Something to look forward to...

I’m sitting here at home, surrounded by an icy world of death outside, unable to start my car or even leave my home. I had big plans to visit a lady friend of mine today, ruined. I needed to file my taxes, not happening. I also planned on cleaning my car out, not today, although in all honesty, I wasn’t doing that anyway. Point in case, I’m grasping at straws for a bright side to everything today. Here’s what I found.

The Super Bowl is over, pitchers and catchers report in 9 days, and in less than two months I will be occupying one glorious seat at The Ted while watching Tim Hudson outduel Carlos Zambrano as the Braves win on Opening Day. It’s a glorious thought.

In less time than it takes to get confused watching Lost, the baseball season will be here. All the “sign Damon” rumors will be gone, talk of who will be able to do this and that will fade away, and we will have the warmth of the sun within us as we just simply watch as they play the games.

This brings me joy.

I don’t know how long you’ve all followed the Braves, but for me it has been my entire life. I don’t understand the quality start stat because I grew up watching Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz. (Actually, let’s be honest, regardless of whom you grew up watching that stat is bogus) I remember when Andruw Jones wasn’t an overweight waste of life. I was watching the game when we traded John Rocker. It is in my blood, and it is all that I know.

With those past memories at my side, I look forward, with a touch of youthful optimism, to the memories I will make this year.  I’m excited to go to more games this year than I ever have. I can’t wait to see Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens throw their first complete games of their respected careers. I can hardly sleep when I start thinking of the arrival of Jason Heyward to the majors. My nose is twitching with the tantalizing aroma of the playoffs. And my heart breaks just a little when I envision the sad goodbye we’ll all say to one Bobby Cox.

The 2010 Braves will mean different things to all of us. Some of us will be starting new chapters with our children, raising them up with the tomahawk chop. Some will be replacing old heroes with new phenoms. Where ever you are at in Braves timeline, 2010 should be a year to remember for the Braves.

So if you’re stuck in snow, or if life is filling up with another s word, rest easy, baseball season is just around the corner. It won’t be too long before we’re standing up chanting in rhythm “OOOOH-OOOH-OOhOOOHOOH!” and settling in to our seats watching as the season unfolds to something that should be truly unforgettable.