For those of you who didn't quite get the reference, and then some. (Some adult language)
This week will be a frenzy of trades and signings, whether they be of free agents, draft picks, or undrafted players, but one thing is for sure, it will be a hot stove, and entertaining at that. In addition to Sunday's MLB Trade Deadline, this weekend can really be Christmas in July for sports fans. I can almost assure you that SportsCenter, and ESPN in general, will probably be the most exciting things to watch this week, regardless of the what MLB games are being played.
While I watched ESPN today and listened to callers on ESPN Radio, I can tell that I am not the only one overjoyed by today's news. This, more than anything else, has, in my opinion, solidified that even though baseball may be America's pastime, football is America's here and now. At work today nothing could bring me down off of the high I was on because, no matter what I had to do, I knew that come August and September, there will be football, and that was more than enough for me. I also think it is safe for me to say that much of America shared my elation today, as news broke that there would be, without a shadow of a doubt, an NFL season.
Kind of what was going on inside of many of our heads. Well, maybe not to this degree, but you get the point.
Another positive to note is that it seems increased crime will have to wait at least another ten years to rear its head. In an interview with ESPN's Sal Paolantonio back in May, Baltimore Ravens' linebacker Ray Lewis claimed that evil would arise if there weren't a season this year. He said that crime would increase if they took away their game. Really, Ray? Really? So you're telling me that those people who would tend to commit crimes refrain from doing so because they have football to watch on Sundays? Oh, maybe he meant that the NFL players without jobs would turn to crime! No, wait that is equally as ridiculous. Sorry, Ray, no matter how you spin it, you're statements are ludicrous. For a guy who is widely respected amongst NFL players, and who most would consider at least a semi-intelligent human being, that was something that should have been caught in the filter between his brain and mouth. I wonder how his foot tastes right about now, I'm sure he knows.
You can fast-forward to about the 2:25 point.
Unlike the NHL, which lost many fans during its season-long lockout in 2004-05, I would venture to say that this lockout may have helped the NFL. While that may sound absurd due to the frustration that the two sides have caused throughout the entire process, think about it for a second. No games were lost other than the Hall of Fame Game, which is merely exhibition. Very few preseason games are even televised on cable, let alone watched. Sure it is the first true game of the season, but who is going to boycott any football because the Hall of Fame Game was cancelled? The fact of the matter is that since so many people were upset at the notion that the lockout would affect the regular season, seeing that the entire schedule will remain largely intact will ease the troubled mind. This is a simple example of "you don't know what you have until it's gone". I think that logic in and of itself is why the NFL will be back and better than ever.
My title here, "Football is Back", seems to be the common phrase being echoed across the sports stratosphere today. However, for something to be back, I argue that it had to have left in the first place, which is why I put it in quotation marks. I ask you, dear reader, did football ever leave in the first place? Here we are on July 25th, with a new CBA in place, about to begin free agency and training camp. But, let's think back to last year on July 25th, where were we? Only the Cowboys had reported to camp (on the 24th), along with only the rookies from Cleveland, New England, and San Diego (on the 25th), with the rest of the league reporting on the last couple days of July. So, basically, we're right on track minus the free agent and rookie signings, which will be taken care of throughout this week.
While players weren't participating in OTAs (Organized Team Activities) during the summer and getting treatment from team trainers and doctors, let's not forget that these players are professionals. They know that it falls on themselves if they do not show up in shape when the lockout is lifted. Folks, they've been working out, and let us remember that day after the judge's ruling that temporarily lifted the lockout, players were allowed to report and they received their playbooks. The only difference is that they've been wearing their own sweats throughout the summer instead of sponsored team apparel.
The media buzz during this lockout was so immense that some people grew tired of hearing about it because there was so much false hope and so many rumors that it began to teeter on obsession. However, regardless of how crazy the coverage got, we listened. The reason we got upset was because we didn't want to get excited without proper reason. But despite all of the headaches the lockout brought, the NFL was always there, in our hearts and in our minds. And due to that fact alone, it never left.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I have one final question for you. Are you ready for some football?
I'm getting goosebumps.
-TA
...ps look at this goal scored by the beautiful Alex Morgan yesterday.
Isn's she just wonderful?
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