GENERAL: A Resolution I Think I Can Keep

Since I have historically struggled to fulfill New Year's resolutions that I set for myself, and since I'm still in the spirit of giving, I've decided to take it upon myself to start a new tradition and suggest resolutions for others to fulfill. So, in that tradition, I resolve the following for the world of sports:

* That Major League Baseball owners and players sit down and hammer out a competitive structure much like that of the NFL. This will likely be a more difficult task than Scully's ongoing search for Mulder, but something must be done to achieve competitive balance in baseball.

* That Mario Lemieux continues to play well into the decade. Even at age 35, few (if any) current NHL players can hang with Super Mario. What a spark for the game … even if it means my Flyers will suffer in the Atlantic.

* That Gunther Cunningham selects a primary running back and sticks with him. Tony Richardson performed well against Denver, but was inconsistent throughout the year. Perhaps he could be the guy, perhaps not. Regardless, the Chiefs must complement their new aerial attack with a resurrected running game in order to challenge for a playoff spot in 2001.

* That Alex Rodriguez hires a personal security staff which rivals that of George W. Bush. Heaven forbid A-Rod injure himself by slipping on an icy sidewalk and leave the Texas Rangers in a predicament similar to the one the Orlando Magic are facing with $90-million man Grant Hill.

* That Michael Vick decides to move on to the NFL. In the game of football, little (including one's health) is guaranteed from week to week. Given Vick's presumed top pick status and the fact that he experienced an injury in 2000, he should take the money and play on Sundays rather than gamble on an injury-free 2001 campaign at Virginia Tech. As for Vick's educational future, Shaq proved that it is possible for elite athletes to return to campus to complete degree requirements.

* That Chris Webber inks a new contract with the Sacramento Kings. Webber has always possessed an abundance of talent, but only became an MVP caliber performer when he emerged as the "King of the Kings." Now, Sacramento's situation should be too tough to walk away from as a free agent. Granted, the Kings likely won't maintain the NBA's best record throughout the entire the season. However, the team is for real and a run deep into the playoffs is a realistic expectation.

* That parents who have children competing in youth sports leagues realize sports are just games. It absolutely sickens me to read stories about brawls caused by parents at little league games and youth soccer games on an increasingly regular basis.

Well, it is definitely easier to offer resolutions to others than to impose them on myself. Maybe George Costanza's father really had something with his "airing of grievances" during Festivus.