Sunday morning homily XIV

If every other columnist/blogger -- from the small-town sage to the big-city blowhard -- can offer up resolutions and/or predictions for 2008, it's probably acceptable, within some circles, to tender these for your hockey-hounding consideration:

2008 resolutions

1.) Continue to remember that hounding is a hobby. A fun one, too. My work is within journalism, especially making the jump to multimedia efforts. Who knows? Maybe I'll do a video report on hounding for the paper. That's a good objective, isn't it?

2.) Continue to improve upon the breadth and quality of the collection. It's been a real hoot putting together signed sticks, especially the American-born goalie stick; team helmets, including the 1999 All Star Game helmet; and jerseys. Diversity is important.

3.) After skating for the first time in 14 years, and suffering no indignity or injury greater than a wet butt (I was using dull rental skates), I'll make it a more regular occurrence (twice a month, perhaps?). It was, and will be, a joy to skate with Colin.

2008 predictions

1.) We'll finish the 2007-08 season with more than 1,525 pucks. With a little effort, and some more cooperation from the Washington Capitals (and it's not just Ovie, either), closing out with 1,550 is within the realm of possibility.

2.) The 1,500th puck of the collection will be signed by a Vancouver Canucks player. Roberto Luongo, Markus Naslund or either of the Sedins would be nice, wouldn't it?

3.) The Lightning are toast. They won't even contend for the playoffs. So are Jay Feaster and John Tortorella. But I first said that in April. Tampa Bay thanks them, though, for the Cup.

300-plus pucks in a year

In researching Hound Central 3.0's review of 2007's hounding efforts, preliminary calculations show that 307 autographed pucks were added to the collection. I guess it was a good year. You can read more about it tomorrow.

5 Big Sigs

With the Dolts on the road until Jan. 10, when Sid and the Penguins come to Tampa, I'll be enjoying a little break from hounding.

It'll be a time to put away some pucks, update the files and get ready for Pittsburgh. And Colorado. And Edmonton.

Please know, too, that I'll start linking to any, and all, successes within this feature. In time, past installments, where applicable, will be linked.