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It's the football guides -- college and pro alike -- that proved too much for me.
Perhaps I owe you some sort of an explanation. I had a health scare last week. It required a "procedure" -- performed at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, pictured above -- that I was afraid would lead to a bigger one, and, for a while, I wasn't even sure I would be around to see the end of last week, let alone the end of the baseball season, my 50th Birthday in December, and, most importantly, the end of the Trump Administration, however that happens.
As basketball legend Bill Walton, who had enough of it on his legs, taught us, "'Minor surgery' is what they do to somebody else." From my recent experience, I can tell you: So is "a minimally invasive procedure."
It turns out, I'm not staring imminent death in the face. I'm just out of shape, and need to eat less and exercise more.
So, the last few MLB and the last couple of MLS guides will not be done. Hopefully, everything will be taken care of, and things will get back to whatever passes for "normal" with me.
I will still do 2 college football trip guides that I have put off for a few years too long. Perhaps the original college football rivalries: Harvard vs. Yale, and Army vs. Navy.
And then, starting in the Spring of 2020, everything will start all over again.
God willing.
*
God willing, I will also get to see the following happen:
Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 2, this Tuesday night, at 8:00 New York Times, against Uruguay, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. On Friday night, they played like garbage against arch-rival Mexico at the Meadowlands.
Days until Arsenal play again: 7, a week from this morning, at 11:30 AM New York time, away to Hertfordshire team Watford. Their last game, before this weekend's "international break" or "Interlull," was home to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby, and they came back from 2-0 down to forge a 2-2 draw that did neither team any favors.
Days until the New York Red Bulls play again: 7, a week from this afternoon, at 3:30 PM New York time, away to the Seattle Sounders.
Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 12, on Friday night, September 20, at 7:00 PM, away to Monroe. They opened their season, and the head coaching tenure of Andy Steinfeld, at home to arch-rival Old Bridge, and lost 17-14.
Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 13, on Saturday, September 21, home to Boston College. After defeating the University of Massachusetts at home in the season opener, yesterday, they went out to Iowa and lost 30-0. This was considerably more indicative of their actual talent level.
Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": 14, on Sunday night, September 22, against the Philadelphia Union, at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls next play D.C. United the following Sunday, also at RBA. They will not play New York City or the New England Revolution again during the regular season. However, all 4 of these rival teams remain potential Playoff opponents.
Days until the New Jersey Devils play again: 26, on Friday night, October 4, at the Prudential Center, against the Winnipeg Jets. Under 4 weeks.
Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 31, on Wednesday night, October 9, against the Philadelphia Flyers, a.k.a. The Philth, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The season's 1st game against the New York Rangers, a.k.a. The Scum, will be on Thursday, October 17, at the Prudential Center. The 1st game against the New York Islanders will be on Thursday, January 2, 2020, at the Barclays Center.
Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State football game: 83, on Saturday, November 30, at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. Under 12 weeks.
Days until my 50th Birthday, at which point I can join AARP and get discounts for travel and game tickets: 101, on December 18, 2019. A little over 3 months.
Days until the premiere of the final Star Wars film, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker: 103, on December 20, 2019.
Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 135, on January 21, 2020. A little over 4 months.
Days until the next North London Derby: 230, on Saturday, April 25, Arsenal's 1st visit to the new Tottenham Stadium, adjacent to the site of the previous White Hart Lane. It is currently scheduled to be on the 16th Anniversary of the 2nd time that Arsenal won the League at White Hart Lane -- but also the last time Arsenal won the League anywhere. Of course, for TV reasons, the game could be moved to another date, probably the next day.
Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series (after this current one) begins: 243, on May 8, 2020, at Yankee Stadium II. Yes, the 2020 MLB schedule has already been released. This, of course, presumes that the Red Sox will not make the 2019 Playoffs, as is now almost assured.
Days until Euro 2020 begins, a tournament being held all over Europe instead of in a single host nation: 278, on Friday, June 12, 2020. A little over 9 months.
Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 320, on July 24, 2020. Under 11 months.
Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge football game: Presumably, given the 2019 schedule, 362, on Friday night, September 11, 2020, away at the purple shit pit on Route 9.
Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 422, on November 3, 2020. A little over a year, or a little under 14 months.
Days until a fully-Democratic-controlled Congress can convene, and the Republicans can do nothing about it: 483, on January 3, 2021. Under a year and a half, or a little under 16 months.
Days until Liberation Day: 500, at noon on January 20, 2021. Under a year and a half, or a little over 16 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.
Days until the next Winter Olympics begins in Beijing, China: 880, on February 4, 2022. Under 2 1/2 years, or a little under 29 months.
Days until the next World Cup is scheduled to kick off: 1,170, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. A little over 3 years, or a little over 38 months. The charges of corruption against Qatar may yet mean that they will lose the tournament, in which case it will be moved to a nation where it would not be too hot to play it in June and July.
Days until the next Women's World Cup is scheduled to kick off: As yet unknown, but probably on the 2nd Friday in June 2023, which would be June 9. That would be 1,370 days, a little under 4 years, or a little over 44 months. A host nation is expected to be chosen on March 20, 2020. Since 2 of the last 3 host nations have been in Europe, North America (Canada) hosted in 2015, and Asia (China) hosted in 2007, my guess is that it will be in either Asia (Japan, possibly Korea, but not China) or Oceania (Australia, possibly a joint bid with New Zealand).
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