The best time of the year. Many people recognize that phrase as a famous Christmas carol. Others associate that phrase with the Christmas holiday itself.
However, sports fans would argue that the best time of the year takes place during the transition from winter to spring, and not because the weather allows for 18 rounds of golf. During this span, two sports are ending their season, one is just beginning, and the other is adding the next generation of athletes.
Throughout the month of March and beginning of April, college basketball brings a madness to the sports world. Other than Superbowl weekend, March Madness may very well be the most popular sporting event in all of America. Most men, and women, have a sense of pride to be the best at what they do and filling out their March Madness bracket is no different. That causes the games to be watched with a sense of ergency, as every fan wants to correctly pick every game and ultimatelly the National Championship. Fans aren't the only ones who are on edge during the tournament. The players and coaches want to leave their legacy and make history with every upset and buzzer beater. March Madness alone could make an arguement for these few weeks being the best time of the year.
America's past time also begins a new chapter during this time period. Even with March Madness going on, the start of Major League Baseball has their opening night to themselves. On the first Saturday in April, college basketball is down to the Final Four, with the National Championship game being the following Monday. The opening of the MLB season is sandwiched between the two and opens up with a Sunday night game. Normally, the game features two of the top teams from the previous season in an ESPN Sunday night game. The following day, along with the National Championship game, the majority of the teams open up their season with a select few opening up Tuesday. Once again, the sports fan gets to enjoy the best time of the year with two Final Four games, a National Championship game, and Opening Day in Major League Baseball all within a three day period.
Out of all the major sports throughout the country, both college and professional, the NBA would be one of the least popular for many. However, this is the time to enjoy the NBA season. In mid April, the six month NBA regular season comes to an end and the playoffs begin. One reason the NBA is at the bottom in popularity is due to the 82 game season spread over six months. Many of the players are notrious for slacking off during some of the regular season games which takes a lot of the excitement away. That changes once the playoffs begin. The NBA showcases some of the greatest athletes in the world and the playoffs let you see these athletes squaring off over a five or seven game series. Whether you watch the playoffs to cheer for or against a certain team, it will provide great games which in turns adds to the greatness of this time of year.
The last sport during this time period is enjoyed in a different way then the other three. There isn't any madness, or even games for that matter. This sport simply provides sports fans with a draft. Many people would argue it's hard to justify a draft adding excitement to this time of the year. However, this isn't just any draft. It's the draft for the most popular sport in the world. This draft was recently moved to primetime which means it's something fans want to see. Of course, I'm refering to the NFL draft. This is by far the most popular offseason event for any sport. The draft gives fans an opportunity to see who their favorite team will be drafting. Whether that player is the next MVP or turns out to be a bust, it gives the fas an excitement leading up to and during the season. The are able to watch this player develop right before their eyes. It also gives fans an excitement to see if the player their team drafted in the fifth round is the steal of the draft. The draft provides so many story lines for fans that keeps them buzzing for the next five months leading up to the season.
Whether the famous Christmas carol is referring to it or not, when it comes to sports fans, it's obvious that these two months provide the best time of the year.
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