By now I hope you have completely sobered up. The past few weeks we’ve all been a gluttonous bunch of carb-loading shopaholics, but it’s time to cast those bad behaviors aside and start strong in 2012. Have you started a diet and exercise plan? Or are you going to be debt free in 52 frugal weeks? This year we should all strive to take a leap towards awesomeness. Here are a few folks I’m expecting big things from in 2012.
Tim Tebow
I can hear your collective groans from here. But, c’mon the guy is in the news all the time because he’s an exciting player to watch. Wouldn’t it be awesome to see if Tebow can take the Broncos to the Super Bowl, summon the heavens on his side and create a forth-quarter comeback and win the whole thing?! In overtime! In the snow! What can I say? I’m a sucker for crazy, wild, madcap endings.
Team U.S.A
This summer while North Texas is blanketed in a heat wave we can all stay inside and watch the Olympic Summer games. Michael Phelps has stayed off the ganja and will bring home a stockpile of gold. Ripped middle school gymnast will be defying physics while eyeballing their tiny Chinese counterparts. This will be a worldwide smack down and since London is only six hours ahead of us, we will witness most of it in real time. Everyone be on the look out for major homegrown Olympic talent: DeSoto’s welterweight boxer Errol Spence; McKinney’s synchronized swimmer Mary Killman; Plano’s gymnast Rebecca Bross and gold-medalist Natasia Liukin. Track and field also brings Grand Prairie’s Darvis ‘Doc’ Patton, McKinney’s Jeremy Wariner and Red Oaks’ Michelle Carter to the forefront. And since many sports are still conducting Olympic trials, it is likely many more North Texans will be travelling across the pond to represent DFW.
Kevin Sumlin
A&M will be playing their first SEC game at Kyle Field against the Florida Gators and ushering in a new era in Texas football. Now that divine intervention has sent Tebow to Denver, the Aggies have a real shot at a strong start to a tough season. The real test will be how new head coach Kevin Sumlin acclimates to the powerhouses of Alabama and LSU later in the season. Aggie fans are expecting great things from this new coach in the SEC. His previous work at the University of Houston was impressive and the College Station crowd has a lot of good football to look forward to.
Tiger Woods
Will 2012 be the year of Le Tigre? He has started winning again, and the parade of women has faded away. I hesitate to call it the beginnings of a comeback, but everyone who has fallen from grace has to start somewhere. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve followed a bit of golf news that didn’t somehow relate to Woods. His persona is perfect for luring people into the sport and he keeps golf relevant for all of us without country club memberships.
Since 2012 is a leap year, all of these play makers have 366 days to stake their claim on sports history. I want a huge year of overcoming obstacles and inspiring wins. So, tell us what do you think? Who will start the year as an unknown athlete, make that quantum leap and end it as a superstar? Tweet me and let’s compare notes.