I've returned. Yes, what follows is yet another installment in my random sports chatter. And without further ado...
Spring has arrived and with it comes yet another baseball season. We got the hype churning around the Marlins (and more accurately around the millions they've spent on players and a manager), around the Rocket and his act of treason (at least to Bostonians) and how the Braves may actually have made a bad personnel decision in letting Dye go. We still have Roberto Alomar's controversy hiding in the shadows, ready to reveal itself upon the first player- umpire argument. All this and we're only into day 2.
It's hard to comprehend the full length of the baseball season. As exciting as Opening Day is to some baseball fans, that single game hardly means anything in relation to the 161 remaining games. Over this stretch teams can turn themselves from scrubs to dominating contenders and back again with time to spare.
Thank goodness for such a wonderful thing as inter-league play. Being a person of limited cable access, I was forced to suffer just too many Red Sox-Twins battles (if they could be called such). Finally, we'll get a better measure of how well the AL stacks up against the NL. Is American League pitching that bad or are their hitters that good? I personally can't wait for the Braves' pitching staff to face-off against the Blue Jays'. Now if I could only get my hands on DirecTV...
Another playoff, another Bulls championship. I can't say I'm really looking forward to the NBA Playoffs. It's all to decide who's going to lose to the Bulls. I'll be a really happy person if someone -- anyone -- pulls off the upset. Could happen.
I have to say I was taken by surprise by the college hoop Finals Monday night. I can't say I was disappointed, though. The game was a battle to the end, with neither team able to break free, until Arizona finally earned themselves a little breathing room in the final minutes of overtime.
In a year of crazy upsets and rare equality among teams, leave it to the number 4 regional seed to pull off the championship, knocking off favorites (and No. 1 seeds) Kansas, UNC and Kentucky. Nobody can take this one away from these guys.
Looking ahead, I'm curious as to just how well this year's class will do in the pros. I have to say that I was less than impressed this year by Van Horn and Duncan, especially considering their less than stellar tournament performances. Either way, the only loser in this deal is the Celtics (they seem to be losing a lot nowadays, huh?). They got the first pick all but locked up, and also the Mav's pick. Too bad there just isn't a marquis player in the bunch.
Then again they won't feel too lonely in the bottom. After all, they've got the Sox and Bruins to keep 'em company.
