It's New Year's Day, and with the turn of the calendar comes the inevitable desire to turn over a new leaf.

This is the time of year when resolutions are made, things like "I will lose weight," or "I will stop drinking" or "I will stop pushing pins into my J.P. Losman voo-doo doll."

Just an inevitably, by February, those resolutions are long forgotten.

People are resistant to change. This is no different in the sports world.

Wade Phillips wants to change. The Dallas coach suddenly wants to be a disciplinarian. He should have started Sunday when Tony Romo decided to shoo the punt team back to the sideline and go for it on fourth down.

The look on Phillips' face was priceless when Romo snapped the ball. It reminded me of the good old days with the Buffalo Bills when he roamed the sideline headset-less with a mouth open so wide in confusion that it could capture all the flies in the Outback.

Being a tough dude is Phillips' New Year's Resolution. Like most resolutions, it is destined to fail.

Here are some other resolutions by sports figures that will surely have as much chance of success as the Detroit Lions.

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Jon Gruden: "I will not overindulge my fetish for older quarterbacks ... now where did I put Vinny Testaverde's number?"•

George Steinbrenner: "I will not spend more than, say, $500 million on baseball players this year."•

Dick Jauron: "We will not go 7-9 next season ... 8-8 or bust!"•

Terrell Owens: "I will keep my mouth shut and just play football."•

LeBron James: "I will not mention the words New and York in the same sentence. ... That reminds me, I need some Nike cross trainers for my jogs through Central Park."•

BrettFavre: "I will make up my mind whether or not to retire before the Pro Bowl ... no, wait, the NFL draft ... um, how about mini-camp ... well, at least before training camp."•

Al Davis: "I won't be a budinski anymore and let my underlings run the organization ... Luke, I am your father."•

Bill Cowher: "I will not coach in 2009 ... unless I do."•

Mel Kiper: "I will limit myself to just one can of hairspray per day."•

The media: "We will not link Bill Cowher to every head football coaching job that comes open, except in Cleveland, New York, Kansas City, Denver, Detroit and the Penn Street Cardinals.•

Every elite college football junior: "Education is important. I will not enter the NFL draft.•

Shaquille O'Neal: "I will work on my free throw shooting ... and lose weight."•

The Pittsburgh Pirates: "We will ... again and again and again."•

Plaxico Burress: "I will carry my unregistered firearm in a holster."•

MannyRamirez: "I will sign with Boston if they will have me. I miss taking bathroom breaks in the Green Monster and on the organization."