Things In Sports That Make Me Want To Plunge Knitting Needles Into My Eyes

1. The baseball Wild Card. Yes, I know it saved the Tigers' rear ends last season, and it was providing them (until this week) with their only legitimate postseason hope this season, too. But how much more exciting would the Yankees' relentless pursuit of the Red Sox be if the loser of that division would be left out of the October tournament? Instead, it's merely something to be amused about -- "Oh, would you look at those Yankees?" -- rather than creating real, stomach-churning drama for the beleaguered Red Sox fans. This should be one of the biggest baseball stories in years. But the Wild Card has emasculated it. Now, the NL Central, on the other hand ... now THAT'S a real race. The loser of that division ain't getting in -- as they shouldn't. 2. The NHL schedule. Yes, this isn't a new rant from me. And thank God that it looks like it will change next season. But at least it's aptly named: Unbalanced Schedule. Whomever signed off on it...