Major League Baseball announced plans last week to start the 2020 season more than three months after spring training came to a screeching halt because of the covid-19 pandemic.
It was music to my ears because I have feared all along that the coronavirus would KO baseball season altogether.
Baseball joins the NBA and other sports around the world that are trying to come back to life and exist in a pandemic-filled world.
Which brings me to a new-found obsession of mine, especially since everything shut down: the English Football League.
I've always enjoyed soccer, even since I was a a little boy. I look forward to the FIFA World Cups every four years, and about 10 years ago got to visit my first Sporting Kansas City game and was hooked.
The English Football League, beginning with the prestigious Premier League and on down to the Championship, League One, etc., have been fun to watch from time to time as well.
But over the last couple of months, I've enjoyed watching docuseries on Netflix and Amazon Prime on EFL teams.
"Sunderland 'Til I Die" was the first one I watched on Netflix, and both seasons were just tremendous.
Then "Take Us Home: Leeds United" on Prime might have been just as good and had the added benefit of one of my favorite actors, Russell Crowe, as the series narrator.
To me, these English towns and communities love their teams much like college football is loved in the south. It is intense!
I'm told there is another solid docuseries on Manchester City and another one yet on Queens Park Rangers.
Since watching those series, the EFL has cranked back up, which has meant Premier League games on TV during the mornings and afternoons. Who says working from home is so bad?
It was neat to see Liverpool clinch its first Premier League title in 30 years, and they did it without having to play a game. For those of you who aren't familiar with how the standings -- or tables -- work in the EFL, championships are decided by regular season results. Liverpool needed Chelsea to either beat or draw with defending champion Manchester City on Thursday of last week to clinch the title.
Watching these soccer games has been interesting. There's no fans in the stands, and the networks are piping in crowd noise to give it a real-atmosphere effect. I can't say I blame them.
When Major League Baseball starts back at the end of July I wonder if they'll do something similar?
How about college football if attendance is limited or not allowed? NFL?
It's a different way of having sports, but I am glad for the opportunity to have it. It's been a long three months plus without live sports. So fans or no fans, I'm happy it's slowly returning.
-- Graham Thomas is the managing editor for the Herald-Leader. He can be reached at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.