Though Experiment, Part II

I'm back. Went on vacation and just about stayed there. Last I recall we were in the middle of arranging a hypothetical sequel, i.e. The Next 10 Things All Sports Fans Should Blah, Blah, Blah...The first five (or third five depending on how you look at it) were World Cup Soccer, Heavyweight Title Fight in Vegas, Duke-Carolina at Cameron Indoor, Australia-New Zealand Rugby, and the Bassmaster Classic (for the reasoning behind those picks, scroll down). Here then are the next five.

6. The Rose Bowl. Great tradition and festivities and pageantry that stretches well beyond the game and makes this one more than just a sports event. I remember watching the parade from the time I was a kid. I would want to catch it on a year it's hosting the National Championship, though.

7. Canadians v. Maple Leafs. Two of the NHL's oldest and Canada's most beloved teams. Their proximity to each other and there games carry the undertone of cultural and linguistic tensions adds to the rivalry. Too bad you can't still go to Maple Leaf Gardens or the Forum for this one, but the new venues will do as long as the teams are wearing those that are as iconic as anything in sports.

8. Spring Training. I'd like to spend a week in the late winter driving from ball park to ball park to see a whole string of spring games. It's not so much the whole renewal of hope cliche, but the idea of watching guys whole never have cup of coffee in the bigs playing their guts out.

9. The British Open. As a golf guy this is a hard one for me to turn down. Seeing the game played on any of the classic courses would be great, but I'd really love to make it to St. Andrews, Turnberry, Muirfield or Carnoustie.

10. Midnight Madness at UK. College basketball is a religion and the University of Kentucky, sometimes to the point where they love it so much they just about suffocate it. Still, when the university was getting ready to announce the hiring of a new coach last spring, more the 15,000 people logged on to the UK basketball message board. That kind of intensity funneled into a fun, upbeat event like Midnight Madness would have to be a great time.

Well, that's it, although I could easily rattle of a bunch more.