Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Ho Ho Holding On

So here I am, in the week between my birthday and Christmas, in a holding pattern.

The Yankees are in limbo, with big announcements, which haven't filled big holes. I don't know if they'll be filled.

The Devils played the Anaheim Ducks last night, with former Playoff hero Adam Henrique returning, scoring a goal, but the Devils came from 3-1 down to win 5-3.

The Arsenal won today, defeating West Ham United in the Quarterfinal of the Football League Cup -- and some fans, online, were complaining. I swear: Arsenal have the best smart fans, but also the worst dumb fans.

Despite the annual East Brunswick Fire Department Christmas fire engine trip with Santa Claus throwing candy canes coming through the neighborhood last Saturday -- usually, the last Saturday before Christmas, but a week earlier this time -- I'm not really feeling it yet.

Maybe as we get closer...

I don't know. For the moment, I'm just ho, ho, holding on...

*

Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 2, this Thursday night, against the New York Rangers at the Prudential Center in Newark. Their 1st game against the New York Islanders will be on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Their 1st game against the Philadelphia Flyers will be on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at the Prudential Center.

Days until The Arsenal play again: 3, this Friday afternoon at 2:45 PM our time, away to Southampton.

Days until the Alex Rodriguez Contract From Hell officially runs out, and the Yankees can spend his salary on new players: 12, on Sunday, December 31. Under 2 weeks.

Days until Phil Murphy is inaugurated as Governor of New Jersey: 28, on Tuesday, January 16, 2018. Exactly 4 weeks. Goodbye, Chris Christie, and stay out.

Days until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 40, on Sunday night, January 28, 2018, at 9:30 PM Eastern Time, a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina (that's 1 country), at the StubHub Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California. Under 6 weeks. After that, no matches are scheduled. They were supposed to play at the World Cup in June 2018. Alas...

Days until the next Winter Olympics begins in Pyeongchang, Korea: 52, on February 9, 2018. A little over 7 weeks.

Days until the next North London Derby: 53, on Saturday, February 10, 2018, at Wembley Stadium in West London, where Spurs are playing their "home games" until the new stadium they're building on the site of White Hart Lane opens the following August. Just 9 weeks. Two things could change this day-count: The game could be moved due to the British TV networks' demands, or Arsenal could be drawn to play Spurs in the FA Cup, which would be the weekend of January 6 (if it's in the 3rd Round) or that of January 27 (if it's in the 4th Round). The 4th Round would be the weekend of February 17, after the next scheduled Derby.

Days until the New York Red Bulls play again: 81. Today, MLS released its schedule for each team's 2018 home opener. The Red Bulls don't play the opening weekend of March 3, but they open at home against the Portland Timbers on March 10.

Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": Unknown, as the rest of the 2018 MLS regular season schedule has yet to be released, so we don't yet know when they'll next play New York City FC, the Philadelphia Union, D.C. United or the New England Revolution.

Days until Opening Day of the 2018 Major League Baseball season: 100on Thursday night, March 29, as the Yankees open away to the Toronto Blue Jays. A little over 3 months.

Days until the Yankees' 2018 home opener: 104, on Monday afternoon, April 2, against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series begins: 112, on Tuesday, April 10, 2018, at Fenway Park.

Days until the next World Cup kicks off in Russia: 177, on June 14, 2018. A little under 6 months. But the U.S. team won't be playing. At least now, Donald Trump doesn't have to choose, and can root for his favorite country, the host nation, Russia.

Days until September 2018 roster call-ups, when we can finally start to expect seeing most of these wonderful "prospects" that Yankee general manager Brian Cashman wanted: 256. Under 9 months.

Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 256, on Saturday, September 1, home to Texas State University. Their loss to Michigan State this past Saturday left them 4-8 on the season, although it did include 3 Big Ten wins: At Illinois, and home to Purdue and Maryland.

Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: Unknown. The 2018 schedule hasn't been released yet. But the season opener is usually on the 1st Friday in September. that would be September 7, which is 262 days from now.

Days until the next Congressional election, when we can elect a Democratic Congress that can impeach and remove Donald Trump from the Presidency: 322on November 6, 2018. Under 11 months.

Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State game: 333, on Saturday, November 17, 2018, at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey.

Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game (after tomorrow's): 338, on Thursday, November 22, 2018.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 386, on January 9, 2019. A little over a year, or a little over 12 months.

Days until the next Women's World Cup kicks off: 535, on June 7, 2019, in France. A little under a year and a half, or under 18 months. The U.S. team, as 3-time and defending Champions, has, as usual, a better chance than the men's team would have had in 2018 anyway.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 750on January 8, 2020. A little over 2 years, or a little under 25 months.

Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 948on July 24, 2020. A little over 2 1/2 years, or a little over 31 months.

Days until the next Presidential election, when we can dump the Trump-Pence regime and elect a real Administration: 1,050on November 3, 2020. Under 3 years, or a little under 35 months.

Days until Liberation Day: 1,128at noon on January 20, 2021. A little over 3 years, or 37 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.

Days until the next World Cup for which the American team will be eligible is scheduled to kick off: 1,796, on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. Under 5 years, or about 59 onths. The charges of corruption against Qatar may yet mean that they will lose the tournament, in which case it will be moved to a nation where it would not be too hot to play it in June and July.

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