I wrote this tongue-in-cheek post about the painful lack of news at this time of year six years ago, under another name for another SBNation blog. I'm reposting it as I thought yinz might enjoy it.

The long cold dark days of summer are upon us. Nowadays, when I wake up in the morning the walls seem closer, the air desert dry. Outside, no birds are singing. Only a growing silence awaits the coming day. Even the happy sounds of the 6:00 AM school bus are gone. Happy to me that is, because I am just getting up. Not happy for the students who were out there well before sunrise. Instead of the bus I'm awakened by the clanks and beeps of garbage trucks.

As I venture forth into the dreary dawn [yeah sure, like it's really dawn when I finally drag my butt off to work], colors are flat, sounds muffled. Everything is just a little skewed, a little unsettled. I shiver in the weakening wind and slip into the car.

Turning on the radio for the morning commute, I find the sports guy has the nerve to be on vacation. In his place some perky guy who's normally only on weekends is trying to get me interested in the NBA draft. OK. That will happen right after I check the curling scores. It's the same with the newspaper columnists, putting out interviews disguised as news, stories they completed a couple weeks before.

The horror, the horror of it all. Where, I cry, where is the year-round coverage I was promised? It is now a 12 month nonstop happening I was told, not just an autumn event as in the days of yore.

I have been lied to. They have broken the faith with me, and I am angered. I am furious. The next guy on the road that cuts me off.... Nah, I can't even work up the energy to be annoyed. I'm too depressed.

My constant companion, my friend, where are you? Where did you go? Haven't I been a good friend? Nay, an excellent friend? Haven't I given you enough attention, enough of my hard earned money? Was it something I said, something I did? Tell me, please, how to make it right.

And yet, you have left me, forsaken me. Alone. I am struggling to cope, suffering from the withdrawal of your comforting presence. But even though you have abandoned me, I eagerly await your return. An alarm is already scheduled in my tablet, July 26th already circled on my calendar.

Till then, dearest NFL. In the meantime I will just have to endure the long cold dark days of summer.