Searching For Sports
Baseball players are referred to as the boys of summer and it has less to do with this brutal 80’s video and more to do with the fact that during the summer months, Major League Baseball is basically the only sport around. (My bad, and the WNBA.)
But that can be somewhat deceiving.
Last weekend we witnessed an unusual US Open (due to the rain, and also, due to the rain!) that had several compelling story lines, such as: Tiger’s comeback attempt, Phil and Duval coming up just short, and a couple lesser known players making it to the top of the leader board. I found myself openly rooting for Ricky Barnes, not just because of his career path to the that point, but more so for his great pants (where can I find a pair in my size, 34/34?). Regardless, it was an enjoyable event to watch as a result of these subplots being merged together.
At the same time, this past Monday, Wimbledon began, with all signs pointing to my boy Roger Federer capturing his 6th championship trophy at the All England Club. By doing so, he would elevate himself into unprecedented terrain as the winningest player in tennis history (15 majors!). Even with the world’s #1 player, Rafa Nadal, being injured, there are numerous other great athletes on men’s side to watch, like: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and hometown favorite Andy Roddick. Too, the women’s draw is always good for a few upsets, as well as some veterans making a run (i.e. Williams sisters).
Now, though the next item on the docket is not an actual sporting event, per say, it is in my top sports nights of the year, along side my NBA Fantasy Draft, Super Sunday, NBA All Star weekend, and Sunday at the Masters. Of course, I am talking about the NBA Draft. Oh, the possibilities! Each year I delve into draft night full of excitement and anticipation, always hoping to see commissioner David Stern step out from behind the draft board to utter the following sentence, “We have a trade.” Four words that are on par with “Will you marry me?”. The days leading up to the draft, as seen again this year, always seem to bring a frenzy of moves from each team in the L (for you non-hoopsters, L = league) looking to improve themselves. And let’s not forget about how certain teams seem to regress after making atrocious picks; a number of these are comedy gold! This year’s draft may be seen as a down year talent-wise, but there are certainly a few gems that we may be discussing for seasons to come, like: The Workhorse, The Next Nash, and The Pure Shooter.
MLB is definitely in full force as over a third of the season has elapsed already, and some division races are starting to take form. It is a plus for baseball to basically own the lion’s share of viewership over the summer every year, especially with the prospect of children being able to attend a bevy of games during their break from school. Also, even though we usually have an idea as to which teams will be there when the dust settles in late September, there is always the chance of a surprise juggernaut that can captivate the masses, à la last year’s Tampa Bay Rays. So enjoy the long balls and web gems while you can, because before you know it, NFL preseason will be here, and then the NBA/NHL preseasons will follow suit.
All in all, the summer is by far the scarcest time for sports fans, but there are various little nuggets of fun to enjoy. You just need to look around for them.
