By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Welcome to what is becoming an annual “It’s been a long sports summer, the Braves are still in last place, and I can’t possibly write another preseason article on SEC Football” story from yours truly.

For someone who writes stories on southern sports I like to refer to these days as the ‘Bob Ross’ days. You know, as in I’d rather watch that man with the glorious fro paint pictures of mountain ranges than subject myself to following whether or not the Hawks are going to give some guy I’ve never heard $5 million dollars a year to sit the bench.

Fortunately for us, just as we are about to break down and download Pokemon Go, we are on the precipice of some of the greatest weeks in sports.

After months of predictions, listening to sports talk shows, reading articles from recruiting gurus, and tracking the yearly coaching changes we finally get to start the college football season.

And like always, there are plenty of juicy storylines going into this season. Will Alabama be able to defend their national title and if so, will they have to go through Clemson’s DeShaun Watson to do so? Will Kirby Smart have a successful inaugural season as Georgia’s head coach, or will the Bulldog faithful be yearning for Mark Richt by November? Will the Gators build upon last year’s surprise season? And will Tennessee finally get over the hump and contend for their first SEC title since the aforementioned Bob Ross was probably still alive? That’s not mention the inevitable train wreck that is sure to take place in Columbia, SC.

As much as I like to pick on the SEC there isn’t anything more entertaining during the season than what goes on in this neck of the woods.

Of course college football isn’t the only thing to keep us busy on the weekends. The NFC South promises to be one of the more intriguing divisions in the NFL.

Carolina looks to be one of the Super Bowl favorites, but will Cam be able to repeat his MVP season from last year and how will the Panthers’ defense hold up with an entirely new secondary?

The Falcons should see significant improvement in Dan Quinn’s 2nd year at the helm, but will it be enough to get Atlanta back into the playoffs? And it always seems to be interesting in Tampa, even when they don’t necessarily mean for it to be.

While all those things I just listed would be more than enough to get the competitive juices flowing, the most exciting thing I’m looking forward to are the Olympics.

Sure, they are not specifically about sports in the south, but there will be plenty of athletes from our surrounding areas that will be participating in what for many, will be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

As the father of an 11 year old girl who loves to watch sports with her dad, even though she really isn’t all that interested, I’m hoping that she will be inspired by some of the female athletes that we’ll be watching.

Does that sentiment sound a little mushy? Sure. But, if you happen to have a daughter you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Either way, it’s hard not to get excited for what is about to happen in Rio.

So, if these past few weeks have truly been the proverbial “calm before the storm” then as sports fans we are in great position. These next few months are shaping up to be one hell of a storm.