Nov

6

Do you hear that?

This new and sudden silence is deafening.

No crack of the bat. No slap of the mitt. No murmur in the stands. No roar of the crowd. No police whistles as they break up a fight at Citifield. No melodious tones of the announcers as they describe how the pitcher overcame juvenile explosive diarrhea to attain Major League success. Hell, I would go even put up with Joe Bucks annoying cadence and nonsense of the would turn the lights back on and open the turnstiles once more. But it is not to be. The 2017 baseball season is gone now. It had a good, exciting long life-extending as far as the rules allow but it has left the world leaving us only memories of its glory and grandeur. Spring training is 100 days away, and the silence is deafening.

Gone are the bright colors and melodic songs of the Blue Jays. Cardinals and Orioles. The Marlins and Rays scamper among the waves no longer. The Padres and Mariners have both ended their voyages for now. Though they are champions only memories of the Astros light the night sky now. The Rangers and Indians alike have retreated from the plains. The delights of spring and summer are gone once again along with the extreme passion and grand intensity of October.

Ahead lies only winter with Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Warriors, and Raptors to hold our attention to any degree. They won't work for me as I find most NBA basketball to be absolutely unwatchable on TV. One can almost succumb to tears comparing Havlicek, Monroe, West, Frazier, Bird, and Magic to the run and slam version of the game played today. I must confess I do watch the highlights most nights but a whole game would be too much for me.

I have pondered my loss of interest in the NFL a great deal. Part of it is the fact that the game is shit. The referees seem to be determined to have more airtime than the two starting quarterbacks and flags fly out more consistency that many airlines have ever shown. While I am a fan of celebrating achievements watching some idiot do a victory dance because he sacked the quarterback while his team is losing 31-7 late in the 4th quarter disgusts me. If we are honest, it is just not a very good game anymore.

Part of it I think is social. Football is an excuse for the single, or no kids crowd to head to the bar at noon on Sunday and avoid the emptiness of an apartment on Sunday with no work or events to distract you. It is something to do when the snow is up to the low edge of your ass, and the idea of venturing outside is about as welcome as inviting a politician to dinner. It helps pass the winter and gives you something to think about besides frozen pipes salted driveways.

I am now married these past seven years and live in Florida. I am not a big fan of day drinking unless I can get a nap before dinner, so I don't head out to the sports bars much anymore. There is always something to do in Florida and weather that allows you to do things.

I am sure it is a combination of things, but the NFL just does not hold my interest. I follow and watch Notre Dame and Navy at the college level but have no interest in the pro version of the game. No, baseball is the game for me. An evening with a book, while the games played on the TV, has been the preferred activity of many of the last 249 days. Checking the MLB app on a regular basis when the wife wants to watch something else has also been a significant part of my life. Games on the radio version of the app while running around town doing errands while engaging in Florida things has also been a regular activity. Now, that's over. One catch, one toss from Altuve to first base and baseball is over. No more home runs, double plays, dumb baserunning, brilliant pitches, astounding catches, stretching a single or stealing a base. No more second-guessing the manager, yelling at umpires encased in my flat screen or wondering how in the hell Chris Davis could let that pitch go by without swinging. No more box score searching, mathematical determinations of how we can catch the division leaders with a little run of luck. There will be the hot stove league, trades and all sorts of managerial stuff going on all winter to follow. I will probably go sit at the bar during the Winter meetings next weekend to get a little fix. But none of it will enough.

The silence is deafening.

Stefan Jovanovich writes: 

There is the NHL - where all the fans and players stand for 2 national anthems whenever American and Canadian franchises compete and they know the words to both. It is the only team sport other than baseball where 1 player–pitcher, goalie–can single handedly lead a weaker team to victory–something neither Michael Jordan nor Barry Sanders could do.

Tim Melvin writes: 

I have gone to some minor league hockey games and enjoyed them…but find the sport unwatchable on TV. The only ice I want to see most of the time is my glass. While I am watching a baseball game.


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3 Comments so far

  1. russell thomas on November 6, 2017 5:35 pm

    As North American sports go. Ive watched NHL Ice Hockey in london and it was a great game.
    Watched American Football and it goes on for far too long, way to many stoppages.
    Football is the most popular game in the world for good reason and lasts 90 minutes.
    If you like NFL why not try Rugby League , which NFL partly originates from . Its tough skillful and lasts 80 minutes.
    Rugby Union again tough and skillful , also lasts 80 minutes. These 3 games played around the globe and developing in USA.

  2. Timothy Melvin on November 7, 2017 9:54 am

    David didnt write this piece…I did

  3. Barman on November 9, 2017 10:55 am

    boring….

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