13 Days Until Pitchers & Catchers

As the whole world knows by now, it is Super Bowl Sunday.

Yeah, whatever.

The NFL Hype Machine is in overdrive, with two interminable weeks of nonsense leading up to tonight's Denver-Seattle clash. I will be alone at home, doing laundry with the TV tuned to the game.

And I put the game on at 6:30 PM, and not a second earlier. I spend the afternoon watching movies or TV shows I have DVR'd. As I write this (11:30 AM), Fox has already begun their pregame show, with rolling out as much nonsense they will try to connect to this.

Me, I watch the game, and that's it. No pregame, no halftime (I will watch an "Odd Couple" episode I DVR'd during the New Year's marathon WLNY had), and absolutely NO commercials. That crap gets WAY too much publicity, so I will channel surf during commercial breaks, going to a movie I will select before the game.

I'm badass old school when it comes to this day. All I care about is the game.

I do miss one thing about "Super Bowl Sunday." DJ Jonathan Schwartz, a devoted Red Sox fan, would dedicate one hour during his show on this day on WNEW-AM to nothing but old baseball highlights: great moments from the game's history, baseball-themed songs and a typical Red Sox broadcast from a game in the 1950s, 60s or 70s. It was something I always looked forward to, but Jonathan ended it a number of years back. I wish he would reconsider bringing that back some year.

13 days until pitchers and catchers report for spring training. Enjoy the game everyone.

UPDATE (6:15 PM): My friend Leah informed me on Facebook that Jonathan Schwartz did indeed do his "Salute To Baseball" earlier today on his afternoon radio show on WNYC today. Maybe next time I should really check to see if it were happening. A few years back, Jonathan didn't do it and he made it sound like he was retiring it. I have to admit I assumed he had retired it. You know what happens when you assume...

YET ANOTHER UPDATE (11:30 AM, 2/3): The "Salute To Baseball" show will be repeated online at www.thejonathanchannel.org on Tuesday, February 4th between 12 noon and 4 PM. Don't know when it is exactly, but I'll be tuning in.