You never know how much you miss something until it goes away. With all this isolation from human contact it made me reflect on what I miss most in the world of sports. I miss:
NFL Redzone and waiting for the inevitable update about a Jameis Winston interception.
Napkin coaching resignations that say I resign as the HC of the NYJ
Seeing Devlin Hodges quarterbacking the Steelers, but not announcers referring to him as “Duck”
Hearing Sam Wyche get on the PA system respond to unruly fans who are throwing things on the field say “Will the next person that sees anybody throw anything onto this field point them out, get them out of here and yell: You don’t live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJMa20xXykI
The Colts raising a banner for being an AFC Finalist
Dan Fouts and “Air Coryell”
The Houston Oilers, Baltimore Colts, St.Louis Cardinals and mostly the SAN DIEGO Chargers
Al Davis ruining the Raiders
Phony NFL injury designations
Seeing Robert Kraft with a 20-something year old and frequenting massage parlors
Letting Bill Parcells buy the groceries
Being onto Cincinnati
Hearing Wes Welker make multiple references in a press conference about Rex Ryan’s foot fetish – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkvBhMIAWHA
Rodney Harrison and Kevin Garnett’s intensity
Roger Goodell being booed in Foxboro
NBA post-game reports about their officials screwing up
Hearing the goat term in sports referring to a choker not Tom Brady
Instant replay reviews that last a lifetime and ones that the fan at home can figure out in one replay but the officials still need five minutes to make a decision
Talk about computerized strikezones
Seeing if Chris Sale can stay healthy…oops he can’t
Kirby Puckett and the Twins World Series champion team
Willie Stargell and the “We Are Family” World Series champions
Being shocked when Pedro Martinez gave up a run
Greg W. Harris throwing ambidextrously
Will McDonough commenting on Wade Boggs riding a horse while celebrating a World Series in Yankee Stadium. “First time I have ever seen a horse’s ass riding a horse’s ass”
Watching David Ortiz’s heroics
Seeing Red Sox-Yankees thrillers
Jason Varitek face washing Alex Rodriguez
Waiting for Jacoby Ellsbury to come off IR
George Steinbrenner
Anticipating pitching changes and switches
Rhetoric about how pitch clocks and not taking the time to throw intentional walks will speed up the game
Players pointing to their chest saying my bad when we damn well know whose bad it is
Manny being Manny
Jim Mora’s famous playoff quote
Allen Iverson’s practice rant
Bobby Knight’s game face press conference
Fighting in hockey and the Big Bad Bruins
John Wensink challenging the entire North Stars bench
Bruins players climbing into the stands of Madison Square Garden and Mike Milbury using his shoe as a deadly weapon
Getting to see Bobby Orr in his prime
Having Patrick Roy tell Canadiens President Ronald Corey in the middle of a game that he will never play a game for his franchise again
The Original 6
Tim Thomas saying “I guess I didn’t realize it was my job to pump his tires.“ about Roberto Luongo and I miss Luooongo chants
Patrice Bergeron trying to play through a collapsed lung, cracked rib, torn rib cartilage, and a separated shoulder
NHL playoffs sudden death overtime(s)
Mike Emrick and Kevin Harlan
Celtics fans wearing wife beater jerseys for a playoff game against Jason Kidd’s New Jersey Nets.
Beat LA chants
Red Auerbach swindling other teams
Kevin McHale on Cheers but not Kevin Garnett in Uncut Gems
Seeing Kareem wear an oxygen mask
LeBron losing another championship and NBA stars getting maintenance days
Hakeem Olajuwon’s dream shake
Julius Erving’s afro
Johnny Most refer to Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer as McFilthy and McNasty
Waiting for Bill Walton to get healthy
Kyrie blaming teammates and while I’m at it, LeBron blaming teammates and getting coaches fired.
Steph Curry hitting shots from half court
Watching Alex Rodriguez destroy Yankees chemistry
Bruce Hurst’s high leg kick
Billy Martin and Earl Weaver arguing with umpires
Mel Allen in This Week in Baseball and Peter Gammon’s Diamond Notes
March Madness buzzer beaters
Cal State Fullerton winning College World Series titles
Watching Big East basketball in its heyday
Seeing Uganda take on Zambia in the World Cup
Brady against Manning
Bird against Magic
Kobe Bryant, as I cant remember disliking a player so much and then transitioning to so dramatically liking him as his career wore on
Tom Brady in a Patriots uniform
And lastly…SPORTS in general…please come back soon. If you do, I may stop fast forwarding through some commercials.