Sports make cold weather almost tolerable

This weather blows.

I mean it’s only October and we’ve already seen wicked cold temps and falling snow.

I hate winter. Really. I HATE winter! Which by the way doesn’t even start until December 21!

That’s almost two months away and already hibernation seems like the only legit survival technique.

I hate cold weather. And snow. And ice. And wind. And sleet. And freezing rain. And plowing. And shoveling.

You won’t be shocked to learn I don’t ski, snowmobile or ice fish.

I get through the miserably long thirteen months of winter in two ways:

I travel away from this arctic tundra of frozen pine trees often.

And I use sports as my anti winter drug of choice.

Right now the extra month of Red Sox baseball is awesome! To me it’s better than sitting under one of these UV lamps absorbing Vitamin D.

Another appearance in the Fall Classic and a fourth World Series trophy since 2004 will make driving my kids to school in snow this week seem tolerable.

For years and years now I owe the Pats so much for their contribution to maintaining my sanity. Without deep playoff runs and frequent Super Bowls, I would make Jack Nicholson in The Shining look as calm as a nun compared to the murderous rampage I would most likely undertake.

Last year was the first time in a dog’s life that UMaine hockey has been decent in the second semester. The better the Black Bears record, the better January through March are in these parts as well. Go Blue!

And of course the high school hoops tourney in February is a staple. A few playoff wins by my MDI Trojans often helps me avoid becoming a shut in until May.

The revival of the Celtics is icing on the frozen Maine ice cream cake.

I also love Truck Day. Its kind of silly but seeing that semi pull out of Fenway on its way to Ft. Myers signals the start of spring training and the return off the boys of SUMMER! That truck to me is kind of like the ball dropping in Times Square New Years eve. Spring will come. I will survive.

So as we buckle up for what is shaping up like a long, arduous, torture filled winter of snow and ice, thanks to the teams mentioned above, I just might make it.

Plus the multiple trips to Florida and the Caribbean won’t hurt either.

Jeff Solari

About Jeff Solari

Jeff Solari is the president and founder of the Sports Chowdah, Maine’s only free, weekly sports e mail newsletter. Recently, the Mount Desert Island native was the co-host of "The Drive" on 92.9 FM in Bangor.