We’re about to enter a depressing part of the year for sports fans. Why is this, you ask?

Well, for most sane people, summer is a great time of year. One that provides warmth, grilling out and attempts to not drown in the river — good times abound.

For a sports fan though, it’s like winter with lots of snow (which at this rate may happen this summer). This is because there’s only really one sport going on. There are no Olympics this year and no World Cup.

I love baseball, but I guess I’m a little greedy. This is why this time of year is so important because there still are multiple sports to be engaged with. We have to get the most out of the NBA and NHL playoffs, and I don’t think we are.

I love the playoffs in both of these sports. They’re bonkers, nutso and “Hello nurse” crazy. In fact, they are any other “Animaniacs” phrase you can think of. However, the playoffs in hockey and basketball can be improved.

The first thing that needs to be done is to reduce the amount of teams. It makes no sense that 16 teams make the playoffs and 14 don’t in each league.

It should involve the best of the best, but if the Pacers, who are 37-45, can make the playoffs, you have a problem.

This is less of a problem in the NHL since there are closer to 16 decent teams, but still, I want the best.

I think cutting it to NFL levels, which would be six teams per conference, would work. Just as long as they seed based on record and not how the NFL does it, we’ll be fine. Also, ignoring how the NFL deals with contracts would be a helpful tip.

With fewer teams, you’ll make it more special to actually make the playoffs and will ensure the best teams make it. Both sports feel like they are striving to be the college bowl system where every team on Earth can go to bowls such as the Old Dutch Chip Tossing Cup of Suburban Detroit.

C’mon. These are professional leagues. Let’s not drop to the lowest common denominator.

Another problem I have is the playoffs are just too long. They can take a couple months and I think they diminish the worth of the regular season. It is usually the best basketball or hockey of the year, but it can be a bit much.

There is too much of a good thing, people. Has eating too much ice cream or playing Pogs taught us nothing? Apparently not.

I want all series to be a maximum of five games for both hockey and basketball. Yes, I understand that this makes it more possible for lesser teams to win, because you can get lucky a couple of times.

However, low seeds already do pretty well in hockey and maybe it would be more interesting if it happens a little more often in the Association, too.

Plus, with the amount of teams being lowered, you won’t get a team like the Pacers miraculously going too far in the playoffs because they wouldn’t get in. Yes, maybe the Bucks will make the playoffs less often, but maybe it will encourage them to be better. It’s difficult when the best player is our mascot.

Seriously, though, changing the format will celebrate mediocrity less, which to me is a good thing.

I think if we do these two things, we will have a more efficient playoff system that will be more enjoyable for all. I’m doing God’s work, am I right? OK, probably not, it’s more like the-guy-yelling-at-the-TV’s work, and that guy is me.

But anyway, I want things to be more interesting, before the dregs of summer, and I think this could do it.