The Summertime Blues

Patty V • May 13, 2023

It's that time of the year again folks. The NBA finals will soon be winding down, the NFL draft has passed, and we are about to have a brief lull of interest in sports while we eagerly await the NFL's real games to return. Some may affectionately refer to this period as... The Summertime Blues.


It's in these moments where, sometime's I wonder what I'm gonna do, 'cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues. Whether you're raisin' a fuss or a holler, or planning on spending your time way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, I have GREAT news. Ladies and Gentlemen, never fret, because Major League Baseball is fun again, and I'm not just talking about the cool closer introductions.


It's been no secret that Major League Baseball has been falling in popularity for years, with boring unwritten rules, and games lasting hours on end at the most grueling pace since televised fishing rodeos. However, things have changed.

This season, the MLB decided to implement a few major rule changes. Initially these were met with pushback, as all change is when it comes to baseball, but so far through the first quarter-ish if the season, the intended results seem to be there. Thanks to the pitch clock, games are moving MUCH faster. The average game length this season is 2 hours and 38 minutes, compared to 3 hours and 9 of last year.


Aside from the actual TIME the game takes, the pace and action also seem to be up. This season you are seeing an increase in runs scored thanks to the MLB banning the shift, opening up holes for batters. The rise in runs from 8.5 per game, to 9.1 per game may seem small, but when combining this with more stolen bases, up about 40%, and a game that is overall moving faster, the game is MUCH easier to stay into.


With these small changes, perhaps a game that I grew up loving can now move back into my rotation during these summer months, and deep into November. Now, place the cameras on the characters full time, and let the sport continue to be humanized and fun. Things will be hotter than a hoochie coochie in no time!


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Pelicans @ Nuggets Takeaways

By Chrissy Smith • October 30, 2025
Team Stats (Pelicans at Nuggets) Final Score: 88-122 Rebounds: 36-57 Assists: 17-40 Steals: 9-5 Blocks: 3-5 Turnovers: 12-14 Stat Leaders Scoring Leaders: Jeremiah Fears, 21; Nikola Jokić, 21 Rebound Leaders: Trey Murphy III, 7; Nikola Jokić, 12 Assist Leaders: Jeremiah Fears, 6; Nikola Jokić, 10 My Player of the Game: Jeremiah Fears Chrissy's Key Takeaways * The starters for this game were Fears, Murphy III, Jones, Zion, and Deandre Jordan. So that was different, and it didn't work at all. * With most of the third quarter over, Zion had five total points in the game. He finished with 11. * The Nuggets went on a 32-4 run in the third quarter. The Pelicans came out very slow to start off the third. * New Orleans went 7-of-33 from the three-point line. * Nikola Jokić had a triple-double. The Pelicans had no answer for him all night. * Do the Pelicans know that the season has started because the majority of the guys out there look like they still think they're playing Summer League. * The problem with this team isn't the talent because they have that. So what's the problem? Coaching, effort, etc.? This has to be fixed ASAP. Follow @TheKneaux on X, and follow me there too, @SportsChrissy.

Celtics @ Pelicans Takeaways

By Chrissy Smith • October 28, 2025
Team Stats (Celtics at Pelicans) Final Score: 122-90 Rebounds: 54-35 Assists: 25-17 Steals: 5-7 Blocks: 7-0 Turnovers: 11-13 Stat Leaders Scoring Leaders: Anfernee Simons, 25; Jordan Poole, 22 Rebound Leaders: Neemias Queta, 11; Yves Miss, 7 Assist Leaders: Payton Prichard, 8; Trey Murphy, III, 5 My Player of the Game: Jordan Poole Chrissy's Key Takeaways * The first two losses of the season were tough but at least the team looked good. In this game, no one looked fired up to compete except Jordan Poole and Jose Alvarado. * Zion did not play because he's been spending all offseason getting in shape just so he could rest after two games. Makes no sense to me. * Trey Murphy and Herb Jones need to find their spark and stride. These guys have been putting in a ton of work in the offseason but it isn't showing right now. * Willie Green has got to be on a short leash because this 0-3 start feels like the team is just picking up where they left off except this time they're healthy and have all the momentum in the world. * The next three games for the Pelicans will be on the road against Denver, Clippers, and Thunder . Follow @TheKneaux on X, and follow me there too, @SportsChrissy.
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