getting my hopes up

Tomorrow could rank as one of the best days ever for local sports fans. At least it will for this one. If you're not from Cincinnati, you can't possibly understand the excitement of Opening Day. I know Opening Day is a big deal in most MLB cities, but here it is an event. This could be because we put way more weight on Opening Day than any other day, as opposed to being passionate and dedicated fans for all 162 games. Not saying I'm proud of this fact, but it seems as though Opening Day annually provides a respite from the usual pessimism of Reds fans. Even last October when we still mathematically had a chance to make the playoffs, nobody cared. In fact, once the Bengals season kicked off, nobody talked about the Reds anymore. Even though there was still a month left in the season and the Reds were in contention for the first time in years.

It's also my first Opening Day in downtown Cincinnati. I'll get to watch the Opening Day parade, which kicks off at 10 am. The game doesn't start til 2:10, so there is a good chance i'll get to catch the end after work. Probably going to hit up a downtown bar for an extended happy hour. If the Reds open 2007 with a win it will serve as a great appetizer for the day's main course.

Sweet, sweet revenge. I want to see Joakim "Sanjaya" Noah bawling like Adam Morrison on the Georgia Dome floor around 11:30 pm. I want to see Ron Lewis have his "One Shining Moment." I want to see the Thad Five have their "First Shining Moment." Of course, I wouldn't mind seeing all of this happen with Oden on the bench.

I'm not saying there's a conspiracy out there, but think about how many people would benefit from Oden coming back next year. College basketball, the Buckeyes, Thad Matta and Oden's teammates. Why do you think they play so hard when he's not in the game? They are determined to win like no other young group i've seen. Mike Conley, Jr. is one of the best leaders I've seen play point guard. He would give any team in the nation an extra 4-6 wins. If the Buckeyes crapped out every time Oden was on the bench in foul trouble, there would be an argument that he is an unstoppable game changer. He's not even the MVP of this team. That would be Conley or Lewis. No doubt they are a better team with him on the floor, but he knows he can be so much more dominant. I am so tired of hearing people criticize his demeanor. Anyone who watches his games closely will notice that he is a fierce competitor. I can think of two game-changing dunks in this tournament that showed his emotional side. Last night, when he threw down with two hands and then slapped the backboard. And against Tennessee when he had a follow dunk and let out a mighty roar. That changed the game completely. He knows how good he is and doesn't need to tell people about it. He goes out and plays hard. Look at how frustrated he gets when he isn't playing well. He is harder on himself than any coach could be. i think OSU was the perfect fit for him. If he went to another program with established veterans and a more experienced coach, he could have easily been misunderstood and had his season wasted. Playing with Conley and the other freshmen and being Matta's first megastar recruit have created the perfect situation. He can be Greg without having to carry the team on his back and without the pressure that critics in the media and Joey Dorsey(who?) try to put on him. Still, I can't imagine the Bucks making it this far without Oden having a monster game in the tourney. He is going to be hungrier than ever. And don't forget, he's won championships before.

or this could end up being a huge disappointment. If the Reds look abysmal and the Buckeyes lose to Florida again, my sportsfan persona will be curled up in the fetal position until August.

Unless the Bengals have a promising draft day.