Sports are ALIVE!

Whats up everyone! Just dropped in to write how happy and excited i am this time of the year. I know alot of people think sports drop off for a few months after the NFL season is over. I do agree that when it ends it does also bring a tear to my eye. But that doesn't mean you should turn off the sport side of your brain. Its now mid/late February and i am here to tell you that sports are alive, very alive!
First of all, you do have NFL offseason, which means mock draft upon mock draft, free agent period, trade talk, and yes the occasional 2008-2009 season predictions. I am the type of guy that gets into all of that stuff, especially the mock drafts. As you can see by my earlier posts. And i will have a few more mock drafts to come in the waiting weeks before the draft. Also, what's better than reading all kinds of blogs, columns, and headlines of major rumors that could lead to you putting that big name free agent or traded superstar in your teams jersey when you go to bed at night. For example, you hear a sudden noise on the bottom of the screen while watching ESPN and it is breaking news, it would probably go something like this... "ESPN's Chris Mortenson reports that the Minnesota Vikings are in major talks of trading for Bengals star WR Chad Johnson". Now whether you are a Viking fan or a Bengal hater you are going to bed at night a happy man imagining Ocho Cinco in a purple jersey. Although the offseason might not bring you big hits and great catches, there is plenty of excitement, you just have to know where to look and read. So football fans the season might be over but the NFL never dies.
Next, even if you cannot get into the NFL offseason, you still have plenty of options. One being Spring Training. How could you be a baseball fan and not be crazy excited by this time of year. I mean you have your favorite team auditioning players that could become key roles throughout the season. Or you could have last seasons unanswered questions that will probably be figured out by the end of March. Although the actual games may not be the most exciting thing in the world, you do get a chance to see some of the younger guys play and see what they can do. And sadly enough you may be able to tell if your team is out of the race before the season starts, depending on who shows up to camp out of shape or without a care. Either way it goes, its a great time to prepare yourself for a long baseball stretch that runs deep into the warmth of summer long ball, all the way through October to remember web gems.
Last but definitely not least, my favorite event that is happening this time of the year is the NCAA basketball conference stretch run leading to the tournaments. I absolutley love NCAA basketball, it is my heaven, i wait all year for it to start. But i wait even more for February and March. That's because this is the time where all the teams making there case for the NCAA Tournament, have to do it against teams they know so well in their respective conference. Not only do you have great conference matchups, you have big time players becoming big time stars. This is the time where you sit down on your couch flip on a game and watch somebody ramble off 40 against a conference foe. (ala Michael Beasley this past weekend) Or as i did tonight flip on the Indiana vs Purdue game. While the rest of America tunes in to American Idol, you still keep your manhood while watchin a grind it out Big Ten game where both teams are in the nations top 15. The best thing about it is, pretty much every night from here until selection sunday you have a chance to watch a meaningful game in the college basketball world. And if that isn't enough you can go online and read different people's bracketology or blogs(cough cough) about ins, outs, and bursting bubbles (which will be out some time this week, lol). But if you are reading this and saying, "eh you know what i can't really get into the whole thing until the madness starts". Well hey it may not be for everyone but just give it a try. When your wife, girlfriend, or parents are watching a boring reality show that you watch but really don't want to, go into the other room and flip on a game, i promise it won't let your sports craving down.
All together, i do believe that this is a great time for sports. Although you may not believe it, just try to get into one of the few events i've talked about. Whether its the NFL offseason, MLB Spring Training or a little pre-March Madness, i am SURE that you will be able to keep that sports drive in full gear. Not to mention, i didn't even get into the start of a great second half run in the NBA's Western Conference, a late season NHL push by your favorite team, or even the PGA or NASCAR starting up. Hey, the point is sports do not die in February and March, they are strong, you just have to find the one that keeps you going!

~Robert Bosco