The Winter Olympics is only weeks away, which prompts some random thoughts. Admit it, you're amped. No? Well consider that it falls right during the sports dead zone - after the Super Bowl (which will be won by the Steelers) and right before March Madness (which will be won by Vanderbilt; women's side too). This is going to be a great sports season for us Vanderbilt alums who root for all things yellow and gold. Not only that, but the first World Baseball Classic will be going on during March Madness. And after that MLB starts, followed by the playoffs in hockey and hoops (yawn). And then comes the Grand Daddy - the World Cup in soccer. This is going to be a great year of sports, from now through the end of the soccer tourney in Germany. God willing, the US team won't embarrass. By the way, after watching the curling event on "The Amazing Race," I have a newfound respect for how stupidly brilliant that sport is. I swear, the Winter Olympics almost makes you wish you were unemployed. Not so you could go to Italy and freeze your butt off in person. But so you could sit on your couch and watch it wire to wire. Ya know, except for the figure skating. (Anything that requires judges is not a sport.) Hockey? Long jump? Bob Costas pontificating even more than the pope? Sign me up. I love the Winter Olympics. Beats the Summer Olympics by a mile. Btw, can we please get some designated seasons for poker, Nascar and golf? No one should have to endure those so-called sports year-round. Make poker an outdoor sport, Nascar a winter sport, and golf a fall sport - played between Columbus and Veterans' Day. I'd watch poker if these "sportsmen" would shed their sunglasses. And I'd definitely watch NASCAR if it was run in the snow. I lived in Nashville for several years, and believe me, rednecks can't drive in the snow.