ond empty-netter on what looked like an own-goal for Chicago.We

ESPNs Buster Olney is on vacation this week, but hes still compiling roundups. View Tuesdays roundup here.Needless to say, this was not why I got into politics.It has been a strange year, to be sure. In my career, I have covered three presidential elections, five conventions and countless other major moments in politics, and its safe to say it has never felt this nasty, this uninspiring.As Ive said numerous times on CNN during this election cycle, just wake me when its over.In this year of fear and loathing, politics, for the first time, feels like a job to me. There was a time when politics was just a hobby and sports was actually my job. ??I grew up outside of Boston. When I was 7 years old, my dad took me to Fenway, and I got a photo next to a Wade Boggs cutout and an autograph from first baseman Carlos Quintana -- future Caribbean Baseball Hall of Famer. I was friends with the batting coachs daughter, who lived in my apartment complex. The Red Sox were religion. Thirty years later, I married a Red Sox fan from Rhode Island.But the Mets ... the Mets made me a baseball fan.In the late 90s, I was in college in upstate New York. I dated a guy from Queens who was a devout Mets fan, and I got hooked. It helped that the Mets were good then, which Sports Illustrated hyped by putting Rey Ordonez, Robin Ventura, John Olerud and Edgardo Alfonzo on its cover: Best Infield Ever?The answer was yes, but shhhh! It was too late -- the 2000 Subway Series against the Yankees was officially cursed.I moved to New York and eventually got a dream job. I worked at The New York Times in a department called the Index. I spent all day reading the sports section and writing abstracts for each story. I got health insurance, a 401(k) and every Wednesday off. During the season, I spent every one of those Wednesdays in the cheap seats at Shea. This job was, like, stupid good.Before politics, I became a sports fanatic. The Mets, NASCAR, the Green Bay Packers -- they all got more of my attention than the sequester (the what?), the Hill or the Donald. I wrote my masters thesis on the devotional practices of sports fans. My favorite television show was Stump the Schwab. My greatest accomplishment was getting Bill Simmons to answer one of my mailbag questions.Eventually, I got writing jobs on the side. I wrote a couple columns for NASCAR.com, and at one time, I had a regular online column for Sports Illustrated. I was in heaven.But in the years following 9/11, my passion for politics gradually grew into an obsession. Suddenly, I was skipping Shea and volunteering on a city campaign or writing think pieces for conservative publications.Just as I had cobbled together a little career in sports, over a couple years, I cobbled together a little career in politics. Neither has ever felt like a job.Until now, of course. Its just a garbage year for politics, a mechanism I genuinely believe can be good and useful -- and should be -- when exercised properly and can produce something worthy of our great republic. But nobody roots for garbage, in sports or politics. Who would have become a Mets fan in 1962, when they posted a 40-120 record, one of the worst in the history of baseball?Likewise, who would want to get into politics right now?What I do know is this election has made me miss baseball more than ever. The baseball gods must have sensed this because last fall they delivered a postseason gift to me in the form of a New York Mets World Series appearance.Watching the playoffs for the first time in years, all the old emotions flooded back: the exhilaration of a surprise 3-2 series win against the Dodgers in the NLDS, the cautious hope after dispatching the Cubs (a little too easily) in the NLCS, the familiar sinking feeling of knowing its going to end badly when Alcides Escobar hit an inside-the-park home run on Matt Harveys first pitch of the first game of the World Series against the Royals. I was right back in it, only this time, I was watching alongside my 10-month-old son.In those hours, politics didnt matter. Baseball was life. Baseball made the world right again. Baseball wasnt yelling at me or calling me names. Baseball wasnt lying or making promises it could not keep. It wasnt telling me what I wanted to hear. It wasnt pandering or pretending.Baseball was the best of us: hard work, sportsmanship, community and, above all else, faith -- ya gotta believe.I havent gotten to watch much baseball this season, unfortunately. But I know its there and that its more than just a necessary distraction from my life in politics -- its a huge comfort. Maybe after November Ill take a year off, go find some cheap seats at Citi Field (if those exist) and remember what its like to be a fan. Adidas Nmd r1 Damske Levne . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Adidas Nmd Sleva . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. http://www.botynmdlevne.com/adidas-nmd-damske-levne/nmd-r2.html . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. Adidas Nmd Levne Cz . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Adidas Nmd Dámské Cerne . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. CHICAGO -- St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock got what he needed from his top players, and that was more than enough on opening night.Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, and the Blues kicked off the season with a solid 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.The guys that have been around did a number today, Hitchcock said. The guys that have been here before and know what its like to play in this building, know what its like to play against Chicago, they played really well today.Kevin Shattenkirk and Paul Stastny each had a goal and two assists for the Blues, who eliminated the Blackhawks in seven games in the first round of the playoffs in April. Jake Allen had 17 saves in his first game since he was handed the lead goaltending job with Brian Elliotts June trade to Calgary.St. Louis went 3 for 5 on the power play.I think that last two days in practice really helped us find our groove, said defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who took over as captain after David Backes signed with Boston in the offseason. We kept it simple, try not to be overly complicated. Weve got a lot of guys who can shoot the puck. The big thing is putting the puck toward the net.Richard Panik and Ryan Hartman scored for Chicago, which struggled in the second period. Corey Crawford finished with 29 saves.The Blackhawks had five rookies in the starting lineup, and four players made their NHL debut. And they looked out of sync for much of the night.Theres definitely some learning going on, coach Joel Quenneville said. Well accept mistakes through hard work, because thats how you get better.Hartman put Chicago in front 2-1 with his first NHL goal at 13:57 of the second, but the Blackhawks were whistled for three penalties in a span of 1:34 late in the second. Captain Jonathan Toews was sent off for slashing with 2:06 left in the period, veteran center Artem Anisimov got called for hooking and defenseman Duncan Keith received a high-sticking penalty at 19:28.During the delay after the call on Keith, Tarasenko tied it at 2 wiith a wrist shot that beat Crawford on the goaltenders stick side.dddddddddddd The 24-year-old Tarasenko set career highs with 40 goals and 74 points last season.Hes proven to be a big-time player and obviously these games mean so much to us, Shattenkirk said. He is someone who just shows up in those big games.Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook saved a goal when he swept a bouncing puck off the line late in the second. But the Blues went ahead to stay on Stastnys power-play goal 55 seconds into the third off a rebound from Tarasenkos shot.Chicago had two power-play opportunities in the third, but it was turned away each time. Tarasenko then finished off the Blackhawks with an empty-netter with 1:06 remaining, and Scottie Upshall was credited with a second empty-netter on what looked like an own-goal for Chicago.We didnt do a whole lot of what we wanted to, Toews said. Our energy, our speed and our work ethic wasnt quite there. Weve got to regroup and try to come with that energy in that next one, and play a little bit smarter, too.Game notes RW Nail Yakupov played 10 1/2 minutes for the Blues. He was acquired in a trade with Edmonton on Friday. ... Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa remains stuck on 499 career goals. He assisted on Paniks goal in the first. ... Blackhawks D Niklas Hjalmarsson completed his suspension for charging Blues forward Ty Rattie during a preseason game on Oct. 1. D Michal Rozsival and C Dennis Rasmussen also were scratched. ... St. Louis scratched Rattie, D Carl Gunnarsson and LW Magnus Paajarvi. ... Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles got a standing ovation when she was shown on the videoboard during the first period. She acknowledged the cheering crowd with a wave.UP NEXTBlues: Host Minnesota on Thursday night.Blackhawks: Visit Nashville on Friday and then host the Predators on Saturday night.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '