A New Year

Andray Blatche's response to any criticism

            Every year, people make resolutions as a way to convince themselves that they are moving forward with their lives and growing as people.  And every year, February serves as the month when people realize their lives remain stagnant.  #Cynicism.  Well, I am no different and so I decided to make a list of sports New Year's resolutions.  Some are resolutions that I would like sports figures to take on, and some are resolutions I’m going to try to take on as a sports fan and maybe you will decide you would like to do as well.

(NGNG Sports)

            I've been trying to think what Andray Blatche’s real New Year's resolution might be, and I just have no idea.  He might claim getting the ball more in the paint is, but we all know that’s not true.  But I know what his New Year's resolution should be: to move to Bangladesh.  Wizards fans would rejoice because he would disappear from their lives, NBA fans would rejoice because they wouldn’t have to think of the prospect of Blatche playing for their respective teams, and unfortunately Bangladesh as we know it would go up in flames.  I'm willing to sacrifice Bangladesh if I never have to deal with Andray Blatche again.

            ESPN loves them some ESPN.  For their New Year's resolution, I propose that the worldwide leader doesn’t dictate what sports fans consume.  Now, this would require one of two things: either ESPN will stop self-promoting and creating stories out of thin air, which won’t happen, or fans will turn to other sources for their sports fix, which also probably won’t happen, but maybe the anti-ESPN movement will gain more momentum in 2012.  If you're tired of hearing about a QB controversy that only exists in the ESPN world and nowhere else, then stop watching ESPN.  Two thirds of the sports world is covered by ESPN at this point, and hopefully by 2013 it will be down to half.

            In the past couple years I dove into the soccer world.  Always a player, but only a fan during the World Cup, I finally began to start following the U.S. Men’s National Team year round and watching the occasional European Club game.  And even more recently I have become a fan of Fulham in the EPL, mainly because of Clint Dempsey.  This year as a New Year's resolution, I have decided to become an MLS fan.  The obvious team of choice for me would be DC United, but it appears as if they might be moving to Baltimore or somewhere farther from home.  So I think I will wait to choose a team, but I’m definitely going to start watching games.  The MLS has finally started to gain popularity in the states, especially out west.  Portland had a 97% season ticket renewal rate, an astonishingly high number.  Sports are defined by their atmospheres and the MLS has created a great one.  Make this the year where you care about soccer in the US.

            Stadiums and fans are one of the coolest parts of sports.  That’s why one of my New Year's resolutions is to go to as many games as I can in stadiums I’ve never been in.  Some stadiums are fun to go to because they are gimmicky, some are breathtaking because of their history, and some are made incredible by the fans of a city and their traditions.  I want to listen to the national anthem as the crowd screams before a Blackhawks game, I want to be a Bleacher Creature one day at Yankee Stadium for roll call, and I even want to watch Bernie Brewer slide down that disgusting, yellow slide after Ryan Braun hits a juiced home run.