Here's Hoping

We are nearing the greatest time of the year to be a sports fan.  Football, soccer, hockey, and basketball (maybe) seasons are starting up.  Baseball playoffs are approaching.  The US Open Series is going on for those of us who enjoy a little tennis from time to time.  It's just a great time of year.

The new football season definitely draws the most attention here in the States.  It has definitely overtaken baseball for America's national pastime.  Fantasy football, already huge, grows leaps and bounds every year.  ESPN dedicates whole segments of on-air programming to it.  Its reach is unbelievable.  There's not an American alive who doesn't at least know someone who is in at least one league.  Football is all encompassing.  It's American.  There's structure to it.  You know the times of the games aren't going to change.  You know the players, even if their faces are obstructed by their helmets.  You associate a team's overall feel with that of their home city.  The fans reflect the team as much as the team reflects the fans.  It's amazing.  And it's starting.  The world feels better because of it.  You just hope you see some good games.

Soccer is on the rise but nowhere near football in this country.  But the people who look forward to the soccer season don't do it because their lives aren't complete without it.  They look forward to rivalries.  They look forward to drinking in the morning.  They look forward to an overdue Premiership title for Liverpool.  Everyone roots for Liverpool.  Well....only true soccer fans root for Liverpool.  The rest of you are pretenders.  Everyone hopes for a good season for Liverpool.  Everyone.

Hockey season brings on a different type of hope.  The hope is there to win the Cup for sure.  But it's more of a survival feeling throughout the regular season.  Make it to the playoffs and magic can happen.  Hope for no injuries, hope your kids can play, and hope you didn't overpay for any of the veteran free agents you bought over the summer.

Basketball.....no hope.  There's going to be no season this year.  People just hope that if there is a season there is playoffs.  If there's playoffs they hope there's a good guy and a bad guy to root for and against.  And there's always hope Michael Jordan will come out of retirement and throw one down for old time's sake.

MLB playoffs are always exciting, but everyone just hopes it won't interfere with the football season too much.  162 games to figure out who's going to make it to the playoffs.  Then all hell breaks loose.  Good pitchers become great, great hitters forget how to hit, terrible fielders are still terrible fielders.  And the word "clutch" becomes part of the everyday vernacular.  "Albert is due.  He's so clutch in this situation.  I hope he hits one."  Better hope you just get to see him next year.

And for you tennis fans.......Roger will not win this year's US Open.  I hope he does, but he won't.  He didn't get bigger.  He didn't get faster.  He didn't get stronger.  He could make a run, but he won't win.  I just hope he doesn't go up against Tsonga......ever again.