Predators goalie Juuse Saros. Photo by John Russell
The Train Daddy is back with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! This goes out to my loyal readers, and that includes my haters, who may even be more loyal than the readers who like me: thank you for reading my work! I love going over all the emails sent to titanman1984@gmail.com, so please feel free to contact me. Ask a question. Call me a stanky stupid jackass. Or just let me know you have been reading my writing for over a decade and you think I am the greatest sportswriter in Middle Tennessee. Wow, I have been writing sports for the Murfreesboro Pulse for over a decade. Dag’gum, brother!
Tennessee without doubt is the best state in this country. At least I see it that way. Overall, Tennessee is still a state that respects the Constitution! A man has a right to protect his family, work and put food on the table and, unlike many states in this country, Tennessee has done a phenomenal job this last year keeping that the truth. That is not something I take lightly—I love this state!
I have posted the 2021 season schedule for the Tennessee Titans. Enjoy the 17-game season! Fun Fact: The Titans have five straight winning seasons. Only two other teams in the NFL, the Seahawks and the Chiefs, can make that claim right now. Let’s make it six straight winning seasons and win the AFC South for a second straight season, something that the Titans, sadly, have never done. The Colts are the Titans’ only competition in the division and while they have a great team, I have little faith in quarterback Carson Wentz. I have the Titans winning the division at 11–6.
A shout-out goes to the Nashville Predators, who started this season off rough. We nearly had the team ripped apart at the trade deadline due to such a poor start, but management held it together and boom—the Predators played some great hockey down the stretch and, amazingly, kept the consecutive playoff appearance run alive. Nashville possesses the second-longest streak in the NHL with seven consecutive postseason appearances for Nashville, behind Pittsburgh with 15.
The Predators may have lost to a superior team in the first round in a 4–2 series, pushing Carolina to the brink in four straight overtime games and nearly a Game 7, but this 2021 Predators team surely earned the respect of any knowledgeable hockey fan.
Fun Fact: In the Predators’ two wins vs. Carolina in this playoff series they allowed 117 shots on goal. IN THE TWO WINS THEY ALLOWED 117 SHOTS ON GOAL. You hear me? That is insane. Also insane is that goalie Juuse Saros stopped 110 of them. I truly hope Saros can stay around in Nashville, a perfect young superstar replacement for fan favorite Pekka Rinne.
I went to my first Nashville Soccer Club game at Nissan Stadium recently and it was a dominating win against the league’s top team, New England. I loved the atmosphere. I am hooked! I watched every game of the inaugural season last year and was cheering from day one.
Being at a live soccer game is different. It almost has the feeling of being at a Predators game. The chants, the passion, the camaraderie . . . it is simply different, and I will 100 percent be back. I cannot believe how quickly NSC has created a feeling of tradition already. It’s special for such a young team. Nashville is one of the few teams in the league undefeated with a strange 2 wins and 5 draws record as of press time.
Stay tuned for my upcoming articles with a twist. We have the patriotic issue coming out in the beginning of July, when I brag about America and salute the troops while entwining sports into the piece.
It’s insane to think that after that article runs it will soon be August and it will be prime time to talk about the Tennessee Titans getting ready for the 2021 season. That is exactly what I will be doing, full-fledged Titans talk. So, stay tuned. I already have plans for a new twist on this season’s articles.
Do not get me wrong, I will still be covering Volunteer football and local MTSU ball, but I am going to stick to my bread and butter and, without doubt, for me that’s Titans football.
Alright, my friends! I will end on a sincere note: enjoy the beautiful summer! After 2020 I can only assume many of you will embrace so many things you may previously have taken for granted. Spend time with family and friends. Go outside. Go to a concert or a water park, throw a football, plant a garden. Go ride a bike, go to the arcade, go tubing or go see the Jack Daniels distillery if you never have. It is worth it. Just make sure when you do all that, you take that damn mask off and breathe that fresh Tennessee air. Shake hands. Hug people. If you’re single and ready to mingle, well, go find someone and enjoy a beautiful Tennessee summer with them.
Do not let anyone shame you for not having a mask on, and it is not anyone’s business whether you have been vaccinated or not. Nobody but you and your family’s business.
God bless America! The Train is rolling into the station. Choo-chooooo!
