I know it’s only February and Spring is quite a ways off, but — but it is Feb. 18 AND IT’S NEARLY 60º! This weather has got me fired up for one of my favorite times of the year — not just weather-wise — but sports-wise.

 

Though football is one of my all-time favorite sports to watch, this time of year is when sports becomes Christmas morning to me as some sports wind down and some sports start up — all culminating in March, April and May.

 

You got my all-time favorite sport — hockey — capping off their regular season soon and then playoff hockey commences. And this year, with the Wild playing their best hockey since inception, it’s gonna be a fun ride all the way to hoisting of the cup.

 

Also coming next month is another fun tradition — March Madness — where basketball gets exciting and with the “one-and-done” system, it makes it watchable compared to the professional level (not a big fan, but still cheer daily for the Wolves).

 

Just this week, pitchers and catchers reported to spring training and nothing says summer like baseball. Although the Twins are probably still a few years away from serious competition, it’s always nice to relax with a cold one on the patio listening to the game or donning that Killebrew jersey and making the trek to Target Field.

 

Golf is also one of my favorite sports and with spring comes The Masters on TV and area golf courses drilling holes and dropping in flagsticks. I just love getting up early mornings when it’s sunny and hitting the links when the grass is dewey and the air chilled.

 

I also enjoy fishing — though I haven’t done a whole lot of over the last few years — but few things calm my heart and spew the stress better than sitting on a crystal clear lake in a cooler-filled boat on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

 

It’s a goal of mine to make this happen more in 2017.

 

Another thing I thoroughly enjoy when the warm weather appears is Jeeping. Last year, I bought a 2-door Wrangler and a soft-top and nothing could be finer than driving with the top off on a warm summer day. It’s something I can do for pleasure, or something I can simply do as I drive to work.

 

Hitting the Jeep trails is also a passion for both my wife and I. Driving deep into the woods or over boulders or up steep hills gets the adrenaline going and amazes each of us how capable Sassy is (that’s what we call my blue Jeep) in just about any situation.

 

So here we are, the middle of February and the weather is fantastic. Another month and we’ll (hopefully) be nearing “take the top off” weather.

 

If not, at least we have the sports events to keep some of us preoccupied for a while.