Yesterday I noticed that Fondren-Woodland Hills, a neighborhood in the heart Jackson, has taken on a remarkably pleasing resemblance to Augusta National in April. Wisteria, dogwoods and azaleas are all in full bloom. Nearly everywhere you go, flowers bloom. The grass is now a deep, lush green. My thoughts naturally turned towards Augusta in April. Through the years, I have had the good fortune of reporting on many Masters. The lasting memories of Masters are not about the winners, I have to say, but the beauty and roars of the galleries, the hills, the tension almost every Masters brings. My thoughts about April in Augusta are just a glimpse into a deeper stream of thinking about why springtime, when March becomes April, is my favorite time of year when it comes to sports. I suspect that most Mississippians like autumn because the air is cooler and football and hunting are more active. But not me. This is my favorite season of the year, for many reasons. Let me list them: * March Madness. The NCAA basketball tournaments are the best example of the joy of winning and the pain of losing – it is the essence of sports competition. You will notice that tournaments are plural. The women’s tournament has been joining the men’s in my top events to cover and watch in recent seasons. It was ranked alongside the time that the 2016 Final Four men’s team from Mississippi State beat UConn and Cincinnati by tiny Morgan William. This weekend, we should be heading to the Sweet 16s. It was the first time I realized how much it would be missed. That’s not all. * College baseball. This has become my favorite sport to see as I get older. Maybe it’s because college baseball has become the last vestige what college athletes used to be, which is athletes who love the game. The majority of students must pay at least half of their tuition. They don’t have to “bought” it. Maybe because Mississippi college baseball is so good at all levels. We attend it so well. Ole Miss, which was on a 16-game winning streak (16-1), and ranked No. In at least one poll, Ole Miss was ranked No. 1 in the country. Mississippi State won five consecutive games and was 12-4. Southern Miss was 12-4 despite having replaced a lot of its 2019 roster. All three teams should be heading into the big conference series this weekend. Trustmark Park was supposed to host Southern Miss and Ole Miss next Tuesday. It was a season full of promise. It was so promising. Do you still miss it? * Major League Baseball. It is still my favorite, despite its many flaws. These include the Astros cheating scandal in 2017. It was more enjoyable before the interminable replays and the home run scandal of 2017. I have to admit that I loved it even more back then, when sacrifice bunts, hitting behind a runner, and base stealing were all factors. Nowadays, I accept what I can get. Right now, it is none. This is the problem: In this peak time of the sports calendar, just when it’s most needed, we’re not getting it, any of that. It’s a cruel Catch 22. Even if we do what we should, most of us are left at home. Diversifications are needed from the ever-dreadful news. Sports provide the only diversion that we need. COVID-19 has made it impossible to find any sports. I’m sure many of you feel exactly the same. It was the first thing I realized I would miss until it wasn’t there. So I find myself reading more and walking more. Also, I daydream more about the games that are gone. I know the games will be back, but hopefully sooner than expected. That promise, along with daily walks, will keep me going for the time being.