Another College Football season is upon us (unless you are counting Week 0, then it has already started) and it promises to be like any other. The off-field storylines which center around Oklahoma and Texas leaving the Big 12 for the SEC has created such a domino effect on the rest of the college landscape. The Big 10, Pac 12, and ACC have formed ‘An Alliance’ which promises to do...something...at some point...but nobody really knows.
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As America steamrolled through the 20th century, the country became immersed in the ideals of modernization and progressive reform. In the 19th century, as America became more and more industrialized, and cities grew well beyond their means, there was an increase in wealth and opportunity; but also increased poverty, and hazardous means of living. Whereas prior to the 20th century, when America was a predominantly rural, agricultural based society, the 20th century became all about urban life. The real America, lies in its cities.
Where New York, Boston, and Philadelphia had been the predominant cities of the country since its colonial days, America had grown even beyond what those megaplexes could handle. As America grew, west it went, forming new large cities, like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, and the grandest of all, Chicago. Up until the 1950s, there was no major league baseball on the west coast, and for the cities of St. Louis and Chicago, they were the west. But Chicago was the biggest of them all, rivaling the industrial growth of New York and Pittsburgh, as well ushering in the new waves of immigrantion like New York and Boston did. Chicago was booming, and both leagues knew a successful club in Chicago could bring about great financial success to their respective organizations. After the Giants won the 1905 World Series, New York became the center of the baseball world, attracting more and more fans, at record numbers. Success in a major American city, would lead to the sustained health of the sport. Whereas New York would become the heart of the baseball world, Chicago became the backbone that would stabilize the sport, by bringing the game to the far reaches of the country.
Ok, so we are a little past the first month. But after the first six weeks of the baseball season, and now minor league ball is underway, now is just as good as any to review and gather some takeaways from the baseball season. But before we get going, I have to ask, how are we doing? The baseball season has been perplexing to say the least, the Dodgers can’t figure out how to win series anymore, the Royals were really good at one point, now they are really bad, the Angels are doing their best Royals impression, and the Twins, no matter how well Byron Buxton is playing, can’t win period, as they are 8 games below .500. But what have we always been told about ‘April Baseball’?
What’s the lesson? Don’t panic right?
