like most kinds of music, but I tend not to listen to much country.

But there is one country singer who I really like: Tim McGraw.

McGraw headlined this past weekend's Oregon Jamboree in Sweet Home and even though I wasn't able to attend, I heard he was excellent.

Many people don't know McGraw's link to the sports world. McGraw's father, Tug McGraw, was a relief pitcher for the unlikely 1969 World Series champion New York Mets.

That got me thinking about how some of Tim McGraw's many classic songs can be related to sports...

'I like it, I love it'

This one goes to my newfound obsession with fantasy football.

Although I've known of its popularity for several years, I got involved for the first time last season.

I was hesitant at first, but once I found out how much fun it is, I was completely addicted.

It's what I'm looking forward to most about the upcoming football season, which gets underway this Sunday with the first preseason game.

'Indian Outlaw'

This song is dedicated to the Cleveland Indians, whose strategy of giving away its top players to the best teams in baseball should be outlawed.

The Indians traded catcher/first baseman Victor Martinez to the Boston Red Sox last week, making an already good team even better.

Boston stole the 30-year-old Martinez, sending Cleveland a relief pitcher and two minor-leaguers.

The reason this bothers me is because the American League East is already dominate with the Red Sox, New York Yankees and last year's AL champion Tampa Bay Rays.

I understand that my team, the Seattle Mariners, has little chance of making the playoffs, but if they did, they couldn't compete with Boston and New York, who continually acquire the best talent in the league year after year.

'Grown Men Don't Cry'

One of my all-time favorite songs, this one goes to Adam Morrison of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Morrison, who played for the Gonzaga Bulldogs out of Spokane from 2003-2006, saw his popularity peak after falling to the floor in tears following the Bulldogs' loss to UCLA in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.

Morrison spent two and a half years with the Charlotte Bobcats before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.

If he stays with L.A., he'll likely see limited playing time, considering the Lakers deep bench.

It's been a hard fall for the third pick of the 2006 NBA draft.

"My Best Friend"

This song is dedicated to former best buds Manny Rameriz and David Ortiz, who helped the Boston Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 for the first time in 86 years.

It was reported last week that both Rameriz and Ortiz were among those on a 2003 list as using performance enhancing drugs (steroids).

Ortiz and Rameriz can now be lumped together with the best players in baseball who have been labeled as cheaters - Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, etc.

I will no longer be surprised by anybody else who is reported to have used steroids.

"My Next Thirty Years"

It's impossible to tell what sports has in store for me during the next thirty years.

There are two things I can guarantee though:

1. I will continue to hate the New York Yankees with all my might.

2. My complete obsession with fantasy football will continue to grow each and every year.

I'll use two other Tim McGraw songs to cap this column.

Have I left you "Smilin'", or did it end "Not a Moment Too Soon"? You can be the judge of that.