Article:What's on Kelsdad's Plate in 2008?

I was going to start this off; "Stealing from...", but after the problem last week with this joker I decided discretion really is the better part of valor. So, "borrowing" from Armchair's User of the Year for 2007, with a spin, I have some ideas for this year on what to look for, (or not). Since I recently celebrated my first anniversary here, (if anyone knows the exact date, I'd appreciate it) and have a full season under my belt, I have a better idea of how the site works, and its expectations from its contributors and/or users.

On the personal side, I plan on dropping some weight. This is everyone's New Year's resolution almost all the time, but this year I mean it. I have an alumni event in February, family coming for my daughter's birthday in March, and my niece's wedding in Connecticut in July, so there are goals attached. I'll be working on my golf game, and spending some quality time on my manuscript. (No, it's not sports related). Hopefully I can get it publication ready by the end of the year, and can assure you I will not be using Kenrick's editor. I have a trip planned back East to attend a Yankee game, with this being the final season at Yankee Stadium. I did attend the final game at the "old" stadium in 1973 before the remodel, so why not? Hopefully, the game will coincide with the trip for the wedding, which is scheduled for July 4th. Guess who the Yankees play that weekend? The Boston Red Sox. Nothing like a Yankee/Red Sox game, it is, on paper, a perfect scenario.

Don Corleone's idea of the Beat Reports was a good one, and I will continue with the UCONN Men's Basketball until their season ends, hopefully with a National Title. The Yankees beat is a year-round endeavor, I may put together a 2007 season review piece here in the next few days, see how that pans out. The National League Prospect Reports are done, with the American League set to commence next week. Once they are done, there will be a final, combined report with some predictions on who may contribute to their teams in 2008 or may be worth a sleeper pick in your Fantasy Draft.

During my vacation last week, I DVR'd the ESPN series, "The Bronx is Burning." As a Yankee fan, and beat writer, I owe it to myself and whomever is interested to write a review. I did watch bits and pieces of the first two episodes and wasn't at all impressed, not sure how I can watch all seven.

Being fortunate to live in the Valley of the Sun I have options not many others have, and this year there are even more options. Like, I live 8 miles from the site of this year's Super Bowl. My buddy and I and a couple other guys will spend one day at the NFL Experience. A new football, a new Sharpie and a few bucks should make it a once in a lifetime day. As is tradition, Super Bowl weekend coincides with the FBR Open. The last time the Super Bowl was in Phoenix, 1996, I worked the tournament as a marshall and the celeb list for the pro-ams was off the charts. And with Super Bowl tickets given to the players as one of their perks, I would be shocked if Tiger Woods doesn't make an appearance this year, which would be his first since 2001. (Trivia question: What two tournaments has Tiger failed to win in which he has made at least three appearances?)

January 8th is the announcement of the BBWAA portion of the Hall of Fame Ballot. Is this the year, finally, for Jim Rice and Bert Blyleven? How will the first timers make out? A sleeper pick? A former member of the Big Red Machine, in his final year of eligibility, has been the subject of a massive publicity campaign undertaken by former teammates already enshrined. My prediction for election? No one.

I live two miles from the Surprise Sports Complex, which is the spring training home of both the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. The games start February 27th, but spring training actually starts well before that date. Pitchers and catchers report around the fifteenth, but players can report earlier. I drive by the complex every day, and with an extra right hand turn can drive through it on the way to work. But more fun, and revealing, is getting there at 9am, where you can watch the "B" games. Last year my dad and I went and saw a Royals-Rangers game which happened to be Sammy's debut and the return of Zach Grienke. There were more people in uniform watching than not. Players trying to impress play hard, so the quality is there, and they freely walk back and forth between practice fields and the clubhouse. Picture taking and autograph opportunities abound if you're into that sort of thing. My dad and I were just hanging out, leaning up agains the fence when this guy came over and stood in front of us. We ended up talking to him for a couple innings, nice guy.

Once the season starts then it will be Yankees week in review stuff, I probably won't get to many Diamondbacks games because of work and family, kind of why I don't get to many Suns and Coyotes games either.

I've been talking to Andrew about improving on and possibly adding features to the Baseball Notebook. I talked to Romie earlier today and he said the same thing, he'd been talking about something similar as well. One article idea which came of all this was how to read a boxscore, and if you think you do, well, you don't. It's not just the numbers but what is inside them. Like, how can Adam Dunn have a game where he scored four runs but didn't have an at-bat, you follow?

It's hard to project the future, so past opening day and the NCAA championship game is up in the air. Maybe I'll take a look at one of the Minor League Prospects profiled and update on their progress, whether in the Majors or Minors. I've committed to Dan on contributing to the Yankees History page but beyond that I'm open. As Manny says, most of the better articles are spur of the moment, sort of like this one. So we'll see.

I'll leave you with one final thought, the Patriots will not make it to Arizona.