From HOME to FIRST

 As most of you know, the NBA season is currently experiencing a lockout and has been in turmoil for quite some time. However, the player’s union and the owners recently came to a tentative agreement that would have the NBA season begin in late December. Some rejoiced at this news while others, like myself, were completely and utterly indifferent. To me, the NBA season is the most over-rated professional sports season of all time. The officiating is awful, the defense is mediocre, the level of hustle is miniscule, and the discrepancy in talent between many teams makes some games unbearable. I will maybe watch five regular season games all year. The playoffs, on the other hand, are the complete opposite and make for some of the greatest sports moments of all time. This is why I could care less that the NBA season is shortened. All it means to me is that I’ve gotten to enjoy other things in the meantime, as the playoffs get that much closer. Here are some things that I’ve had the pleasure of watching while the NBA season wasn’t happening:

• Tim Tebow and the Broncos defy everything we know about how to consistently win football games
• My fantasy football team’s roller coaster ride of a season. Just a sidenote here: Doesn’t fantasy football make you cheer for the most ridiculously specific events to occur? No regular fan would ever say, “I hope Michael Bush breaks off a 60-yars run, but then gets stopped on the one, so that Janikowski can kick a field goal which would send the game into over-time where Christian Ponder might throw a touchdown pass to Percy Harvin”
• Storage Wars
• The awesome one-two combo of Always Sunny followed by The League 
• Any 24/7 special on HBO. I’ve decided that all boxers are clinically insane because of it.
• The “occupy” movement finally losing wind
• COLLEGE basketball. Those kids give it 110% all the time (take notes Lebron)

Crime in sports

 Super interesting break-down of crime in the NFL, NBA, and MLB.

 I just now had a bit of an epiphany that is worthy of a blog post. My generation’s general perspective on Michael Jordan has forever been skewed by the movie Space Jam. My first real memories of Michael Jordan aren’t with Scottie Pippen, but, rather, Bugs Bunny. Every time I try to picture Jordan as a person, I immediately think of his big screen alter-ego where he’s a not only a loving family man, but just and all-around good guy. As I grew older and more sports-savvy, Jordan evolved more into a statistic than a person. 6 championships, 5 MVPs, 14 time All-Star, rookie of the year, etc etc. After convincing myself that Jordan isn’t only a guy I’d like to have on my Toon Squad, but also (arguably) the greatest NBA player of all time, I was about ready to call the man my hero. But, as they say, ignorance is bliss. Now at the ripe age of 21 I’ve learned much more about sports figures than I had ever thought possible just 10 years ago. It turns out that Michael Jordan, the person, is widely-known as being overly competitive, egotistical, and somewhat of a jerk. How can this be?! Are you saying the nice man who helped  Bugs and company defeat the evil Monstars isn’t so nice after all? Sorry to break it to you Generation Y, but Space Jam paints Number 23 in a much brighter light than he deserves. Despite all that, chances are, when somebody mentions Jordan I’m more likely to think of this, than this because, between me and you, I wasn’t even alive in ‘89.

As we enter the month of October we enter a month filled with all sorts of sports. It could be easily argued that October is actually the best month of the year for fans of all sports. Here’s what we have to look forward to: 

• Baseball playoffs/world series. It’s hard not to appreciate America’s national pastime coming to an exciting close. Some of the most memorable moments in sports history took place during MLB playoffs
• NFL is now in full swing, with each game becoming more meaningful than the last as everybody starts to get a clearer picture of who the most dominant teams are.
• NCAA football also in full swing. Weekends are consumed by football in October…not a bad thing. 
• NHL season begins. Side note: no other regular season sporting event compares to a seeing a hockey game live. The atmosphere is incomparable and super fun.
• NBA preseason games (are supposed to) begin. The lockout nonsense may make this October an exception.
• MLS playoffs begin. Sure they’re aren’t the greatest soccer players in the world, but they’re the best we’ve got.

So it’s clear that October has a little something for everyone, with football probably being the top dog. The only other month I would consider slightly better for sports is April. April has NCAA final four, which I personally think is some of the most exciting sports play all year. April also lays claim to NHL and NBA playoffs, as well as the always-exciting Masters. While baseball starts in April, there’s also a complete lack of football. So what do you think is the best month for sports, October or April? Maybe even another month depending on your personal tastes…I know the World Series of Beer Pong is in January.