It's Almost Spring

The football season is winding down, and for many the last two weeks aren’t going to change much. The NBA season is in full swing, but it’s still pro basketball which consists of the same rudimentary formula kick the ball in, rotate, pass out, repeat, until there’s an opening in the lane or someone just chucks up a Trey ball, and the occasional fast break. And of course the Mitchell Report is all you are hearing, and reading, everywhere. So it’s time to switch gears a little bit and take a look at what’s coming up after the New Year.

Feb. 14, one of my favorite days, the day where every red-blooded man is giddy with excitement. That’s right, it is 58 days until Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training signaling to many, the new hope of a new season. And for those of us lucky enough to be in AZ or FL, a couple days to ditch work, sit in the sun, drink a few beers and watch our favorite players take 1 or 2 at bats, and then a bunch of guys we won’t hear from until September Call-ups play the rest of the game. And we don’t care, tickets are cheap, the weather is beautiful, and baseball is being played. Plus you get to heckle Number 82 with no name on his back, beacuase we all know he'll be back in Iowa or Durham in a few weeks. That’s my idea of a good time. I mentioned the beer too right?

Shortly following that is, yet another reason to play hooky and do nothing all day. The 70th Annual March Madness Tournament kicks off March 16. A time when a TRUE college champion is crowned (no computers or splits). When was the last time anyone argued the NCAA Men’s Basketball Champion? The first 4 days alone there are 48 games. My only hope is that this year, CBS will finally catch on and realize that Winthrop losing by 17 to Florida with 5:17 left is not as entertaining as Oral beating UCONN by 1 with 3:48 left and actually switch games at correct times. May I please apply for the position of who decides what games are televised, while they’re going on? Is there someone in that position now or does CBS just roll dice and switch games. Every man loves that March Madness music, can hear it right now, and smiled a bit.

But we all really know what everyone is looking forward to following the New Year. I’ll give you a hint, First Sunday in January, nationally televised event, highly competitive. It’s the return of American Gladiators. Finally, it has been way too long. Please take a moment and visit the site. Read the bios. This is going to end one of two ways. Either it will be the greatest remake ever and have a decently long and successful run (at least long enough for me to get in shape and try my hand at Breakthrough and Conquer). Or be the worst sports related event to hit NBC since Vince McMahon told NBC, “hey I’ve got a great idea for a new football league.” And we can always hope that former Heisman Trophy Winner Charles White tries a comeback to win an unprecedented 4th Championship. Oh and did I mention that Tanoai Reed will be appearing as Toa. For those of you unfamiliar with Reed’s work he has appeared in such films as Doom, The Game Plan, Gridiron Gang, Southland Tales, Be Cool, Walking Tall, The Rundown, and The Scorpion King. He is none other than cousin to and personal stunt man for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. And one of the Female Gladiators Gina Carano (pictured) is an MMA fighter who has appeared in MAXIM. The only downside is the repeats of Siren and Titan. A little disappointed they couldn’t think of new names.

There will be updates on all of these things over the coming months as they are the three most important sporting events coming up, well those and the Super Bowl.