I’ve been starting at this screen for about fifteen minutes now, title done, nothing else written. There’s a whole lot of “if only” thoughts running through my head. There’s a whole lot of frustration that wants to overcome the rush of two great months that ended much too quickly.
I know I can’t let that frustration win. It’s pointless. It’s much better to remember the good than stew in the bad. I know that. But, I guess when things don’t go your way, it’s easier to let the bullshit spew than it is to talk about the good times.
Well, fuck that.
Thanks, Iiro Tarkki, for giving this fanbase something to believe in. You have a bright future, so much talent. I know you’ll go far.
Thanks, Kyle Palmieri. I don’t think we’ve seen the likes of you come through here, to be honest. We’ve had guys who were close, but you’re a one-in-a-million player. You gave us a lot to cheer about, often when there wasn’t anything else to yell for.
Thanks, Luca Caputi. What started with a fascination with your name turned into a legitimate appreciation for your talent, your drive, and the spark you brought to the bench and to this fanbase. You weren’t the flashiest, but you were by far one of the most hardworking. You got results, time after time. You were one of the major forces behind this team’s turn around. I’m only sorry we didn’t see you play in this series. I still feel you could have made a difference. I’ll probably miss you the most, and I wish you well.
Thanks, Rick Schofield. You were the first–and only so far–Crunch player to ever follow me on Twitter. It made me feel very appreciated and lucky whenever you’d respond or RT anything I’d say. Your game improved so much over the course of the season. You were definitely our unsung hero. You killed yourself, night after night, and had a work ethic that just wouldn’t quit.
Thanks, Nick Schaus. As our first player announcement here on the blog earlier this season, your presence on the team evoked a bit of pride in all of us here. Your positive attitude and desire to excel will take you far, I can tell.
Finally, thanks, Jim Sarosy and company. From conversations during games; phone calls and e-mails about teams, players and jerseys; barbs on Twitter; giddy exchanges fueled by adrenaline and caffeine…it’s the people who are behind these organizations that make the bad times tolerable and the good times amazing. I dare anyone in this league to find a better front office than the one we have in terms of passion, dedication, and attention paid to fans and season ticket holders. I may bust on the organization from time to time, but the front office will always have my respect and admiration for what they do and what they go through with us. Not above us, but with us.
It always feels weird when these series end on the road. It just stops. You don’t really expect it to. You don’t get to say that final goodbye to your guys, your players, your team. It’s just over. It’s weird, especially this season. There aren’t any playoff heroics to remember, nothing Crunch fans will still be talking about in four years. But, to be fair, not every season gets to have those moments. The lack of them doesn’t reflect poorly on this team. For two months, times were good, and that’s what I’m grateful for tonight. I really thought I’d be seeing the War Memorial again this season. I’m thankful for the good times we had, but I’m sorry they had to end so soon. Good luck, boys, with whatever happens next season and with whatever comes next. Always remember, when people ask you, where you got that extra bit of grit from.
And, as always, go Crunch.
