Appetizers

The summer sports season certainly didn't help grow the readership of this blog. Sure, I was spending a few days on the road or the golf course, and not writing. But, what was there to write about? Roger Clemens is going to write the same "How'd You Spend Your Summer" essay as Lindsay Lohan. Brett Favre has gone from my favorite NFL QB Story to a cliche of most grandfathers: indecisive, creaky and self-righteous. And.... that's about all we've missed over the past month. (Oh yeah, Pete Dye's course design finally cost somebody a major unintentionally. Those circus designs were going to bite somebody other than me one day.)

Hurry Up Football Season! The scholarship athletes will be here a week from now. And, if Roger Goodell and his owners get their way, we'll be playing professional football this week, for real, by 2012. This week has me giddy for sports again because actual "sport" is taking place. Week 3 of the NFL Preseason is the one time when I feel like an actual scout. First teams play a significant chunk of time, so you get a feel for how your team will actually fare (1st Team Colts is better than 1st Team Packers, EDIT - I wrote this with 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. Despite the outcome, I still stand by it. A touchy pass interference call, botched punt/TD and silly Peyton int made a world of difference. I'd take the Colts in the regular season). And, let us not forget that every game is a tryout for my fantasy team. (I saw those buttery hands, Ryan Grant)

I've forgotten the art of football a little bit since early February. I like being able to just watch the game with nothing on the line. I am building up the excitement, wetting the appetite.

[Side note: How good is John Gruden in the booth? He is 1996 John Madden without the stutter. MNF finally found a team]

The other reason to be excited about sports: Little League World Series. There is so much drama and good balance between amazing, mature-for-their-age skill and sheer dumb, young mistakes. Watch the elimination games when you have to balance pitch counts and bring in 12-year-olds who have never thrown. Just pure, nail-biting drama. I would say it is one of the few remaining pure sporting events, but then we would have to forget Danny Almonte, and that would be wrong, wouldn't it?

[Side note: How good is Brent Musberger at the LLWS? Perfect pace for his delivery, like college football. (Not so much in college hoops) And, why couldn't I have had Musberger call a little league game of mine?]

You can't watch these kids play, as a sports fan, and not fall in love with competition and sports even more. You really can't. If you disagree, I'll file a stolen property report for your soul.

Do me a favor... Watch the elimination games tomorrow and take a mental picture. Then, when the World Series finally gets here and some overpaid juicers from the AL East beat up on some pitchers from the NL, tell me which was better.

So, get excited America... Sports is back and it's only going to get better. Feel free to frequent Cover Two a bit more starting next week as there will be a bit more content, including weekly football game predictions, maybe even against the spreads, not that there is gambling at all. Time to go rank my fantasy players again...

- Will