Believe me, I wanted to lead off with a better picture this morning.
Because there were better images, better things to start the day -- and the morning -- on which our attention could and should be focused.
If we were indeed just sports fans.
If we were indeed just heartless, thoughtless robotic devices programmed to not give a damn, or if we're just desensitized people, generally unaware or untouched by the tragedies and random acts destruction caused by other people against innocent souls.
But we're not just sports fans. We're not systematically programmed to just not give a damn and we're not desensitized to these things.
Or are we?
The latest report at the time of this show prep blog was as many as 50 people killed by a gunman during a music festival outside a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
I'm not asking you to have any more emotion about this incident than you did about the last one.
Or the one before that.
Or the one before that.
Or the one before that.
It didn't effect you, it didn't effect me.
So why should this one be any different?
For me, it's because Las Vegas has a history to me. It has a fond place in my heart for a number of reasons.
Chances are, many of you have fond recollections of good times in Las Vegas.
Stories we get to tell our buddies, stories we might not want to share with our loved ones.
Stories about that big poker score or that time you dropped a couple C-notes on a bad spin at the roulette wheel.
Maybe you saw (or in this particular instance, covered) your first ever UFC fight card. Maybe you met a colleague from the show and re-established a friendship with that person which will endure for many years.
Those 50 or so who had their lives taken last night had stories to tell, most likely.
Stories no one will ever know.
I wanted to lead off with a better picture this morning.
Believe me, I did.
The 2017 MLB regular season is in the books.
So now we turn our attention to the postseason.
Tomorrow, the Minnesota Twins visit the New York Yankees in the American League Wildcard game. The winner of that game will face the Cleveland Indians in one AL Divisional Series, with the Boston Red Sox facing the Houston Astros on the other side of the bracket.
Over in the National League, the Arizona Diamondbacks will host the Colorado Rockies in the Wildcard game. The winner moves on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the best record in baseball and home field advantage the entire postseason. On the other side of the NL bracket, the defending champion Chicago Cubs will face the Washington Nationals.
It's time for Dodger Baseball.... I can almost hear it now!
A glance at the NFL standings this morning may in fact test both your eyesight and your logic.
But that's right, a look at the NFC West standings will find the Los Angeles Rams atop the division at 3-1.
The last time the Rams were 3 and 1 at this point of the season was in 2006.
The Rams headed into Dallas and beat the Cowboys 35-30, thanks to Greg Zuerlein's 7 field goals and a pretty impressive pair of performances from quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley.
Someone break up the Rams!!
Richard Sherman had himself another moment last night.
Amidst the postgame press conferences following Seattle's win over Indianapolis, Sherman was asked to comment about the injury to running back running back Chris Carson, one which head coach Pete Carroll labeled "a significant ankle injury".
Sherman took a moment to question whether fans actually care about the health of a football player, or whether that player's health is only important for fantasy football players.
“This is really devastating. I think a lot of people, a lot of fans out there have looked at players less like people because of fantasy football and things like that. You go and say ‘oh, man this guy got hurt.’ But you aren’t thinking ‘hey man, this guy got hurt, he’s really physically hurt and he is going to take some time to recover and it’s probably going to affect his mental state and now he has a long rigorous rehab.’
“You are thinking ‘oh man, he’s messing up my fantasy team.’ They don’t care about how it affects your fantasy team because they are really players — this is real life. This is real life and this is their real job. that is affecting their well-being. Now your fantasy team may not win and hey, guess what? You’ll live the next day. This is their well-being. They may not ever get another shot. They may never get another down, another play.
“I think that is why it is so devastating for players.”
I admit it. I think Richard Sherman is among the most fascinating people in the NFL. I hope his never voice never ceases.
We'll recap all the college football & NFL games as well as talk some NBA news on the show.
We'll also get live updates from the tragic events in Las Vegas.
FIRST SPORTS airs weekdays, 9am-Noon ET on the I Heart Radio app and on the radio dial.
You can listen online anywhere across America through the app at foxsports1340.com or locally at AM1340/93.9FM.
You're welcome, America.