HE SHOOTS---HE SCORES!!!

The thing about being a Canamerican that gets a bit confusing is the fall. I was born in the States, and watching baseball during the fall was one of the most anticipated times ever. When I was only 9, my life was ripped apart and I moved to Canada where baseball wasn't as popular. Sure there was the new Toronto Blue Jays, and the Montreal Expos (R.I.P.) had been around for a few years, but hockey was (and still is) king. However, as I grew up, I learned to love hockey. Ice hockey, in case some of you (if anyone ever does read this) might think I'm talking about field hockey, or roller hockey or God knows what else. It didn't hurt that when I was a kid, the New York Islanders won 4 straight Stanley Cups. Being from New York I had something to cheer about. I remember the exact moment when John Tonelli passed the puck on a 2 on 1 to Bob Nystrom, who beat Pete Peeters for the series ending goal. A goal only topped by Bobby Orr's Cup Winner in NHL play (I'm not including international play, in case any Paul Henderson fans are out there, you know who you are). That being said, I still miss the nostalgia baseball offers. The game moves so slow, you can analyze every single play. You become manager, player, umpire and coach with each pitch. You become entralled with the mesmerizing statistics that are compiled. My personal favorite involves the batting average a certain player has with 2 outs, runners on 2nd and 3rd, at home, against a RHP, at night. I now know that most of my baseball heroes were probably "juiced" but what saddens me more was the cancelling of the 1994 World Series. To me, baseball has never been the same since. For some reason, even though there was no 2004-2005 season in hockey, I still find myself enthraled with the upcoming season. Who was traded where, what free agents are left etc. etc... I don't know why I'm so easy on hockey and so tough on baseball. It doesn't make sense. And as the fall approaches and the summer wanes, I find myself interested in baseball again, but not as much as what hockey has to offer. So here's to the upcoming World Series (Go Mets), and the beginning of hockey (He Shoots He Scores!). Wait a minute, I forgot about football, oh well, maybe next time.