As I write this, on April 22nd, the NHL and NBA playoffs have gotten underway, and we are about a month through the Major League Baseball season. Three of our major four sports are in the spotlight, and this is really their time to shine. While the baseball season is still young, its presence still brings about daily viewing pleasure to people throughout the country. The NBA playoffs (despite the seemingly unending length) are at the forefront, and the NHL playoffs are also in full swing, and this is one of the few times that the NHL gets continual national media coverage.
Since our sports world has become one that is clearly dominated by football, this is a time that football should take a back seat to the rest of our sports. However, in some places, that just simply is not the case. If we thought that we could go more than a week without seeing any football in our national news, then we were wrong. I love the game of football, and most of the country does as well, but the fact of the matter is, this is not football season. The NFL Draft is still a month away, and then the preseason doesn't begin for three months. It is time to focus on our other sports. Yet, it just seems that we are unable to do so.
Collegiate football teams begin their offseason activities before NFL teams, and sadly, these offseason activities are more important in some places than anything else going on in the sports world. Just over the past week, the "spring games" of teams like Auburn, Oklahoma, Alabama, and others were televised, and their results were broadcast to a national audience. For those who don't understand what spring games are, I will give you a quick synopsis. They are basically glorified scrimmages that hold the attention of millions of people throughout the country.
Right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the midst of a playoff run that might eventually lead them to an NBA championship. Yet, it seems like the majority of Oklahoma is more invested in the spring game of the Oklahoma Sooners than they are in the playoff run of the Thunder. In Ohio, the Columbus Blue Jackets will have a chance to even their series at two with the highly ranked Pittsburgh Penguins, but the focus is still on the spring game of the Ohio State Buckeyes. In my opinion, this is absolutely ludicrous. This is the height of the season for the Thunder. This is the height of the season for the Blue Jackets. The height of the season for the Sooners and Buckeyes is months away. Why should we place focus on scrimmages more than playoff games? If you ask me, I would be unable to come up with an answer.
Down south, I understand that things are different. In Alabama, the only thing that they have is college football. There are no major sports teams in Alabama, and therefore, college football rules. The rivalry between Auburn and Alabama dates back to long before I was born, and its flame still burns as much today as it did decades ago. Therefore, I will afford fans of the Tigers and the Crimson Tide a bit more leeway than I do for other schools, but I still cannot help but feel like these spring games are blown exponentially out of proportion.
What these games are, is basically an intrasquad scrimmage. Sometimes it is "offense vs. defense," sometimes it is "red vs. white," but no matter what, these games have zero bearing on the upcoming college season. If you thought spring training statistics meant nothing when predicting a baseball season, then multiply that belief by ten and attach it to the results of a college football spring game. The fact that tens of thousands of fans attend these games make it even more laughable. Is there really nothing better to do in Alabama than watch what is basically a team practice? Sure, it might be interesting to some to see who will replace A.J. McCarron at quarterback for the Crimson Tide. But do we need to turn out in droves to witness a portion of the battle for that position? No.
It is April right now. As sports fans, we should be focused on the NBA and NHL playoffs, as well as the MLB regular season. This is one of the few times each year that football takes a back seat, and broadcasting these spring games across the country is in complete contrast to that. We are all at fault for glorifying football to the point of sainthood, but can we please forget about it for a little while? There is a reason we have four major sports in this country, and it is time to give those "other three" sports the respect that they deserve.
Daily Rangers Update: The Rangers head to Philadelphia tonight after splitting the first two games of the series at Madison Square Garden. Winning at least one of the next two games is absolutely essential if the Rangers want to move on to the second round, so what better way to start than winning tonight?
Daily Nets Update: After taking Game One away from the Raptors on the road, the Nets are in a great position right now. At worst, the Nets will return to Brooklyn with the series tied at one game apiece. However, since the playoffs are officially underway, it is time for our veterans to step up, and Paul Pierce led the way in Game 1. A win tonight would be enormous, but even if the Nets lose, they should still be in good shape heading back to the Barclays Center.
Daily Diamondbacks Update: I'm not sure if hitting rock bottom is possible in April, but if it is, then the Diamondbacks are there. At 5-17, Arizona is clearly the worst team in baseball, and it is hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel. The offense has been at least serviceable, but the pitching, from top to bottom, has been absolutely horrendous. Arizona is already 8 games out in the division, and the promising signs are few and far between. I was close to writing a piece about how bad this team has been, but I figured that no one would really be interested in it. Either way, the DBacks face the Cubs in about two hours, and I really have no expectation aside from not getting blown out.
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