Below, for your enjoyment, is my take on what’s going on in the sporting world:
MLB
I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone in Albuquerque call him or herself a “disgruntled sports fan.” I would be a millionaire and give the whole journalism gig up.
As a sports reporter, even at the college level, I don’t like to use the old phrase, “I am a fan of so-and-so.” It gets old really fast.
Unfortunately for me, it has come to that point.
I, a New York Mets fan, didn’t want to see the Phillies advance to and win another World Series, even if it meant the crosstown Evil Empire had to win it all. And they did, in six games.
Plain and simple for me, yes, the Yankees won, and it’s not so bad living 2,000 miles away from the cocky Yanks’ fans. But what pleases me more: the Phillies still lost.
NFL
Since the beginning of the Super Bowl era, no No. 1 seed from either the NFC or AFC has made it to face off in the NFL’s championship game.
So, for the Indianapolis Colts’ and New Orleans Saints’ sake, I hope one of them can drop four or five games, so as to get a lower seed in the NFL’s tournament.
As much as I would love to see this match up as would the rest of America in the Super Bowl, it’s not going to happen.
The football gods have blessed us with exciting NFL playoff action and two great championship contests the last two years. So we’re doomed to have a Super Bowl XXVI-like (San Francisco 55, Denver 10) game on the first Sunday in February 2010.
NCAA Football
So you think things for Lobo football are bad right now?
How about some exciting Western Kentucky Hilltopper football?
Western Kentucky is a whopping 0-8 just like UNM. But unlike the Hilltoppers, the Lobos have at least looked competitive.
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Western Kentucky has allowed 60-plus points in three of its eight games in losses at Tennessee, Middle Tennessee State and North Texas.
The lowest margin of defeat for Western Kentucky came on Oct. 17 to Louisiana-Lafayette, 30-22.
If not for a late Jake Gaebler touchdown catch from Kawaun Jakes and a Bobby Rainey two-point conversion, the Hilltoppers would have lost 30-14. Ouch.
What’s next for the Hilltoppers? How about the best team in its powerhouse conference, the Sun Belt. Western Kentucky will host the Troy Trojans (6-2 overall and 4-2 Sun Belt) this Saturday.
Wouldn’t this be the upset of the year so far if the Hilltoppers topped the Trojans? I think so, unless the Lobos beat anyone.
NBA
I haven’t caught much NBA action into its first full week of regular-season games.
I am kind of disappointed in myself, but UNM Athletics and Human Resources are keeping me so busy.
While Manu Ginobili is playing Batman at the AT&T Center, the Shaquille O’Neal-LeBron James experiment is a few games deep, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are 3-2.
And tonight, James plays at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.
Last time the King of the NBA visited Madison Square Garden, he dropped 50 points on the Knicks.
As much as I respect and cheer for James, I really hope the Cavaliers are unsuccessful this year.
James sure would look sexy under Broadway’s lights and dressed head-to-toe in blue and orange. He belongs in New York as a Knick.
