Here Are Hopes For The New Year

As we embark on a New Year, it is my sincere hope that my trousers do not look as tight as they feel. For some reason, between Thanksgiving and the end of the bowl season, my pants begin to shrink.

A secondary wish is that the process will stop and perhaps even reverse itself as the platters of cookies, candies, cheeses, et al disappear from the dining table. They are there for when guests drop by. I guess we didn’t have enough guests.

I’ve noticed that most who write “New Year” themes have a somewhat larger view…although the view from behind me these days is likely pretty large. But I digress.

In the spirit of this site, my wish for the New Year is that the process moves along. I’m all right with being “process-oriented” rather than “result-oriented.” I don’t know of any successful enterprise that isn’t. But while Joe’s Burger Shack concentrates on making the world’s most flavorful JalapenoCheddarBaconSteakBurger or whatever, it would help if Joe sold enough chow to stay in business.

I wish for Alabama football to do things the right way (process) and win its games (result) in 2008. I’ll leave the specifics of the process to Nick Saban and his staff.

It is my wish that Athletics Director Mal Moore watched the Chick-fil-A Bowl and is frantically working to get Clemson signed up for Bama’s season-opening game in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on August 30. A secondary wish is that Clemson keep its quarterback.

Speaking of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, it is our New Year wish that all the young defensive linemen who were subjected to potentially career-ending injuries by illegal chop blocks recover sufficiently to lead normal lives. A companion wish is that teams with a tradition of the cheap shot suffer some form of censure before there is a truly tragic result.

As we get into the final weeks of football recruiting, it is our hope that prospects will make decisions based on their best long-term interests. There are rumors of disturbing (though hardly surprising) tactics as schools such as Alabama and Georgia seem to be sweeping up the top prospects.

My New Year’s hopes and wishes aren’t restricted to the expansion of my butt and Alabama football, though. I am more and more hopeful that Coach Mark Gottfried’s men’s basketball team is coming together as a squad that can be very, very successful. It is my hope that all Crimson Tide coaches and athletes result in excellent teams who are outstanding representatives of The University of Alabama.

I wish that all our contributors and readers have a wonderful 2008.

It is my hope that Auburn fans not think less of me in the New Year. (I don’t want them to implode.)

I hope we have enough shrimp and remoulade to get me through the bowl games.

Happy New Year, everyone.