College Football vs. NFL

If there is a line drawn somewhere in the sand, chances are I’m standing on one side of it. Simply put, I’m an opinionated person. I very rarely find myself straddling the line unable to form an opinion on a controversial topic. I don’t mean to suggest that I don’t see both sides of an argument, just that I typically lean one way or the other.

But now I find myself at a crossroads on a topic which I never thought would draw such a line in my sandbox: college football vs. the NFL.

As with all significant issues facing this world today, there are two distinct sides to the football world: fans of college football and fans of the NFL. Both sides could passionately state their case why their version of the game is superior or why the other’s format is inferior. There are people, like myself, who truly enjoy both forms of the game. However, if you are sitting in a pub on a fall weekend and the issue comes up, you’re going to have to choose a side. So which side do you choose: college football or the NFL? Which game is more suited to your liking in its current format? While I was formally in the college football camp, I now find myself struggling to choose a side.

NFL:

Quality of Play:

Professional football offers and opportunity to watch the most talented athletes in the world compete on the biggest stage. The competitors in the National Football League are some of the most talented, athletically gifted specimens on earth. They possess unmatched skills and speed compared to any other form of the game. There are far fewer dropped passes, missed field goals and unforced errors in the NFL compared to college football. The hits are harder, the players are faster, and every aspect of the game is generally more polished at the professional level.

Atmosphere:

While there are always exceptions to the rule, the atmosphere at NFL games is typically less electric than that on a college campus. Games are mostly played on Sunday afternoons which can sometimes limit the fun. The stadiums are usually very nice and modern, offering great amenities and the kicker: they sell booze! The stadiums do get loud, especially in the playoffs, but walking around outside of the stadium just doesn’t feel the same in the professional version.

Schedule:

Another huge bonus for the NFL is that you know your team’s complete schedule months ahead of time which allows for concrete travel plans, etc. Other than the rare “flex option” that the NFL has instituted, game times and dates will not be changed. The downside of the NFL schedule is that it can be difficult to attend road games since most games are on Sunday and would require a day off of work or school to attend. Having a Monday Night Football game once or twice per year is a good change-up as well.

Postseason:

The Superbowl is the biggest spectacle in all of American sports. It is the most watched and largest grossing event in sports. The format for the postseason is clear: win enough games to be in the top six teams in your conference (or the top team in your division) and you make the playoffs. The outcome is decided on the field with the winner advancing to the next round. There is no room for interpretation, bias or financial influence: championships are won and lost on the field, not in a corporate boardroom.

Other Intangibles:

Fantasy football is one of the greatest creations in all of sports. It turns the moderate NFL fan into a slightly more knowledgeable, slightly more intense NFL fan. It makes games in which you have no rooting interest much more watchable and exposes you to players that you had no idea about before you started playing. Other sports offer fantasy leagues but none can hold a candle to fantasy football. This should be a major talking point in the argument why the NFL is better.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL:

Quality of Play:

College football features the future talent of the NFL, so there is definitely something to be said for that. The quality and speed of the college game are adequate enough to allow for spectacular moments and unforgettable displays of athletic ability. Rosters are not full of superb talent from top to bottom, like the NFL, but there is enough in the BCS conferences to make the games very enjoyable to watch.

Atmosphere:

The atmosphere at a college football game is unmatched in any sport in the United States. Gamedays are an overwhelming spectacle involving marching bands, live mascots, cheerleaders, choreographed fight songs and cheers, as well as a younger crowd which has a different feel from an NFL game (typically comprised mostly of men above the age of 30). Stadiums are generally historic and blend into campus which makes for a very beautiful scene. You won’t find state-of-the-art amenities, but you will feel the sense of history and tradition as you walk through college stadiums. The whole town just feels special during the week of a big game. It really is indescribable; you have to experience to understand what I’m talking about.

Tailgating/Pre-Game:

One of the best parts of college football is the tailgating experience. Game times in college range from 11A.M. to 8:00 P.M. local time, so tailgating can be done before games, after games, or both. Nothing beats tailgating all day before a big game, something that is extremely rare in the NFL since most games are played at noon or 1:00PM local time.

Schedule:

Every game is important in the college football season. Every. Single. Game. This can work as both a positive and a negative for the sport. If you have championship aspirations and lose at the wrong time, your whole season can be ruined in one week. However, that makes every game exciting, whether you are playing against the #1 team in the country or a cupcake, you feel that sense of urgency to win. A loss in the NFL can be easily shrugged off since you can lose eight games and still make the playoffs during certain years.

Postseason:

The college football postseason can be summed up in one word: terrible. The fate of each program is decided by voters, not by wins and losses. It is a beauty pageant in which only a select few actually have a chance to compete. Of course, the consolation to the 118 teams which are excluded every year consists of meaningless (and usually excruciatingly boring) bowl games such as this year’s Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl in Boise, ID between Idaho and Bowling Green. Other than the BCS National Championship Game, the college football postseason is meaningless and essentially unwatchable.

Other Intangibles:

When you go to a college football game, it is more of a total experience involving special traditions and local bar scenes which are usually a great time. Also, points must be awarded for stunning co-eds that can be seen in abundance at college games.

RESULTS:

Quality of play: NFL

Atmosphere: College

Pre-game/Tailgating: College

Schedule: Tie

Postseason: NFL

Other intangibles: NFL

The NFL nudged out college 3-2 on the graded categories. With some adjustments to the postseason format, college football could become the most intriguing form of the sport. But until the system is fixed, it is too broken to be declared the winner. I still don’t know which side of the line I’d be standing on if forced to pick my favorite form of the game, but based on the criteria above, the NFL makes a stronger case.

Year End List: Top 10 Events

Let's keep the year-end lists coming with.....

The Top 10 Events I Attended During 2009

10. ACC Basketball Tournament @ The Georgia Dome- Atlanta, GA: my first taste of the ACC tourney. I got to see second round games ofWake Forest vs.Maryland, as well Duke vs. Boston College. I was glad to see those teams and especially to see Jeff Teague who was projected as a high draft pick, which he was to the Atlanta Hawks. I actually ended up in a lounge in the GA Dome watching Auburn upset Florida in the SEC tourney during part of the Duke game, but no one really likes Duke anyway, right?

9. Beach Trip – Destin, FL: not really an event, I know. Still it was a very fun weekend involving the ocean, a pickup football game on the beach, go karts, seafood, piano bars, and witnessing the most public debauchery I’ve seen in one night in public. I’m definitely planning on making it back to Destin as soon as possible, you should too.

8. Clemson vs. Georgia Tech @ Bobby Dodd Stadium- Atlanta, GA: shockingly, this was the only college football game that I made it to during 2009, so it had to be on the list. What started off as a Georgia Tech blowout ended up being a close game that came down to Tech kicking a game winning field goal in the game’s final seconds. Add to the excitement the fact that we got 50 yard line, 10^th row seats for free and it was definitely a good event.

7. Sick Puppies Acoustic Live-X @ 99X Studios- Atlanta, GA: I won some tickets on the radio to see the Australian rockers Sick Puppies play an acoustic set in the studio. It was a pretty a cool, intimate experience with about 30 people. I ended up buying their album while I was there, its pretty decent. You can check out the footage at 99x.com in the A/V room.

6. Various Braves Games @ Turner Field- Atlanta, GA: summertime, warm weather, tailgating and baseball; doesn’t get much better than that. I can’t single out a game as part of this top ten, but collectively I had a ton of fun at Braves games this year, as always. My one regret was that I didn’t get to pour a cooler full of ice water on anyone this year. There’s always 2010.

5. T.I.’s Going to Jail Concert @ Phillips Arena- Atlanta, GA: I scored some 4^th row seats to this wonderful rap extravaganza. The bass was so ridiculously loud up that close, I don’t think my hearing has been the same since. It was a great time though- my three companions and I definitely looked like the odd men out in our section, but that didn’t stop us from doing crazy white people dance moves and having a great time. We even had a Soulja Boy and Bonecrusher sighting!

4. Hawks Playoff Games- Phillips Arena- Atlanta, GA: nothing beats a playoff atmosphere, and basketball is one of the greatest sports to facilitate electric environments. Phillips Arena is actually a fun place to be during the Hawks playoff games. People arrive hours before tip-off to imbibe in my favorite new pregame ritual: oversized draft beer from Gorins (a little food joint inside CNN Center which I’ve never actually seen serve food, just beer). The fans get hammered, and thus really into the game and the Hawks feed off the energy. The 2008 Hawks/Celtics series was one of the best ever, but the 2009 home playoff games were amazing too. And this time around, the Hawks actually won a series. Next stop, Eastern Conference Finals!

3. Ravens vs. Vikings @ Metrodome- Minneapolis, MN: you can see the full recap in the October section of the X-Marc’s-The-Spot blog, great trip. My only NFL game of the year was certainly a good one. Bad outcome, but great overall experience and way more purple than should be allowed in a building full of 70,000 grown men.

2. Cruefest @ Lakewood- Atlanta, GA: 20-plus years later and Motley Crue is still bringin’ it, and bringin’ it HARD. After a huge letdown from Aerosmith earlier in the year, I didn’t know what to expect from Crue. But the rebellious rock quartet definitely did not disappoint. This was one of the best live performances I have ever seen and we’re talking over twenty years since these guys were in their prime. I would have loved to see a Crue show in the 80’s, but unfortunately the only songs I knew were by the Smurfs and Carebears during that time. I read Nikki Sixx’s book earlier in the year and figured I should check out the show too- got tickets for $20 and I can easily say that was the best value I’ve ever gotten out of a concert. Godsmack put on a great show before Crue as well. I will most definitely be returning to Cruefest in the future if they roll back through Atlanta.

1. Braves vs. Red Sox @ Fenway Park- Boston, MA: da sawx, Fenway paaaak. I feel like the Fenway experience is something that every sports fan should enjoy at least once in their lifetime. Boston is a great city to visit (made sure I went in the summer) and the sports fans up there, which is pretty much everyone, are very knowledgeable and a fun crowd to be around. The Bravos lost a pitching duel in the game that I attended but I had an amazing time nonetheless. The moment you step into the stadium and see the field for the first time is almost surreal at Fenway and its something that I will always remember.

Other notables not ranked:

Going to the unemployment office, Karaoke/Piano bars in Nashville (took about 3 years off my life that night), and a few Thrashers games.

Year End List: Top 10 Movies

You can refer to my month rankings to see what I think about December (here: http://xmarcspot.blogspot.com/2009/12/ranking-months.html). No matter how you feel about the month, you have to respect the year-end lists that we get in December. I am going to share a few of my lists with you. Let's get it started.

Top 10 Movies of 2009

10. Watchmen- graphic novels aren’t really my thing, but this was a well done flick. The characters are intriguing and it had some very relevant political undertones that weren’t in-your-face like a lot of movies try to pull off.

9. Star Trek- I had no interest in seeing a Star Trek film until it was made and marketed in way that appeals to non-trekkies. This was the film that will reenergize the franchise. I knew nothing about Star Trek going into the movie and never felt like the film was over my head. Good action, good casting and it never got boring. I will probably check out the sequels.

8. Taken- The acting was mediocre at best, and the plot could have been written by high schooler, but Taken held my complete attention from start to finish. Here’s why: after learning that his daughter has been abducted in France, Liam Neeson, who has served as a cover operative for the US government for his whole life, travels to Europe to find the abductors and save his daughter. Not a mind-blowing plot, but the style of which it was carried out impressed me. Neeson goes over there and just kills EVERYONE. He takes no prisoners; he just kick ass and saves his daughter. He even takes out a few innocent people in the process just because it had to be done to save his family. That’s the way it would be done in real life, yet it is very seldom done that way in a movie. Props to the writers.

7. District 9- This one made the list mainly because of its unique style. This movie had a high stock due to producer Peter Jackson’s attachment. I thought he did a good job of creating something new, but the film won’t be remembered as an all-time great. If you look deeper into the movie’s themes of privatization and xenophobia, you’ll realize that there was a special meaning of setting the film in South Africa. This film may be a little ahead of its time, but definitely worth watching.

6. The Informant- while it was never really “laugh-out-loud” funny, I found myself enjoying the subtle comedy in this Matt Damon flick. Damon’s character, although frustrating at times, is simply a likeable guy. His A.D.D. and personal mannerisms that recur throughout the movie make it too hard for you to get mad at his actions. This is a movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages (as long as they understand some of the corporate concepts involved) and certainly does a good job of satirically mocking some of the notorious scandals that have plagued corporate America.

5. The Blindside- As a Ravens fan, I felt obligated to see this movie. I thought it was going to be very over-the-top cheesy, but it wasn’t. The movie was ok, but the story is just amazing. I felt like, at times, the film was too focused on Sandra Bullock as opposed to the actual characters about which the story was written. But in the end, The Blindside delivered an inspirational message and made you leave the theater thinking that maybe society isn’t always as bad as we tend to think.

4. Public Enemies- In addition to being an enjoyable organized crime type flick, this movie was a great reminder about how our generation is simply slacking in the nickname department, featuring characters known as Baby Face, Red, and Pretty Boy. I thought Johnny Depp phenomenal portrayal of John Dillinger really satisfied the wide range of emotions that you feel toward his character. Christian Bale and Billy Crudup were also very convincing. I’m not sure how it will fare when it comes to re-watchability, but I find myself wanting to see it at least once more.

3. The Hurt Locker- great independent film which chronicles the experiences of a U.S. Army bomb disposal unit in Iraq. This movie didn’t get much hype and wasn’t released nationwide, but it was a treat for those who were fortunate enough to see it. The cinematography was simply brilliant. Moviegoers had an eerily realistic depiction of what these guys go through on a daily basis. The film’s star, played by Jeremy Renner, was fearless and inspirational, yet he made you question his sanity at the same time. The character depth and development, along with the way in which the scenes were shot, really grabbed my attention and made me feel like I was actually there watching the chaos unfold. If you don’t come away from this one thinking about how brave our troops are and how lucky you are to be sitting in an air-conditioned theater while they are thousands of miles away from home and risking their lives, you don’t have a pulse.

2. Zombieland- absolutely great film. Not since Shaun of the Dead has a movie successfully blended two aspects on such opposite ends of the spectrum into one fabulous film watching experience. It managed to mix comedy and horror in a way that wasn’t cheesy; a task that is almost impossible in a movie. The film would be hysterical one minute and have you on the edge of your seat in suspense the next. Woody Harrelson turns in an outstanding performance along with the rest of the cast, including one of the best cameos of all time from Bill Murray. The movie is certainly re-watchable and definitely worthy of a DVD purchase. I know a lot of people probably didn’t see it in theaters, but trust me on this: Zombieland is one of the best films of 2009.

1. The Hangover

one of the top ten comedies of all time which makes it the default #1 movie for 2009. I typically enjoy most movies involving one of the following: Vegas, bachelor parties, groups of friends going on vacation together, and ridiculous amounts of partying that result in memory loss. This movie combined all of those elements. The Hangover quickly became the go-to movie for references and quotes, the mark of a popular film. A few stars were born from their performances in this film and will most likely be vaulted into upcoming comedies as a result. The Hangover definitely left its mark on Hollywood as well as claimed its spot as one of the best comedies of all time.

Movies still to come in 2009 that I didn’t see before I made the list:

Avatar and Sherlock Holmes both have serious potential to land in my top 10 for 2009, but unfortunately they come out very late in the year and can’t be included. Do you think they plan it this way to maximize Oscar hype? Hmm….

It is Chaos That We Need

We were so close.
 
So very close. Barely two feet away from complete and utter BCS chaos. One second and two feet saved Texas from throwing away a chance to play for the national title. I’m still trying to process what happened and trying to figure out what was going through the minds of Mack Brown and Colt McCoy during the end of the Big-12 title game. If the clock would have stayed at zero, or the game winning field goal would have held two more feet to the left, we’d still be trying to sort out the mess. The real chaos would have come when the selection committee had to select which team would play Alabama in the title game. 
 
These are the things that we need to have happen in order for there to be any changes to the system. Unfortunately, Texas held on and had their mediocrity rewarded with a ticket to the BCS Championship Game. It is hard to argue with the teams that were included in the BCS, but some of the matchups are questionable.
 
The BCS Championship Game will once again feature two teams from BCS conferences (the SEC and Big-12). There were three other teams which finished the year undefeated but were not afforded a chance to play for the national title. Cincinnati has the biggest gripe since they are a member of BCS affiliated conference. A conference which finished with just as many teams ranked in the top 25 as the SEC and Big-12. You can’t make the argument that the Big East is the inferior conference based on those results, so why is Cincinnati the team that is left out? Simply because Cincinnati doesn’t sound quite as “sexy” as Texas or Alabama. If you watched how Texas handled the last two minutes of the Big-12 title game, how can you feel confident that the Longhorns are the second best team in the nation? It just can’t be explained- another arbitrary selection from the BCS.
 
Pairing TCU and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl is probably the biggest mistake of the year. By matching two of the so-called “BCS Busters” in the same game, the committee has removed any opportunity for either team to prove that it belongs in the same category of the nation’s elite. These teams, who have both had phenomenal seasons, deserve a chance to compete against the big time programs. Take the Fiesta bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma, for example: it was one of the best BCS games of all time, and it legitimized the Broncos program as a school which could compete with the big boys. While the winner of this game can claim a BCS victory, it will not have the same effect as a win over a team from one of the big six conferences. Why not let TCU play Georgia Tech and Boise State could play Iowa? This was a terrible decision by the committee which will likely result in one of the lowest rated BCS bowl games ever.
 
            One of the better non-BCS games is the Capital One bowl featuring LSU and Penn State. Both teams hovered around the top ten all year but just couldn’t get to that next level. I think they are evenly matched and this could end up being one of the best bowl games of the year. Other notable games are Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee in the Chick-fil-A Bowl; again, two teams who seem evenly matched, both featuring pretty bad quarterbacks who have shown flashes of decency. The Sun Bowl, Oklahoma vs. Stanford, is another game that should be a fun watch and could actually feature the 2009 Heisman winner in Stanford runningback Toby Gerhart.
 
            Bobby Bowden’s last game is definitely a fitting way to send out one of the game’s greatest coaches: the Gator Bowl, in Jacksonville, will feature the Seminoles vs. West Virginia, the team that Bowden coached at before FSU. This matchup never happens if Bowden doesn’t announce his retirement, but most would agree that he deserves this game as a farewell party.
 
Pittsburgh has to be feeling pretty down after almost shocking Cincinnati in what was essentially the Big East tile game. A critical missed extra point was the difference in the Panthers playing in the Meineke Car Care bowl as opposed to the Sugar Bowl (roughly a $17 million difference in payouts). The future is bright in Pittsburgh with Dion Lewis, a true freshmen, looking like he’ll be one of the country’s superstars in the coming years.
 
The Trojans suffered an extreme fall from grace, going from the preseason number four team in the nation to playing on December 26th in the Emerald bowl against Boston College. It was definitely an irritating year for USC fans who struggled to explain why their team wasn’t producing wins.
 
I have a genius idea to spruce up the bowl season: since we are at the mercy of the selection committee doing an awful job of picking the BCS games, and the political process of schools vying for individual bowl bids, don’t you think it would an awesome idea if the fans got to vote on a bowl game between two teams who didn’t get make a bowl game? We nominate all of the non-eligible teams and vote on the matchup that we wanted to see the most. This year: Michigan vs. Notre Dame would easily be the winner. The regular season meeting was awesome and both teams have nothing better to do, so why treat the fans to this bowl game. It would probably be better than 80% of the matchups that will be shoved down our throats in December anyway. Maybe someone should vote my as the College Football Fan Ambassador.
 
My first item of business when I take office: changing the color of Boise State’s field, then maybe I’ll eliminate automatic bids to bowl games. Someone has to induce enough chaos to cause the elimination the BCS. This year, we were so close…..

Final Rankings

Here is a quick comparison of the final AP Poll rankings with the team’s preseason rank which is in parenthesis:
 
1-Alabama (#5)
2-Texas (#2)
3-TCU (#17)
4-Cincinatti (unranked)
5-Florida (#1)
6-Boise State (#14)
7-Oregon (#16)
8-Ohio State (#6)
9-Georgia Tech (#15)
10-Iowa (#22)
11-Penn State (t-#9)
12-Virginia Tech (#7)
13-LSU (#11)
14-Miami (unranked)
15-BYU (#20)
16-Oregon State (unranked)
17-Pittsburgh (unranked)
18-West Virginia (unranked)
19-Stanford (unranked)
20-Nebraska (#24)
21-Oklahoma State (t-#9)
22-Arizona (unranked)
23-Utah (#19)
24-Wisconsin (unranked)
25-Central Michigan (unranked)
 
 
Preseason Top-25 teams that dropped out of the final AP Poll:
 
Oklahoma (#3), USC (#4), Ole Miss (#8), California (#12),  Georgia (#13), Florida State (#18), North Carolina (#21), Notre Dame (#23) and Kansas (#25)
 
 
Only three of the preseason top 10 teams finished in the final top, while the number of preseason top ten teams who finished unranked is also three. One team who started unranked snuck into the top five, while eight others made the final poll. 
 
The pollsters missed BAD on USC and Oklahoma, as well as Cincy, TCU and Boise. How many more years of busted rankings do we need to eliminate this mess? More thoughts on the bowl games coming soon….

Ranking the Months

December has arrived and didn’t waste any time bringing it’s freezing cold temperature along with it, at least in Atlanta. As I woke up freezing cold, I saw the date on my phone: 12/1/09 and I started thinking about what all December holds in store for me. I decided that there was only one thing left to do: create a ranked list of the best months of the year. I ranked the months using three main criteria: holidays, sports, and overall other attributes. (Note: I use the term “sports” loosely with a few of the events, but you get the point)

#1 OCTOBER
Perfect weather: not too hot, not too cold. I actually get to turn my heat/AC off too so I save a few bucks on the power bill which is a nice extra bonus. Somedays I get to wear shorts, others I get to wear a hoodie (my favorite clothing item, so comfortable). October is the basically the best of all worlds. The clear cut #1 month in my book.

Holidays: My favorite night of the year is in October: Halloween. There is no better night of the year to go out to a bar. You end up talking to almost everyone at the bar and taking pictures with strangers, its just a fun night. And who doesn’t love discounted candy? If Halloween doesn’t do it for you, maybe Columbus Day will.

Sports: Football in full swing, the NBA and NHL both start, you have college basketball midnight madness, and of course baseball playoffs. Easily, 100%, hands down, inarguably the greatest month for sports. This month has something great to offer a fan of just about any sport. There’s only one October….each year anyways.

#2 SEPTEMBER
I can't even think what I want to say about September, all I can think about at this point is that football is here! And yeah, beautiful weather. But FOOTBALL!

Holidays: We get a much appreciated long weekend with Labor Day. Cookouts, pool parties and consistently being able to wear shorts come to an end during September. And don’t forget to put those white pants away.

Sports: Finally! Football arrives, real football! No more preseason rankings (college) and training camp drama, we get to watch actual games on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, YESSSSSSSS! We also can get somewhat excited about baseball again with the final stretch of the regular season. And for racing fans, the NASCAR Chase begins. I don’t know what else to say about that.

#3 JUNE
June is always a good month to take a vacation which automatically moves it way up the list. You are guaranteed some beautiful weather.

Holidays: Father’s Day is always an enjoyable way to spend some quality time with the family. If you aren’t all partied out from Father’s Day, you can really have a blow out on Flag Day (182nd best drinking day of the year).

Sports: NBA finals and the Stanley Cup, not bad. Also we wrap up the Triple Crown with Belmont (most fun I’ve ever had in Vegas was watching Big Brown lay an egg against a huge money line in the ’08 Belmont race, cha-ching!). And get out your cream and berries because the first must see tennis tourney of the year, Wimbledon, beings. Baseball fans continue to see MLB action along with the College Baseball World Series.


#4 NOVEMBER
Food and football are what make November what it is. I know this is basically looking into the next to criteria, but we have to look at the month as a whole, and the theme of November is food and football. Nice weather too, for the most part. The leaves changing colors is a nice touch until the go brown and fall all over the ground. There is nothing better than sitting on the couch and watching three straight football games and a basketball game while trying to guess how many pounds of food you just ate.

Holidays: I’ve already hit on Thanksgiving, which is usually a nice short week at work. For those of us who work in the financial world, we get another little break in Veteran’s Day. Also a great day to be thankful for what you have as well as the sacrifices others make so you can sit at home and get fat while watching sports. Thanks Vets!!!!!

Sports: again, touched on football and basketball. Also we get to celebrate the end of NASCAR, I’m thankful that it no longer occupies time on Sportscenter. Although I couldn’t bring myself to watch this year due to hating both teams, the World Series is now played in early November. I think its ridiculous that the season goes this long, but hey, more to be thankful for during November.

#5 DECEMBER

December is definitely scoring some points for days off of work (even if you aren’t given holidays, people usually take off anyway). People are generally more friendly during this time of year too.

Holidays: Christmas and New Year’s Eve- both fun and enjoyable for obvious reasons. December never offers a reason to slack off on having a good time.

Sports: we have the NBA, NHL and NFL in full swing. It’s the key stretch for NFL teams who are hoping to make the playoffs, so we usually get some good football. We also get college football championship games and the start of bowl season toward the end of December. The majority of the good bowl games are played in January, but we get at least a few decent matchups before year’s end.

#6 MARCH
The weather starts getting a little more bearable in March, although I think it snowed in Atlanta last year during March. Can’t beat drinking green beer and the leaves starting to come back on trees.

Holidays: St. Patrick’s Day is always a good time. Sometimes Easter? That’s all I could really come up with. Unless you’re in school and still get a spring break, in which case I hate you.

Sports: March Madness is really the highlight of the month. Fire up the office pools! Nothing will beat the time I was at work and the entire server shut itself down because too many people were streaming the games online- you know it’s a good event when that happens. Also we have the start of the very long NBA and NHL playoffs, but those are both marathons.

#7 JULY
Pool parties, cookouts, crazy heat, sun burns, and an indescribable itch for football are things that come to mind when I think about July. Its usually at this point in the year where I bust out old Madden or College Football games and update the rosters and act like its current, even though I know its not. The new games usually come out later in the month which helps, but I’m jonesing bad for some football in July.

Holidays: Independence Day is definitely one of the better holidays throughout the year. Not only do most people get the day off, you get a combination of patriotism, overeating/drinking,

and explosions! What could possibly be better than that?!

Sports: The MLB All-Star Weekend is a good watch. We also get the finals at Wimbledon, the Tour de France, and the British Open. Great month for international sports as well as America’s favorite pastime.


#8 MAY
May flowers, ahhhhhhh. Probably the 2nd best month of the year as far as weather goes. The temperature is just right and the pollen has usually cleared. Its amazing the effect weather has on your mood, I just find myself usually happy in May for some reason.

Holidays: We are treated to a nice long weekend for Memorial Day, perfect time for a beach trip. We also get to spend some quality time with mom for Mother’s Day. Anytime I can make my mom feel special is a good day for me.

Sports: The NBA playoffs are booming in May. Fans of the ponies are treated to the Kentucky Derby and Preakness; both are always fun to watch. Auto racing fans also get to enjoy the Indy 500. MLB is at full speed too, not a bad month for sports fans.

#9 APRIL
Time to bust out the shorts and t-shirts again once April arrives. The weather is nice, definitely able to start hosting cookouts by this point. Although, there is that whole rhyme about April showers, so don’t get too excited about perfect weather just yet. Also, pollen can be really annoying. You’re losing points for pollen, April!

Holidays: Sometimes Easter and Earth Day, not the greatest month for Holidays. If the government was serious about going green they should look into making Earth day a national holiday, don’t you think?

Sports: America’s favorite pastime kicks off its regular season in April. We also get to see The Masters, which is the one must watch golf tournament of the year for me (even though I end up watching several others- I always catch the Masters). We also have the ever-changing event known as the NFL draft. This year the first round is on a Thursday night, 2nd and 3rd rounds are on Friday and the remaining rounds are on Saturday. Good ‘ol Roger likes to mix things up.

#10 JANUARY
Not a bad month, although it starts getting way too cold for my liking. There is still enough positive stuff during the month to put it too low on the list due to awful weather.

Holidays: New Year’s Day and MLK Day, two days off of work, thank you very much. New Year’s Day is reserved for watching football and nursing hangovers while MLK day is usually just spent nursing hangovers, no football that day.

Sports: Not a bad sports month since we get the college football bowl games and the NFL playoffs. The NBA and NHL are still in full swing as well. But, here’s the kicker: WWE Royal Rumble! How can you not love the Royal Rumble? It is the one wrestling event that I won’t miss every year, and usually the only pay per view I buy all year (unless there is a can’t miss boxing match or something, but even those don’t compare to the Rumble). There is nothing more amusing than watching a living room full of people who are gambling on a fake wrestling match screaming “FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!” every couple of minutes in anticipation of who is coming out next, only to have the guy who drew The Miz shake his head in shame after realizing that his hopes of winning the Rumble pool are in shambles.


#11 FEBRUARY
Cold. Freezing cold. Not good. A month can’t hurt itself any worse than being miserably cold. However, we do have one of the biggest sporting events of the year, as well as my birthday and Mardi Gras. February definitely overcame its awful temperatures with a slew of exciting events.

Holidays: One of the year’s greatest consumer holidays, Valentine’s Day, highlights the month. Although I’m not a big fan, Valentine’s Day is usually very popular for women who are typically treated to nice dinners, flowers, candy and expensive gifts. Men usually get a bottle of cologne and a nice huge credit card balance. I’m scoring V-Day for the ladies. Also, if you are lucky enough to get it, February offers the President’s Day holiday which allows for a nice long weekend. And if you want to get picky, Groundhog’s Day is also in February.

Sports: the Superbowl, doesn’t get any bigger than that. We also get the NBA All-star Game as well as the NHL All-star Game, both entertaining weekends. If you’re into racing (…..anyone?) the Daytona 500 is your bright spot here. Also not included in the sporting events, though it should be, is the Mardi Gras beer funneling competition.


#12 AUGUST
August is the only month of the year without a notable holiday. It basically lacks an identity and doesn’t have anything major to look forward to, other than school starting back up (which means college football is on the way!).

Sports: Basically limited to MLB during August but we do get the start of NFL training camp and the US Tennis Open. By this point in the baseball season, I’m far more interested in preseason NFL games than any baseball games. Shorten the season already!


There you have it. October wins the month of the year award and August is in the dog house. Let’s hear how you rank the months in the comments section. If you don’t have any input I’ll just assume you agree with my flawless rankings.

Quick note to women: do NOT have your wedding during football season. Seriously. Do us all a favor and have it in August or April when we are bored. If you have any questions regarding scheduling a wedding around a sporting event, feel free to give me a call. Consultations are free.

Only 10 months until next October….