Hope for the New Year

Each New Year gives us hope, I guess; I hope that that's the case.
We hope, if we are fans, that our home teams move up a place

Or two, or three, or four, or more if we are Tigers fans,
Though I'm not sure Detroit has that much winning in its plans.

I hope that somehow those who run the NFL will see
That players with concussions aren't being all that they can be,

And that they're damaged, not just groggy, and there should be blame
Assigned to all the jerks who put those guys back in the game.

I hope, as well, that colleges employing pros to play
Will manage, somehow, 'gainst all odds, to quietly convey

To the odd monstrous lineman and the celebrated star,
-- The gold-draped hero driving in the bright, late-model car --

That checking out a class or two, and trying to graduate
Might be a course they might pursue before it gets too late.

Besides the hopes I bring to this New Year I bring regrets
Or, anyway, concerns we should address herein, so let's

Acknowledge that the Rockers out of Cleveland are no more,
And women's basketball has not grown as it might have, nor

Have women's fortunes flourished where the world game is concerned.
Before a lot more years have passed, I hope the suits have learned

That backing women's soccer is a more productive use
Of all the mighty power of their mighty corporate juice

Than showering each new male star with many, many millions.
Or am I wrong? Are Tiger and Lebron now counting billions?

I hope that the Olympics will be only games and fun,
A festive time and place where jumpers jump and runners run,

And all the news is how fast and how high and by what score,
And not who failed a drug test or got held up at the door

And missed her competition while delayed at a check point,
Because the guards felt that they had to lock down the whole joint.