Welcome to the hangover zone.
We’ve just entered that space just after the Super Bowl, where you’re reeling from that incredible game and looking for something to whet your sports whistle. You’re not going to find something that can measure up to the enormity of the biggest game in North American sports, there is at least some hope on the horizon.
For all you seamheads out there, pitchers and catchers are reporting sooner than you think. For those not as involved with fantasy baseball or the game in general, it can be quite a bore though. It really doesn’t get too interesting until some big name gets hurt or some random guy hits 10 HRs.
If you’re Canadian, I’m sure you’ve noticed that the NHL is humming along. The thing is that this truncated regular season is humming along at a hummingbird’s pace. It’s a sad attempt to placate their fans that have already proven to be sheep-like in coming back to ice hockey and the quality of play so far has been dismal. It’s eerily similar to the NBA’s warp-speed season last year, with plenty of players struggling and injuries already starting to add up. And does anybody even know when the trade deadline is?
Speaking of the NBA and trade deadlines, the big day in hoops is quickly approaching. But that’s not before the annual pickup game known as the all-star game. The night before is the tiring skills night, which features everybody’s favourite event – the slam dunk competition – which essentially died years ago. At least the deadline could feature some big names on the move, chiefly Pau Gasol – even if he is currently shelved.
The biggest thing on the horizon to get genuinely excited about is March Madness – the second greatest annual tournament in the world next to England’s FA Cup. The NCAA’s frenzied first round kicks off one of the most exciting events out there. It really marks the beginning of a great run in the sports calendar.
After that it’s the Masters, Opening Day and playoff time for the winter leagues. Follow that up with the NFL draft and we’re in full stride again with the major sports. Now, just getting there without dying of boredom is going to be the issue.