“Time stands still for no man”, so welcome Gabbers to my final blog – of 2015.

But before we get to 2016, I have one final event to attend to literally close out 2015 — Mrs. B.O.B.’s Bingo Bash for her crews at the fire camp on New Year’s Eve literally up til Midnight.  She volunteers at this event to give the kids a little fun.  I attend this because I find the TV specials tonight rather nauseating – they’re simply just not real.  Rather than watch the ball drop on TV and witness “the beautiful people” livin it up and spending ridiculous amounts of jack to act the fool on TV, I think I’d rather attend my wife’s event with real people just having fun.

So as I prepare to head out, let’s bust through the final thoughts of 2015, along with my hopes for 2016.

Top 10 Sporting Moments of 2015.  My top ten sporting moments from 2015:

10.  I bowled a lot and had a lot of good games, but I actually game within two pins of perfect, shooting a 298 one game in December, starting the year with a 190 average and finishing it with a 213.

9.   New England handing Seattle a piece of humble pie in Super Bowl 49.  Best part being Seattle’s own implosion.

8.  Christian McCaffrey’s 460-plus all-purpose yard performance for Stanford in the PAC-12 Championship Game, and the fact that it was against U$C made it all the sweeter for me.

7.  It was a fun Summer in Houston, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Texas, Toronto, and Minnesota.  It also gave MLB new life.

6.  Kansas City (MLB), Golden State (NBA), and Chicago (NHL) championships.  Not because I’m a bandwagon, but because it’s nice to see different teams in the mix, though it might be time for those in the NHL to step it up and take the trophy from Chicago and LA.

5.  Getting Kings tickets eight rows up at mid court to watch the Kings beat the Memphis Grizzlies on a cold night back in February that I thought they were gonna get smashed.

4.  Ohio State beating Alabama and Oregon beating Florida State in the CFB playoffs last New Year’s Day.

3.  Jordan Spieth’s domination of the Golf Scene, particularly winning the Masters and U. S. Open, and Jason Day boatracing the field in the PGA, finally closing the door on the non-stop Tiger Woods coverage.

2.  American Pharoah taking the Triple Crown of Horse Racing back in May and June.

And my NUMBER one Sports Takeaway I have from this year:

Physically going to Canton and watching Jerry’s Team USA Football dominate the world, earning the Gold Medal and the World Trophy, some of whom went on to NFL training camps and got PT in August.

Sporting Moment of 2015 – Honorable Mention.

• Serena Williams domination.
• Pittsburgh Steelers offense.
• Holly Holm knocking Ronda Rousey out and saving MMA.
• Klitchsko losing a fight.
• Golden State and San Antonio having unbelievable runs in the 2015/16 season.
• Carli Lloyd Hat Trick in the Women’s Soccer Final.
• Dad falling out of chair when son hit Georgia State game-winner over Baylor. March Madness indeed.
• Baltimore blocking that Cleveland FG try to win the game and returning it back to win the game themselves on MNF.

Sporting Moment of 2015 – Hall of Shame???

• The stupid deflating of balls issue.
• NFL playoff games being determined by horrendous officiating.
• Green Bay saying “No thanks” to a Super Bowl bid and giving the NFC Championship to Seattle.
• Seattle’s inexplicable play on the 1-yard line in the Super Bowl.
• Washington Nationals shocking fall and Papelbon/Harper “fight.”
• False charges against Patrick Kane.
• The University of North Dakota caving in to PC pressure.
• Oakland A’s and Raiders who won’t come together to keep their teams in Oakland.
• FIFA corruption.
• Adam Schefter releasing JPP’s medical docs.
• Jerry Jones and Greg Hardy.
• The L.A. Clippers bitching, moaning, whining, and complaining.
• Pacquiao/Mayweather fight.

Uncle B.O.B.’s World Tour stops – 2015.  This year was a bit less, but hitting the Grand Canyon/Sedona in March (absolutely breath taking!), South Florida in April, and topping it all off with a trip to Canton, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh in July did not suck!

World Tour Stops – 2016.  Travel may actually slow down for me, but then again events loom:

• January and July are trips to Anaheim for veterans conventions.
• In mid-March its South Florida to visit my family.
• Easter Weekend is Reno to participate in the Bowling National Championships.
• Probably somewhere in April or May, we’ll be going to Monterey for a weekend.
• Dependent upon when or if my wife actually retires in 2016, we may go on a retirement trip.
• Finally, I never know where or what Jerry is gonna do, so there’s that too, and if one opportunity shakes out, oh boy…

The Gab itself in 2015.  We have had MAJOR successes here, and we as owners thank you all for participating.  We as owners remain committed to making this the best possible experience for all of you, so feel free to let us know what we can do better.

My final thoughts for 2015.  With the exception of Baseball and probably Hockey, sports in 2015 just weren’t up to par.  I actually had to physically go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame to even remotely get excited about this NFL season.

If I’m being honest, the year was so-so from a personal productive perspective.  I completed my Masters in Business, we built a new site for the Gab which has been utterly successful by any measurable standard or metric, and I made another site for a group here in town.  My bowling has gone beyond my wildest expectations with an average of 214, and I’ve actually been approached by a few people about possibly going and getting my PBA Pro Card, which I’m seriously considering if I can get sponsorship.

But I also got very lazy as we drifted towards the end of the year.  I got away from the gym, and have had some minor health issues, one which was a wake-up call that left a scar.  So as the calendar shifts towards January and we leave the holidays in the rear-view mirror, I’ll be a bit more committed to taking care of myself and sticking with it.  I have so much to live for.

Hopes for 2016.  My hopes for the upcoming year:

• I carry my once-again fat ass back to the gym and go back to eating better.
• To get a job.
• The NFL and NFLPA work to make the game better, safer, and improve officiating.
• MLB builds on its 2014 and 2015 successes, and that they solve the debacle in Oakland.
• The NBA gets serious about its officiating and improving their replay booth which has sucked.
• That my wonderful kids continue on their trajectories for their careers.
• That this last year of my wife working goes by fast, we can pay some bills, and take a cool trip on her retirement.

So as we say goodbye to 2015 and plot and plan our resolutions and plans (err, I meant goals) for 2016, let’s take a minute to enjoy the song that made New Year’s famous:

MAY WE ALL HAVE A PEACEFUL AND PROSPERUS 2016!!!