What's going on here?

By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine

Now on the night that the NBA season starts and we get to listen to umpteen trade rumors surrounding Kobe Bryant, I am about to utter these words in a sentence for the first time ever...THANK GOD BASEBALL IS OVER!

The offseason has never hit me like this one has. Over the last month I feel like I've lived three baseball seasons. Normally at this time I'm looking at free agents and I begin to get excited about the possibilities that will unfold before the calendar switches to 2008.

But that feeling isn't there this year. I've been a baseball fan for 25 years and as soon as the current campaign ends I'm ready for the next one to begin.

I'm not sure if it was the debacle that is now being labeled the Bronx Zoo II, which in the span of a month saw a third straight first-round playoff ouster, a ridiculous offer to Joe Torre that led to his departure, the passing over of Don Mattingly, Alex Rodriguez opting out of his contract during Game 4 of the World Series (which is a blessing for the Yanks), ending with Torre taking over the Dodgers and bringing Mattingly with him.

(Just an aside, but why couldn't that selfish piece of trash A-Rod show up to collect the Hank Aaron Award that he won because the fans voted for him? Hank Aaron was there.)

But it's not just about the Evil Empire. Throw on top of that one of the weakest free agent classes in baseball history, and a listless postseason that saw the Angels, Phillies, Diamondbacks, Cubs, and Rockies all get swept. The Yanks won one game, which was only good enough to prevent a sweep; the Indians had a 3-1 lead at home, and by the time the series was over no one was talking about Grady Sizemore or Travis Hafner. We all wanted to know about Paul Byrd and his little HGH problem; and the Mets and Padres both collapsed. And the fact the TBS did an atrocious job with their coverage just made the last three weeks torture.

AND FOR THE SECOND TIME IN FOUR YEARS THE RED SOX ARE THE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS. And for anyone not paying attention they have now won eight straight Fall Classic games and that run doesn't seem to be coming to a close any time soon.

I need a break. I could always relaxing in the monotony of baseball. I don't need to be thrilled every five seconds; I don't even need to watch every inning of every game, but I'm drained.

If I ever see Dane Cook again it will be too soon. And I thought that I couldn't despise anyone more than Joe Buck in October.

Somebody wake me up when April rolls around.

Now I'm just thankful that I have a five-month break. I can spend that time rooting for someone to knock off the Patriots, A-Rod to get signed by the Giants before getting busted for using steroids by George Mitchell, the Jets to provide me with another 1-15 season, and for someone, anyone to stop this crazy streak that's encompassing the sports team of Boston.

Is the Race for the Chase over yet?