The Sporting Life: Common sense, 'crystal ball' predictions differ

Brent Lawrence is copy editor and columnist for the Springfield Business Journal.

So often there's a huge discrepancy between what should happen and what actually happens.

Here's what my crystal ball says will happen in the new year and what common sense says should happen.

Jordan Valley Ice Park

What will happen: This facility and the junior league Spirit hockey team will continue to struggle to get a solid foothold in the Springfield market.

What should happen: Former Southwest Missouri State University senior associate director of athletics Mary Jo Wynn should be coaxed out of retirement to help build interest in the team and facility. She played a major role in building up the fan base for SMS Lady Bears basketball with inventive ideas that brought fans in by the thousands. Once the fans got there, they were won over by the Lady Bears and were turned into long-term, ticket-buying supporters.

I'd rather have an arena full of nonpaying fans who might buy some soda, popcorn and beer (whoops, they can't sell that) than a bunch of empty seats.

One-way or two-way

What will happen: The talk of changing Campbell and Jefferson avenues to two-way streets in the downtown area will turn into reality. The ensuing traffic mess won't help businesses at all, as on-street parking will have to be eliminated to put in a center turn lane.

What should happen: The streets should be left alone and the connecting east-west streets should be improved. This would help traffic flow in and out of the downtown area, thus encouraging more traffic into the area.

Cloning

What will happen: Fringe groups will continue trying to clone a human until they actually succeed. (I don't believe Clonaid has succeeded in its attempt to clone a human.)

If given access to all the cloning experiments along the way, we'd probably find a scene scarily similar to "Alien: Resurrection." In one scene, the Ripley character comes face to face with large tubes filled with failed attempts at cloning her DNA.

What should happen: Quit, now! If scientists can't even get the cloning of animals right, how can we justify thinking about cloning a human being? And that's without even considering all the ethical and religious concerns that exist.

Politics

What will happen: The Republicans, with their majority in the House and Senate and control of the presidency, will continue to fight among themselves and miss a great opportunity to lead.

What should happen: The Republicans should pick up the ball and run up the moderate side of the political field, showing the voting public that the Republicans can improve the country, instead of appearing to look out for special interests and those in the highest tax bracket.

North-side development

What will happen: Commercial and residential growth on the north side of Springfield will continue at an ever-increasing rate. The residential market will expand, turning fields into subdivisions before many roads are ready for the expanded traffic flow.

What should happen: Growth is inevitable, but city and county officials should keep a close eye on development and make sure the infrastructure is in place, and that all development falls within a predetermined growth plan.

Many county residents are concerned about the water consumption by Primatara horse ranch and Springfield Golf and Country Club.

Augusta National Golf Club

What will happen: Martha Burk, head of the National Council of Women's Organizations, and Hootie Johnson, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, will continue their power struggle over admitting women to the private club that is the home of The Masters golf tournament. Burk will hold protests outside the tournament and the turnout will be down.

There will be no winner, and the real losers in this fight will be the small-business owners and employees who depend on revenue from the tournament for their livelihoods.

What should happen: Burk should back off and pursue a more worth while project. Augusta should then come into the 21st century and admit women to the club. There are so many other situations that deserve our attention more than this.

Pete Rose

What will happen: Pete Rose, major league baseball's all-time hits leader, will have his lifetime suspension lifted in a public relations move to improve the image of baseball. Rose, who received the ban in 1989 for betting on his team while he was manager, will then be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

What should happen: The ban should remain as a lifetime ban and Rose should just go away. Betting on baseball puts the sport one step closer to professional wrestling and roller derby. The game has to retain its integrity, or at least what's left of it after multiple player strikes, owner lockouts and the joke that any team can play on the same financial playing field as the New York Yankees.