Let’s just assume for a minute that we even make it to the end of July and there are American sports on your TV. While that prospect is looking increasingly grim as players keep testing positive for Covid-19, there’s still a lot to look forward to. Leaving out the obvious problem of people getting sick, here is the good and bad of sports returning to our lives (hopefully) in the next month.
Colorado Avalanche
Pros:
- A good team that will be healthy and has a bona fide shot at winning the Stanley Cup. I mean, everyone else is healthy too, but I’ll put a young and healthy Avs team as a top favorite over nearly all of the other participants.
- You get to watch the Minnesota Wild lose to the Vancouver Canucks in the play-in round before any real action begins.
- I like the host city idea where games will be played, but with the way Covid-19 is still raging, they have moved all of the hub cities to Canada. It’s ok though because I’m sure the broadcasts would be subtitled for those who don’t speak Canadian. Tim Horton’s = Starbucks and Canadian bacon = round ham.
Cons:
- You quite possibly will be watching your Avs celebrate a Cup win in an empty arena in Edmonton. I mean, you’ll take it, but depending on how it shakes out, you could have been there, crying like a baby. That’s what I’ll be doing anyway: crying like a baby on my couch alone. It’s always Edmonton in the dark corners of my soul.
Denver Nuggets
Pros:
- Like the Avs, this will be a young and healthy team with a legitimate shot at winning a title. And wouldn’t it be pure Nuggets if they did just that in this funky season?
- I kind of like the way the NBA has this set up where all of the teams play in the Orlando bubble. It’s got a youth tournament vibe and the players have nothing to do but concentrate on basketball, playing video games and eating delicious Disney resort fare. Jokic lost all that weight because he knows there will be a soft serve machine in the lobby of the Gran Destino.
Cons:
- The players can’t hang out in EPCOT Center when they’re not playing. The Disney parks won’t be open yet and as far as we know, the players won’t be allowed to roam the World Showcase or do endless runs on Test Track. Forget winning an NBA title, having one of these parks all to yourself is probably a greater life goal.
- If the Nuggets win a title and it didn’t happen at Pepsi Center, did it even happen? Nuggets fans are diehard, but a championship that doesn’t happen in Denver will lend to its red-headed step child status in the Mile High City. It would go a long way if a mob was able to carry Jamal Murray on their shoulders to the nearest craft brewery to celebrate.
Colorado Rockies
Pros:
Baseball on your TV. It wouldn’t have been an actual summer if you didn’t witness American baseball in your own home.
- The Rockies won’t have 162 games to run their pitchers into a ditch and because of that, they have an ok shot at winning it all. So does every other team if we’re being honest, but this could be a window of opportunity the Rockies could float through like a hobo smelling a pie.
- The league wide Designated Hitter is very compelling. No more watching the pitcher flail awkwardly at a breaking ball which takes him out of the lineup for three weeks. And the Rockies have plenty of people they can use as the DH which would keep some of the “lesser skilled” players off the field. Your nightly griping prayers have been answered.
- And if the Rockies do get to play at home, they’ll get some of that sweet Coooooors home cookin’ broadcasters from other teams are always so upset about.
Cons:
- Baseball on your TV. Does Drew Goodman miscalling a flyball as a home run and Jeff Huson talking about Nolan Ryan interest you?
- The farcical new rule about putting a runner on second after a hit when it’s in extra innings. I get that you want to speed the game up, but this works against the Rockies who will get quickly singled to death in every extra inning contest.
- And like the other two sports, you the fan can’t sit in the sun, drinking a cold one and watch the Rockies in person even though you could literally hear the game going on while walking down Blake Street. The Rockies seem optimistic that some fans may be in attendance at some point but seeing the team win the pennant while being able to hear a fart on the Party Deck doesn’t have the same appeal.