The days can’t go by fast enough.
As we continue to race toward MLB Opening Day next Sunday, March 31, there are yet again a number of things on my mind that are getting me more and more excited for the season.
But this one is going to be tough for me.
It’s not because I’m worried with how the Braves will perform. I think they can make another run for the NL title; that is, if their starting pitcher lineup can heal (Beachy, Medlen and Minor are all on the DL)
It’s not because I’m going to have any trouble keeping up with them or will struggle to find time to watch them. I’m probably going to have the game cast going on at work if I can’t find a TV to watch.
This season is going to be tough because I won’t have my best friend, three-year roommate and baseball lover TJ Cornay watching the games with me. Some of my favorite memories from college are watching the Braves on a Sunday afternoon, going to games and screaming, “Let’s go, Bravos!” at the tops of our lungs when something good happened.
It wasn’t just the Braves we watched. We were glued to the Falcons and the Bulldogs every week, too.
Two years ago, the Falcons played the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the National League playoffs. TJ and I had ordered an extra-large Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza, cinnamon sticks and all the Gatorade anyone could ask for. We devoured that thing over the course of the game. Then it came down to a field goal, and Matt Bryant sent it soaring between the goal posts for a 30-28 win. As soon as we saw it was good, we leapt up in the air screaming at the top of our lungs with absolute joy. Then the Falcons went and blew a huge halftime lead to the 49ers in the NLC title game, but I don’t really want to talk about that.
In a similar situation, TJ and I were watching the 2012 SEC Championship game with Georgia and Alabama. We all know what happened, so there’s really no need for me to bring it back up. But we were both commiserating. TJ was able to shake it off. I wasn’t right for the next week, but I eventually got over it.
For the past four years of my life, baseball season meant springtime, bathing suits and watching the Braves with my buddy. It’s going to be different this year. Fortunately, I got him on speed dial.