America’s game. The American pastime. Football and baseball define who we are as a nation because, well, they are our favorite sports. So, clearly the fall, with the World Series, the NFL, and college football, is the greatest time to be a sports fan.

The World Series is one of the greatest events of the sports year because baseball is one of the most fascinating games around. There is so much strategy involved in every decision; sacrifice bunts and pinch hitters and pitching changes can be debated for weeks, months, even years.

How often have we discussed the consequences of Grady Little’s decision to leave Pedro Martinez in the game during the eighth inning of Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS? The baseball playoffs are where legends are made, where moments live forever in our memories—Don Larsen’s perfect game, Reggie Jackson’s three home runs, Kirk Gibson’s fist pump, Carlton Fisk’s home run waved fair. These images are etched into the hearts of baseball fans everywhere because baseball is a part of who we are.

On the other hand, football is by far America’s favorite sport. With only a sixteen game season, every game and every moment can mean the difference between a playoff run and a failed season.

Just last season, one play, Victor Cruz’s ninety-nine yard touchdown catch against the Jets, changed the Giants’ season. The play not only changed the momentum of the game, but also catapulted the Giants into a winning streak which continued through their Super Bowl victory. According to sbnation.com, the top twelve shows on all of television viewed nationwide in 2012 were all football games. Twelve football games ranked higher than every comedy series, every drama series, every NBA and NHL and NCAA “March Madness” game. Football dominates the television ratings because it dominates Americans’ hearts; there is nothing better than nachos and football on a Sunday afternoon.

Spring is a good time to be a sports fan, but it certainly is not as great as the fall. Many New Yorkers were swept up by the excitement of last year’s NHL playoffs, but, if the Rangers were not involved, how many people (outside of die-hard fans) would have cared? This clearly contrasts with the Super Bowl, which is a must-see event no matter who plays and how big a fan you are. Spring also witnesses the beginning of baseball season, but the season is so long that the early games seem meaningless. How many great teams have bad starts, and how many bad teams have great starts? Based on the beginning of this season, one would assume that the Mets and Yankees would have similar records; obviously, things change by the time playoff races emerge.

As a nation of baseball and football fans, fall is simply the greatest sports season of all. Fans are all happiest when the leaves change, the World Series unfolds, and football season kicks off. Spring is a good time to be a sports fan, but ultimately the fall is our true love.