Losing Touch

If you read this blog with any regularity, you will notice I haven't mentioned sports in a while (at least not in their most pure, athletic nature). When I returned to the world of blogging it wasn't my intention to ever really blog about sports... but then it was inevitable that I did - the Oilers went on their glorious playoff run and the World Cup basically took over my life. Lately, though, sports have been omitted from my life, even my participation in them. So, this post will redemptive in a way.

Hockey

After the Hurricanes won The Cup, I tried to put as much distance between myself and the aftermath as I could, partially to let time heal my wounded spirit, paritally because the off-season just isn't my thing. I mentioned it a loooong time ago: I only really like hockey on the ice. I'm not particularly interested in the business aspect of it (or of any sport, really), and with the new CBA and whatnot, there seems to be a lot more business. While I don't care for numbers and other details, the player transactions still interest me - I like to know where players are staying or headed, how teams are going to shape up for the upcoming season. Of course, I am particularly interested in how the Oilers are going to shape up, how they are going to follow last season's unexpectedly awesome performance. This is where the wheelin' and dealin' upsets me slightly. Currently it's harder for me to tell whether this new CBA is making it easier to build a franchise, or easier to deconstruct one. Opporunities easily gained are accordingly easily lost. It just seems to me that the NHL is now rental hockey with all these one- and two-year deals being signed... I don't like it. Conversely, I am ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED that Ales Hemsky was inked for six years with the Oilers. It's an excited type of relief knowing that that sort of talent is going to mature with this club.

Eh.... I was going to write more on hockey, but I lost my train of thought. On a tangentially related note, here I am linked as a general hockey blog, and this is the first mention of hockey I have made in over a month. How embarrassing!

Football (Soccer)

I got caught up in the painful aftermath of the World Cup, but it obviously wasn't over the actual sport. I have been trying to keep myself informed on the Serie A match-fixing scandal fallout, but since I hardly get a decent chance at watching any league games during the regular season anyway, I really am not that interested.

Circumstances both within and beyond my control have resulted in me playing soccer only once in the last month. That once was less than fun as well: I had to mind the net against one of the better teams in the league when my team was short players on a hot and windy day. And with the current weather, it doesn't look like I will be playing tomorrow night.

Football (Football)

After cheering the Esks onto victory last season, I had every intention of doing the same this season. I had it all planned out: I'd watch all their games, go to a few if I could, maybe even log onto FSN for some fantasy sports fun. But that totally fell through. I bet you I don't even know their record right now. 2-3? Have they even played that many games? The only part of their season I saw was last week against the Bombers, LOSING in the most ridiculous fashion. Painful, it was.

Okay, so maybe this post was more about resignation that redemption. But I assure you I will be back on sporty form come October. The Oilers will be on the ice, European leagues will be well into their seasons, the Grey Cup will be approaching, I will be playing my beloved indoor soccer.