Cyclical trends bring excitement to seasonal changes
By Derek Joy
Look what gives in a mid-summer night’s dream – or nightmare.
It is the stretch run to Election Day some three weeks hence. Incumbents and candidates are turning up the intensity, scurrying about here and there. Making what they expect to be a winning date with fate.
Excitement. Enthusiasm. Optimism. Each abounds on the trail.
And so it is in the sporting world. The excitement, enthusiasm and optimism are as prevalent as the summer rains mixed amid the sunshine on sunny days.
The Miami Marlins tout a solid chance of making Major League Baseball’s playoffs. A few additions at the trading deadline may have heightened the enthusiasm.
The same is true for the Miami Heat in the post LeBron James Era. Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Udonis Haslem and Chris Anderson are back to make statements.
They should be well complimented by free agent acquisitions Josh McRoberts, Luol Deng, Danny Granger and first round draft choice Shabazz Napier. Combine that with turn of events in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and the Heat has ample reason to be optimistic about the upcoming season.
Sure thing. Excitement. Enthusiasm. Optimism. All are abundantly obvious in Miami Dolphins training camp. Coach Joe Philbin is in his third year as head coach. Didn’t make the playoffs in either year.
Without a doubt, Philbin is under scrutiny. A new general manager, several new coaches, another year of experience for quarterback Ryan Tannehill is expected to take off with the infusion of new talent.
Just like the four seasons bring the elements of excitement, enthusiasm and optimism, so too, do the world of seasonal changes in sports. Fans feed the frenzy with their expectations of competitive performances.
It is no less hyped with expectations in the political arena. Politicians and their supporters fuel the fires of excitement, enthusiasm and optimism.
And, as professional athletes earn megabucks beyond the realm of the average working person, politicians amass huge war chests to fund their campaigns. Thousands of dollars. Hundreds of thousands even millions of dollars.
Yep. Former Gov. Charlie Crist and former State Senator Nan Rich slug it out for the Democratic Gubernatorial nomination in what appears to be an easy win for Crist.
In either case, the winner must face well financed incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott. Millions of dollars spent on a campaign for a job that won’t pay a total salary of 10 percent of that amount.
The same is true for other candidates for state and local offices. Quite different from the salaries and incentives paid to professional athletes.
Politics, like the professional sports arena, abound with excitement, enthusiasm and optimism. And each has its share of scandals.
