By West Lamy
At the site of Super Bowl XLIV; Miami, Florida in my hometown the dynamite was lit. New Orleans Saints CB Tracy Porter lit that dynamite when he stepped in front of Reggie Wayne, intercepted Peyton Manning’s pass and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown to make the Saints first championship a done deal. Congratulations, New Orleans Saints you are the first team to take a three-game losing streak into the playoffs yet win the Super Bowl.
A week ago on Sunday, Valentines Day- BOOM goes the dynamite!
No, I did not have a valentine; because the country is in a recession and I can’t afford one this year. It was great to see couples holding hands, showing affection on this day. However, there was a heart wrenching, sad, maybe even morose reality on this holiday. Pieces of shrapnel from the dynamite broke my heart because…football season was officially over.
And the NFL could lock out players in 2011. The cancellation of National Football League games would obviously leave a huge void on Sunday afternoons during the fall and winter that follows this next one.
So what about distraction from this void? I reside in Chicago; let me summarize the sports happenings in the Chi during the first week without football.
The Chicago White Sox were in the running for Johnny Damon, but not the 2004 Boston Red Sox model. The Sox eventually lost him to the Detroit Tigers, yes Detroit was more alluring believe it or not. The Bulls Trade John Salmons and Tyrus Thomas, did they get Tracy McGrady or Amare Stoudemire? Or anyone of major substance?
Moving on. It is hard to smile when my off week includes the Chicago Blackhawks also not working. Because of all the teams I cover regularly, they are the only one with a visible championship window.
Then another piece of the dynamite hits me . NFL fans born after 1980 would have a hard time remembering the last time the National Football League cancelled games due to labor problems.
Next season, the last under the current agreement, is on track to be played without a salary cap. And this would inevitably end a period of labor peace which began after the 1987 strike. That stoppage cancelled 14 games and brought us three weeks of play with replacement players. The owners claim it’s currently not working for them and that too much of the revenue goes to the players. The 1982 season was reduced to a mere nine-game schedule and playoffs. The strike lasted 57 days, the equivalent of two months.
I am already prepared to jump off a ledge after just two weeks. Hey Tiger, wait up I need a ride to rehab!