Hope

For the sake of these athletes, let's hope.

Let's hope if Andy Dalton truly IS the face of the Cincinnati Bengals, that he doesn't morph into Josh Freeman quicker than he's depreciating into Carson Palmer.

Let's hope Colin Kaepernick doesn't turn into Ben Roethlisberger.

Let's hope Ronaldo McClain isn't cloned into any more Raiders draft selections. The NFL is better when the Silver-n-Black are back.

Let's hope for baseball's sake the NBA doesn't eliminate half its playoff teams like it should or else the Association will easily become the second-most popular sport in America.

Let's hope the next owner of the Buffalo Bills not only keeps them in western New York, but gives fans more than a CFL product to watch.

Let's hope A-Rod loses hope.

Let's all hope we accrue some common sense when it comes to "student athletes" and paying them. Stipends? Sure. But labor unions? Oh, puh-lease. Trust this writer: they're all taken care of. Education: Check. Injuries: Check. Room and Board: Check. Free sneaks and gear and enough stuffed envelopes to wreck the silver wings in Paulie Walnuts' 'do?

Check.

Is Shabbaz Napier an effing liar?

If he isn't, then everyone should forgive Chris Webber, too.

Let's hope Buffalo Sabres fans pick one side or the other when it comes to rooting for or booing their ex players in the Stanley Cup playoffs. No, you no longer reserve he right to jeer those who choose not to return to Buffalo even after they were traded.

Let's hope the NFL Draft really is worth the extra two-weeks' wait. Because the mock drafts certainly are not.

Let's hope ESPN stops headlining the Oscar Pistorious trial simply because he once medaled without feet.

While we're at it, no more force-feeding us soccer, either. Nobody knows. Nobody cares. And come June, when the US is euthanized in the Pool of Death, let's hope we never have to hear excuses. It's a crap sport with an awful infrastructure run by an organization of ambassadors who make the UN look competent enough to bridge peace between Arabs and Israelis.

Let's all hope the college football playoff gives us reasons to get excited for New Year's again.

Let's hope baseball follows suit with other sports and fixes replay, but unlike the other major sports, keeps its brawls. Otherwise, it'll be another long summer of dipping ratings.

And finally, let's all hope the Buffalo Bills of past, present and future, circle the wagons like they did in the 1990s because there's more than just the playoffs at stake in 2014. And beyond.

Excluding OJ.