A Bucket List Of Sorts

Hope to do all this before I get THIS wrinkled.
(returntomanliness.com)

After my 3rd trip to Camden Yards this weekend, and as I think of the upcoming series between the Sox-Yankees this weekend in the new Jack in the Bronx, I realized that I could get used to traveling to different sports venues. Nothing like experiencing a different fusion of atmospheres from varying fanatic cultures. In a way, I kind of regret not going to the old Yankee Stadium to watch a Sox game, not necessarily because it's gone now, but because the rivalry has lost a bit of its luster in the new house. Nothing takes away from the intensity of a rivalry like a bunch of big wigs and dark suits occupying just about every seat near the vicinity of the playing field. Anyway, I thought about what sporting events would entice me the most, events that not only have high significance in itself, but also bring an atmosphere as if you were in another planet. It's amazing to look at my Top 5, considering that 2 of the events are soccer related, which is either really progressive or really disturbing. I also listed two rivalries that aren't Yanks-Sox, and even a hockey event is thrown in, which has me looking for a doctor as we speak. I'll let you figure out my overall health as you read on. Ladies and gents, here are my main events.

Would be a great poster for the word, "Intensity".
(freepicks.org)

5. Michigan - Ohio State Football

Gosh, they're about 10,000 major college rivalries. Texas-Oklahoma, USC-UCLA and you can't forget about one small basketball rivalry down in North Carolina that gets everyone buzzing in winter/springtime. But this college rivalry seems to be the cream of the crop in terms of pure passion, and none of the guys on the field are getting paid for the animosity (or so we think). I first was intrigued with this rivalry due to the simple fact that my mom's high school colors were blue and gold while the colors of my teenage stomping grounds were red and white. It's one of those rivalries that almost makes me wish I went to a school with a good football team, but at least I can still say that my team is still undefeated. But hey, if you can make me give all my attention to a college football game, you deserve a medal, or an achievement award from the president. With a game that is always positioned at the end of the season, each contest almost screams for greatness. These two schools are clearly the giants in their conference (if not the nation), combining for 75 occasions in which they were Big 10 Conference champions. Excluding the recent domination of Ohio State, the rivalry is near-even historically (57-42-6, Advantage Michigan). And this rivalry has the classic games to back up the prestige and the hype. There is the infamous "Snow Bowl", where Michigan defeated OSU for the Big 10 title in one of the worst blizzards in Ohio history, while combining for 45 punts in a 9-3 game. There was the 1973 contest in which both teams entered the game undefeated with the Rose Bowl on their minds, and ended up battling to a 10-10 tie. A vote by all the ADs in the Big 10 followed, and the Buckeyes ended up being the advancing team, making the Wolverines and their fans go all Randy Savage for months. And don't forget the 2006 matchup in which #1 Ohio State (11-0) defeated #2 Michigan (also 11-0) in a classic back-and-forth 42-39 contest to determine who would enter the BCS title game. Who would I root for in this battle that is simply known as "The Game" by many? Let's just say I'll side with whoever will make me avoid the least bodily harm.

Scene at the 2008 NHL Winter Classic.
(upload.wikimedia.org)

4. NHL Winter Classic
Just when I've been pushed off the hockey cliff forever, here comes one of the most brilliant ideas in sports. When the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning won Lord Stanley's Cup before the '04-'05 lockout, I thought that my hockey love, which I actually considered to be my favorite sport for a period of time in my pre-tween years, had all but vaporized into apathetic energy. But a league saving idea was born before all of that in 2003, when the Canadiens and Oilers duked it out in the Heritage Classic in the 1st outdoor regular season game. That one game pretty much saved hockey not just for me, but for others who were actually starting to put NASCAR, and even boxing ahead of the NHL in their personal sports rankings. This recent annual version of toothless ice capades actually stemmed from a 1991 exhibition game which the Kings and the Rangers played outdoors in all places, Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. If you know me, you know that cold weather can scare me from pretty much anything other than obviously living here in Massachusetts. But this event has a charm that makes me forget about the icicles that will grow out of my nose. The Classic symbolizes that January day somewhere in New England or Manitoba that the ponds freeze over and where everyone realized that it was time to whip out the torn-up pads and taped-up sticks. You played with a plastic ball, or some piece of rubber that wasn't even close to disc-shaped. You would wear the thick sweaters as you skated in below zero temperatures with your breath spouting out like the neighborhood chimneys. Not only that, it reminds me of the days when I loved hockey, when there were more teams in Canada than they were south of the Mason-Dixon Line. As much as I hate shivering to watch anything, this event is so worth it because it touches on the authenticity and gritty feel that hockey should represent. Plus, the hot chocolate will be as much nostalgia as it is a necessity. If anybody can score some tickets for the Classic at Fenway, my door is always open!

Barcelona - Madrid: Truly a world classic.
(media.itsfogo.com)

3. El Clásico - Real Madrid - Barcelona
With the emergence of the Spanish Premier League in the past couple of years, this rivalry has gotten more play globally, and boy does it deserve the attention. It's one of those battles that is becoming almost as big as the sport itself. In fact, this rivalry was one of the factors in why I picked Barça as my personal favorite. Imagine watching a contest with 4 out of the 5 best players in the world playing on one pitch. That is what we will get this year when Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká take on Barcelona's Leo Messi and Xavi in the two '09-'10 installations of El Clásico. But there's more to this rivalry that adds spice to the paella. The rivalry carries not only a competitive edge (considering that the two teams have combined for 50 Spanish League titles and 12 European titles), but the duel has so much political influence blended in from the days of the Franco regime, when Madrid represented the political status quo of Franco's Spain while Barcelona stood for the diverse cultures and languages that still exist in the country. It's almost as if the Spanish Civil War replays itself for 90 minutes twice a year in each respective city, making the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry seem like a minor bit of road rage. Just ask the players who switched to the other side of the rivalry who were greeted with pig heads (Feel lucky, Johny Damon!). That's just the kind of stuff I have to see in person, with my Barça jersey of course in the friendlier grounds of Camp Nou. With Real Madrid having only an 8 win edge in the series (68 wins to 60), you are pretty much guaranteed a classic every time. If I hit the lottery within the next two months, you definitely can predict my presence in Barcelona on November 29th.

Spring Training = True official 1st day of Spring.
(letsgoredsox.mlblogs.com)

2. Spring Training - Fort Myers
Never has the sound of cracking wood been so welcome. This would be the one day that I would choose to petition as a national holiday of all the major days in sports. As you probably know, I haven't walked on Floridian soil yet, but this would be my primary landing site (well, maybe next to Miami). As another grueling winter tears through New England, the first sun ray shines through in the form of red jerseys, the arrival of offseason acquisitions, the return of fan favorites and the hopes that this year will result in a World Series triumph. No wonder the birds fly down here! The fields and the equipment seem untouched and as pure as the blue Floridian sky, not scratched or dented by the rigors of midseason. When virtually everyone is at the nearest pharmacy thinking of a last minute gift for Valentine's Day, I take that time to arrange all my Sox jerseys and T-shirts and soak up every bit of news like the fans down south soak up every ounce of sunlight, right until the arrival of Opening Day. I mean, for what occasion would I turn down sunny days and baseball? O.K., maybe for a few things, but let's just say that sentiment is probably shared by many in my gender. In my world, the vernal equinox starts a month early, and one day I hope to celebrate in the proper place of worship. Now if only I didn't have to wait so long for the games to count.

World's tourney for the world's game. Primetime!
(chinadaily.com)

1. FIFA World Cup
Now these games count! What more can I say about this event? For one thing, it's contagious. So contagious that the swine flu, tuberculosis and even the black plague are envious of the epidemic that this worldwide party creates. People who don't even watch soccer all of a sudden pick a country (usually not the U.S., for obvious reasons) and ride the mania all the way to the final minute of extra time. In every game, there seems to be enough energy in the stands to power a whole continent, and a goal doesn't even have to be scored! I realize that two sets of Olympics pass through, but it is probably the only month in a four year span in which xenophobia is the cool trend. But at the same time, it's one of the best blends of passion, culture and sport the world has to offer. Germany-Russia and Spain-England would be exciting for historical reasons alone, even if they had never played a match. Every cross, goal and headbutt are placed under the microscope, in the backdrop of the sights and sounds (get ready for those horns in South Africa) of the host country in the midst of an international soccer party. All while 32 countries battle on the pitch to determine who owns the world's most valuable bragging rights in sports. Out of all the sporting events that I desire to go to, this event sure takes the trophy, and the confetti shower to go along with it.

Honorable Mentions: Duke-UNC Basketball, Wimbledon, The Masters, The World Series, NHL Montreal-Toronto game, Daytona 500, The Champions League

Before I Peace: Leap Of Fake

(espn.com)

Wow Ocho! Just wow! At first I was sort of into your shtick. I never really got some of the nitpicking and fussing by the NFL, or should I say the "No Fun League", about some of the things that go on the field. But from the Hall of Fame jacket to the name change, it just seems like you are losing touch with the thing you are actually getting paid for: To catch footballs. And now I hear that your brave "Lambeau Leap" stunt was not only into Bengal fans, but you bought those Bengals fans tickets in order to stage your mighty jump. Kinda anti climactic, ain't it? I was sort of expecting a gutsier stunt from a tough football player, but I got another tired act instead. Sorry to say that Hollywood is a long way from Cincinnati, Ochocinco, and you are slowly turning into the league's peacock, all those flashy feathers with not much to show for it. I know that this stunt wasn't the worst thing on Earth that could happen, but for the lackluster season you put up last year, you should worry less about your next TD celebration or attention-grabber and worry more about helping your Bengals, who haven't had a winning season in about 4 years. You don't have to stop tweeting or keep thinking that your Bengals will win 12 games (although watch for the NFL to give you a random drug test for that one), but it just seems as if your antics are creating more buzz than your play, which in the end is the only thing that your Cincy fans ultimately care about. You're lucky that your team is winning, but when the downturn in the performance of you and your team comes, don't be surprised when the fans stop asking for an encore.