Sports editors dread the second Monday in July.

When your job is to come in each day and choose something exciting for the top story in tomorrow’s paper, there’s comfort in knowing that no matter what day it is, something’s always going on in the sports world.

Unless it’s the second Monday in July. Then there’s nothing going on....

The smart ones call in sick and let their assistant editors figure it out. Others cross their fingers and hope the hockey writers come through with a story for the back page. Then they arrive at work and realize the hockey writers are all gone. They won’t be back until late August, when the NHLers start skating at 8 Rinks.

-Erik Rolfsen of the Vancouver Province.