We’re already two days into 2011, and it’s high time I got cracking here at the Ball Caps Blog. I can’t quite explain my absence the last several weeks other than to speculate that it may be fallout from surgery in November. I just haven’t had the drive to post.
Nonetheless, I’ll offer a few quick observations on things I probably would have commented on earlier had I taken the time to do so:
– Baseball lost one of its greats with the death of Bob Feller late in 2010. He was the greatest Cleveland Indian of my lifetime, which began only a few weeks before Feller retired at the end of the 1956 season. Feller was not only a great pitcher, but he was a loyal representative of the Indians franchise, which went into a decades-long tailspin once Feller and others of his era fell off the roster.
-It was a shame that Mike Singletary flamed out as coach of the San Francisco 49ers, getting sacked a week ago today. My take on Singletary was that he was (and is) a good, driven man, but it’s tough for Hall of Fame players to succeed as coaches (cp. Starr, Bart).
-Although I didn’t catch the rain-drenched game, I think it’s marvelous that the NHL continues the Winter Classic outdoor game. For all the kids and their moms and dads who hosed down the back yard to create an ice rink, for all the kidswho skated into the dusk on the frozen ponds of the provinces, this game is for you.
-The 2010 World Cup is fading into memory, but what a grand (if noisy) spectacle it was. I’m eagerly anticipating the next one.
-The Big 10 has taken its lumps this bowl season, in excruciating fashion. Here’s hoping the Ohio State Buckeyes properly represent the best of the Midwest in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night.
– Did I happen to mention the San Francisco Giants won the World Series?
Happy New Year, everyone. Good sporting to you.
The Ball Caps Blog 
Welcome back. Sorry to hear about your surgery. Hope you’re doing well. Stay in touch, and Happy New Year, Bill