My 2022 wish list is brimming with hope, if not fantasy

By Ed Daniels
Clarion Herald

In 2022, I hope the New Orleans Saints somehow land that franchise quarterback who can return the club to consistent double-digit winning seasons and Super Bowl contention.

I hope LSU returns to college football prominence and that very meaningful games are played on a Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.

I hope Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt runs judiciously, knowing when to slide and when to run out of bounds.

I hope that with a healthy experienced quarterback, Tulane can again go bowling.

I hope the Pelicans can somehow get Zion back on the court and make themselves more important in the lexicon of New Orleans sports. In 2007 and 2008, when the Hornets won the Southwest Division and set a franchise record for victories, basketball was so much fun. I hope I get to see that again real soon.

I hope Tulane and UNO basketball can return to the days when they were both very good and didn’t like each other.

I hope Tulane women’s basketball can somehow find its way back to the NCAA Tournament.

I hope Tulane, Nicholls, Southeastern and UNO all go to the NCAA baseball tournament.

I hope Tim Rebowe at Nicholls and Frank Scelfo at Southeastern go to the FCS playoffs again.

Don’t tell my wife, but I hope to go back to Omaha. I haven’t been there since 2017. I miss my uncomfortable bed in my tiny hotel room, working all hours of the day and night at the College World Series. I miss my general manager and news director telling me they needed more content on the internet, even though I filed numerous stories that day.

I miss my wife calling me all hours of the day and night, telling me she needs gas in her car. Her valet – me – usually handles that every Saturday, along with washing and vacuuming her chariot. I miss Anthony’s, with the side of pasta to go along with your steak. I miss the 17-hour drive. I miss western Iowa, driving along Interstate 29 in the middle of nowhere.

I hope to be in Pittsburgh at the end of March when the 11-time World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals open their season against the Pirates.

I hope the Cardinals do what is expected: Play meaningful games in October.

I hope the Cubs don’t. I am just being honest. I hope you understand.

I hope I can once again call Ron Swoboda and tell him that the Mets spent a lot of money in the offseason and have nothing to show for it. I hope you understand. Ron Swoboda is one of my all-time favorite humans, but talking trash with him in the middle of the baseball season is just one of the best things there is.

I hope there is a complete high school football season, not one interrupted by COVID or hurricanes.

Maybe it is selfish of me, but I hope Frank Monica coaches again. I miss the weekly phone call, telling me, his team, usually excellent, has no chance. “They (fill in the name of the opposing team) are so good, even their cheerleaders run 4.4,” is my Frank Monica favorite. Then, his team wins, 44-0, on Friday night.

I hope my wife understands that I love her very much but I don’t talk to anyone on Friday during the football season. Robin, honey, it’s Friday.

And, I hope you have a great sports year.

After 2021, we in southeast Louisiana deserve one.

Ed Daniels is sports director at ABC26 WGNO. He can be reached at [email protected].