because of the merit of a championship.  Lord only knows which team is actually the champion.  Hopefully, we won't need many more seasons like this for something to change.  As far as I'm concerned, until the results are truly determined on the field, all national champions are only champs on paper.  Let them play it out.  Sports is all about the rise of a champion.  The only way to witness that ascent is let the best play the best.  Keep the decision-makers (and the money) out of it.