Counterpost: Classic or a Back Seat to the Sunbelt Tourney?

So we are approaching young Sip's favorite time of the year. We have March Madness leading into Opening day, 2 of my 3 favorite sporting events of the year (first weekend of football being the third).

You'd be amazed how much sports viewing you can get done when you're unemployed. Add the sinking ship that is the Warriors to the mix and the truth is that when I'm not busy writing columns for Y2K or building my future NY real estate empire, my ass is usually parked on the couch with ESPN on.

So all the ingredients are in place. Huge baseball fan, lots of free time, extremely good mood and what should be top class baseball on television in the WBC.

Yet today, in the midst of the US' stunning loss to those hockey players from Canada, I found myself not caring at all.

I found myself flipping channels frequently even taking breaks to go to the store and to talk business with one of my real estate consultants back east.

All this in the midst of a very important game.

So what is it? What is it about this Classic that just doesn't work with me, a person who should be the game's target audience.

And that's where it hit me.

When it comes to exhibitions I find myself glued to the NBA All-Star Game. The World Cup I find amazing and even hockey, when it wasn't this year's Olympics, gets me.

But the two sports that I can't watch when in exhibition, baseball and football, happen to be my two favorites.

That is when I realized, baseball is not meant for exhibition. The games are too slow for exhibition. There are not enough exiciting plays in baseball and football.

It doesn't matter if you have the best players in the world on the field, there won't be more homeruns or sensational diving plays. Just like in the pro bowl, where there won't be more long bombs.

Baseball and football are games where you have to appreciate a "quality pitch" or a 5-yard run on first down.

You appreciate the smaller things. Which is why, when the games don't matter, when you dont have a vested interest in your team or a team, it loses some steam.

It may just be that I am not behind the US. The Yankees are the one team in professional sports that I truly hate and for that reason, I can't root for the US. I can't root for a team with A-Rod and Jeter.

So in this international storm of baseball, where the best teams and players come out and play, I find myself not caring who wins.

That's pretty remarkable for a guy like me. I can watch pretty much any baseball game all year and have some interest in the outcome.

But in the WBC, I have nothing. Which is why, come game time, I find myself flipping through the channels.

It's unfortunate because I was excited for this.

But in the end, I'd much rather be watching the NBA All-Star Game or Olympic basketball or World Cup soccer than the World Baseball Classic.

VCD,

SM