What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
1
By the time you read this, the Seattle Mariners will probably have the best record in major league baseball.
Or the worst.
While anyone with any sense was sleeping, the Mariners and Oakland Athletics were playing the first official game of the 2012 season in Japan.
We remember when opening day was a big deal. Almost a national holiday. So it somehow feels wrong that the baseball season started in the dark of night on another continent.
Then again, now that we think about it, this is a fitting way to raise the curtain on 2012 for fans of Seattle or Oakland. Because anyone with any sense will probably snooze through a lot of games featuring the Mariners or the A’s this season.
2
Make no mistake about it, soccer in the United States suffered a blow to the gut on Monday.
The Americans will not be in the Olympics men’s soccer tournament this year because they couldn’t beat Canada and El Salvador in qualifying matches played in the United States. Ouch.
Never mind that Olympic soccer features under-23 players. Never mind that soccer can produce quirky results.
Not playing in the Olympics is a significant setback. For the young players on the team, it is a bitter disappointment because most of them will be too old to get another shot to play in the Olympics.
And for those who argue that the USA men’s soccer is close to being a force to reckon with? Well, reality, like soccer, can be cruel.
