As with the start of every New Year, 2012 starts with a dream…

A dream of all the possibilities a new year brings, and all of the great
moments that will be had in the following 365 days.

For a sports fan, many of the moments and hopes that you start the year
dreaming of will never come to fruition, and in most cases never even
come close.

After having my New Year’s hopes and dreams for my teams dashed
about as many times as I have dreamt them, I have decided not to build
up singular moments for 2012. Instead, I am looking ahead to certain
times of the year, and I urge you to do the same.

I am looking ahead to the top three months of 2012. Those months
when no matter how good your team is, what the team’s record may be,
life couldn’t be any better for a sports fan. Because, at least in my eyes,
being a sports fan isn’t just about rooting on your team, it is about
relishing in the atmosphere the sports world creates. It’s about the
camaraderie of being in the stands or watching on TV, sitting on the
edge of your seat and hinging on every second, with just a few,
hundreds, or thousands of people around you feeling the exact same
way.

And so, without further ado, I give you the top three months to look
forward to of 2012. The three months of this year when no matter who
you’re rooting for, you will be reminded why you love sports…

3) January

What better way to kick off 2012 than with college football bowl games
and NFL Playoffs? I honestly can’t remember a year when the NFL Playoffs
looked as wide open as they do right now. Sure, the Packers are the
clear-cut favorites. But almost every other playoff team, AFC & NFC, has
a legitimate shot to win it all. Keep in mind that in almost every
postseason, the best game usually is not the championship game. Which
is why I like the first three playoff rounds more than the Super Bowl most
of the time. When you combine the football postseason with college
basketball, the NBA and the NHL all being in full swing, January is going
to be one of the best months of the year for sports fans.

2) Late September/October

Yes, I understand that this is more than one month. But after the way the
baseball season ended last year how could I not include the end of
September? October, as usual, is going to be a great month for sports
fans and in this year’s case, particularly Arizona sports fans. The Arizona
Diamondbacks are one of the best teams in the NL, and they should
make the playoffs. It can be argued that the team is deeper in every
category than any other team in baseball. The team won 94 games and
only got better… It isn’t too much of a stretch to say that D-backs fans
will still have home games to attend in mid to late October. Combine all
of that excitement with all the excitement that always comes with the
start of the NBA and NHL seasons and you have the second best sports
month of this year to look forward to.

1) March

Finally, the best sports month of the year. In my opinion it’s the best
every year, but I feel like sometimes people need to be reminded why so
when March does come, they can really appreciate all that it brings. As
with the other two months I’ve listed, the NHL and NBA will be going on
which, even when teams are in a down year, can provide some spark for
any sports fan. However, this March is about two things, the NCAA Men’s
Basketball Tournament and Spring Training. If you are a sports fan,
March Madness is already one of your favorite times of the year, as it is
the most exciting time in all of sports. And with all the fun and
competition that comes from creating your own individual bracket,
March Madness brings something to the table you don’t get any other
time of the year. For Arizona sports fans, add spring training to March
Madness and you get the best month of the year. If you have not been to
Salt River Fields at Talking Stick for a D-backs or Rockies spring training
game, you must make it happen this year. There is no better facility in
baseball, and there is no better feeling than when you’re sitting on the
grass with family and friends enjoying a game in perfect weather. Oh,
and by the way, the Diamondbacks will enter the spring as the
favorite in the NL West.

Of all the 12 months to come in 2012, March will be any sports fan’s
dream month. Because it won’t matter who you’re rooting for, all that’s
going matter will be enjoying the best the sports world has to offer, and
all of the excitement, enjoyment and sheer awe that comes with it.

And honestly… What’s better than that?

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