The Top 10 Best Sports Days Of The Year
Bryan Altman, CBS Local Sports
I'll be the first to admit that baseball's Opening Day is one of my favorite days of the sports year. The beginning of the baseball season brings along with it the promise of warmer weather, countless amounts of burgers and hot dogs, cold beers, freshly cut grass and the promise of games on an almost daily basis from now until October hits.
As awesome as all of those things are, yesterday there seemed to be an unusually high number of people suggesting that MLB Opening Day is "the best day of the sports year." Could it be? Perhaps, but I'm not exactly ready to hand over as gaudy a title as "best day of the sports year" without a little bit more analysis. So let's take a look at the contenders for the best day of the sports year.
Disclaimer: This list will only consider annual events. Events like the beginning of the Olympic games or the FIFA World Cup can't be considered because they don't happen every year. This also rules out one-off events as well such as the impending Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight. Let's begin.
1. Super Bowl Sunday
Was there ever really going to be a debate about this one? In a Utopian future that we can all get behind, the Monday following Super Bowl Sunday will be a national holiday, at least that would be my platform if I were ever to run for president. Besides the Super Bowl parties, great food, and Super Bowl boxes, we can finally stop listening to two weeks worth of analysis and get down to the biggest and best game of the sports year.
2. New Year's Eve/Day Bowl Games
In a strange twist the NCAA has decided to play the BCS Playoff games on New Year's Eve for the next two years and then revert back to New Year's Day for the 2017-18 season. The fact of the matter is, the NCAA could play these games on the moon at 2:00 a.m. and people would still be getting excited to watch them unfold. The fact that we get to start or end a year watching four of the best teams compete for the coveted two spots in the national title game is just an added bonus.
3. First Day Of The NCAA Tournament
A day of 16 college basketball games all with wild finishes, stunning upsets and bracket busting ramifications is as close to a perfect sports day as anyone can ask for. The only issue with the first day of the NCAA Tournament is that it falls right in the middle of a work day. It is kind of fun watching on a small computer screen or on your phone while trying to pretend that it's "just another day at the office," but everyone really just wants to be at the bar down the block watching the madness unfold.
4. MLB Opening Day
As I mentioned before, Opening Day is just Americana at its finest. It's also one of the rare days during the MLB season where everyone is excited about baseball. That's not a knock on baseball by the way, it's just that it's hard to get excited about game 98 of 162 in the middle of the summer.
5. Masters Sunday
Whether you're a big time golf fan or not, it's hard not to tune in for a Sunday at Augusta National. The most coveted title in all of the golf world is that of Masters champion and there's nothing more exciting than watching the best of the best try and come away with the green jacket on one of the most beautiful and storied golf courses in the world.
6. Daytona 500
The roar of the engines at "The Great American Race" is one of the most exciting sounds in all of sports. The most amazing thing about the Daytona 500 is that it's the first race of the NASCAR season. Basically, the Daytona 500 combines the excitement of opening day with the unique distinction of also being the most prestigious and important race of the calendar year.
7. Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby may be known for its rich history, but it's also known for the richness that pervades Churchill Downs the first Saturday of every May. Fancy hats, big wagers, a $2 million dollar purse and America's eyes on the horse racing world for a day make Derby day one of the best days of the year.
8. Championship Sunday
While most casual fans salivate over Super Bowl Sunday, for the hardcore football fans its often Championship Sunday that takes the cake as the best day of the football year. Back to back games between the two best teams in each conference with a spot in the Super Bowl at stake creates some incredible drama and one more perfect Sunday of nothing but football before the NFL's biggest game two weeks later.
9. NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is arguably the most important day of the NFL year for many teams. It's a potential fresh start for all 32 NFL teams and an opportunity to completely change their fortunes if they play their cards right. For fans, it's an equally exciting day filled with tension and anticipation, hoping that your team can improve its lot and become a contender next season.
10. Selection Sunday
This is where the Madness begins. Selection Sunday has become a nation-wide must-see event thanks to live look-ins as bubble teams learn their fate at the same time we do. It's a joyous day for those who make it and a not-so-thrilling day for others but it's a great way to start the NCAA Tournament.
More from Bryan? You can email him or find him on Twitter @bcaltman.