People who are around me much will confirm that the one thing I hate most about my personality is that I am usually the person in a group who comes up with the reason why we can't do something. That’s too bad, because I really am a pretty positive, affirming person who enjoys encourage people and putting smiles on their faces. But let's call it like it is – I am a walking, overweight, balding wet blanket. That means I can be no fun at parties because I see the whole, big picture and don't get stuck in the euphoria of the moment. I blame it on my mom for raising me as a Cubs fan – low expectations. But how much you enjoy sports, and life, often depends on your perspective. Your world view affects everything you do. So today I want to offer you some sports-related and real-life situations going on right now in a bad news/good news format with hopes you will look at things differently. For example: • BAD NEWS: Notre Dame's fall from football grace has landed them in the Music City Bowl on a Tuesday afternoon at 3pm. • GOOD NEWS: Nashville at Christmas time is very beautiful and fans will love it. Not very warm, but beautiful. (see...positive!) • BAD NEWS: The Bears are bad, and the season couldn't get over fast enough. • GOOD NEWS: The Blackhawks and Bulls have made us forget the Bears ... heck the Cubs’ and White Sox’s offseason moves have us more excited about their futures than the Mess on the Midway. • BAD NEWS: Michigan Wolverine fans who were glad to get out of football season and into basketball had to sit through their loss Saturday at home to New Jersey Institute of Technology. • GOOD NEWS: They didn't get any taunting emails from their Purdue friends after the Boilers lost to North Florida about an hour later. • BAD NEWS: Philadelphia has started the NBA season 2-18. • GOOD NEWS: That's two games better than they had planned to be by the 20th game of the season. • BAD NEWS: Ohio State is the fourth seed in the college football playoff on New Year's Day. • GOOD NEWS: Hmmm ... guess I have nothing on that one, sorry (giggle!). • BAD NEWS: I had a hard time making out a Christmas list for people to buy me things because I am 46 and don't really need a lot of stuff. • GOOD NEWS: I never remember anything I put on my list so I am always surprised by what I get. • BAD NEWS: Junior Varsity basketball games now have seven minute quarters instead of six. In my official research, it's added and average of 12 minutes to the length of the games. • GOOD NEWS: It will allow coaches to play kids whose parents have threatened to move their alleged little superstars to another school district if they don't get to play, thus proving whether they can or not. • BAD NEWS: The winter of 2014-15 is just starting. • GOOD NEWS: Winter is like baseball season: a different game every day, and every day it doesn't snow is a win. Every time it snows we lose. Last winter was a bad year, but we are on quite a winning streak to start this one. Next week, we'll help Santa decide who has been naughty and who has been nice in sports.
