Hope. Spring. Eternal.

The regular season of major league baseball is about to start. Personally, I am only a pedestrian fan - I enjoy catching a game at the park from time to time and will watch a few innings of a game on TV when I have a chance - but I do care enough to qualify as a "fan". Still, I recognize the difference between being someone who likes a team and someone who loves a team.

My fellow hombre Teo is a real fan. And worse yet, he is a devoted fan of a cursed team. Thus, each spring is an opportunity for hope, excitement, and the belief that this just might be the year. (The fact that the Red Sox and White Sox have both emerged triumphant from recent seasons only stokes the fires of otherwise cursed teams.)

But I'm a Padres guy. And the Padres aren't cursed, really. In fact, they probably do better than they should and we're all generally pretty happy to have a decent team and a cool ballpark. But for a true fan, now is the time to be excited - and September is the time for your team to - yet again - break your heart.

Teo is probably too wise and too experienced to approach this season with great anticipation for his beloved Cubbies. However, if he's really honest with all of us, I bet he'd admit that there's a tiny voice inside of him that tells him that if things go just right, he could be dancing with joy this October.