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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Some final thoughts

After a night of reflection, here are some final thoughts to close the curtain on this seires. Feel free to chime in with your own.

~This team has become quite the source of heartbreak, huh?

~I wonder if the team just expected everyone else to roll over in their path as they stormed to the title. I didn't see the last few games in Quebec, but in game 2 at home they looked completely lethargic.

~What disturbed me as much as anything is how many times I heard the announcer say "Le Troisiemme Pris!" (the third strike)- it was at least ten times and at least twice in the ninth inning. And it wasn't (something) and le troisiemme pris, it was just le troisiemme pris leading me to believe that they were mostly strikeouts looking.

~NO EXCUSES. I don't want to hear about home field advantage. We had a chance to take a 2-0 lead at home which we SHOULD HAVE DONE given our home record this year. And even with the series split they should have been able to take 2 out of 3 up there since they hadn't lost a series in months. The 2-3 rule was set well in advance. Is it dumb? Yeah. Is it an excuse to fold like this? No.

~Thanks to the FELLOW FANS who made this season "more fun than a person should be allowed to have" --- from May until Labor Day, at least. Thanks to Andy Dillard, Sandy DeLeon and De Vries for being so entertaining. Thanks to 1510 the Zone for sparing me the agony of actually knowing HOW we were sucking last night.

~Well, that's about all. Title series time- I'm inclined (I think) to root for Brockton (ew), but I'm fairly confident that Quebec is going to win the series. Quebec was definitely a rougher opponent than New Haven and I think the Rox will find that out.

~Stay with the blog this offseason for discussion on the CanAm finals and the fate of the Spirit. It should be an interesting offseason with plenty to talk about.

~It's a little early to think about next year, I know... but I still can't help thinking about it. If the Spirit are no more next year, I hope that at least we can keep our clan of Spirit Fans together-- we can come back to the blog next year and talk about the league, the fate of baseball in the area, etc... maybe even meet up for a Pride game or something. But I'm fairly confident that the Spirit will return in '07 for Season V. That's when I hope to see you all again.

~Go Pats.

22 comments:

SoSayethI2006 said...

Thank YOU Joe.
I rolling over and am gonna' cry myself back to sleep.

Sparky

Joe Grav said...

A few more thoughts about the title series... I still don't know who I want to win. This is quite the dillemma.

I think I might be leaning toward Quebec... I DETEST Miles Wolff and Michel Laplante but my hatred stops there; I can't stand many of the Rox players and fans, however, in addition to the management. At least Capitales fans deserve the title-- they're hardcore and supportive; 75% of the people who will make up the Rox crowd will be ecstatic because they get one (or maybe even two ore three!) more chance to see K-O, before sitting all winter with their thumb up their ass with nothing to do but go watch their joke of a high school football "league" and classic Rocky Marciano on ESPN Classic.

Joe Grav said...

of course we'll have ya.

are you going to the race on Sunday? i'll be there.

Anonymous said...

Boys, boys, boys...Just because you walk around wearing Spirit jerseys (or Staff T-Shirts) holding clipboards does not make you baseball aficionados. While I respect your opinions and have sometimes found them to be entertaining, please let me point out the fact that you will never, EVER, know what goes into being a player or a coach.

These people (yes, they are people after all) give of themselves 7 days a week for 10+ hours a day for 4 1/2 months for not all that much money, giving up their "regular" lives, leaving their families and friends. The only thing you're witness to is 3 hours for 45/46 games. During these 4 1/2 months not only is skill worked upon but so is trust and communication. We, as fans, have no right to question decisions made based only on what we see.

You can "coulda, shoulda, woulda" all you like here as that is what this blog is for but to badmouth the group the way you did last night only proves your ignorance. A fan, as described in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is "an enthusiastic devotee usually as a spectator." Enthusiastic would be the last word one would use to describe your comments last night.

As for saying something in the heat of the moment, your comment regarding John Kennedy and his death was uncalled for. What happened to Dick Radatz was a tragedy in many people's eyes and was more heartbreaking than losing a series. You should be ashamed of yourself. I bet your mom would be SO proud of you for making that statement. Titleing an entry with "My Apolgies" and then not apologizing is just wrong. You owe an apology and you know it.

You show all sorts of spirit at the games yet here is where you choose to badmouth. Maybe you should change your screen name to "Two Face".

It's my hope that the Spirit do return next season. If you do decide to return as a "fan" next season I hope it's with a completely positive attitude, not a sometimes positive attitude.

This team gives you 45/46 nights of something to look forward to every summer. It is what it is - take it or leave it.

Joe Grav said...

It was stupid, everyone says stupid things from time to time- I'm sure you have as well. It doesn't mean it's a good thing to do.

And it's not like I'm always negative on this blog, or always positive in the stands. I get on players and coaches sometmies. And more often than not, I am rah-rah on this blog, on nefan.net, and around other fans. I'd say that I'm positive 95% of the time, which is more than most hardcore fans of any sports team (Cubs fans aside).

To chastise people or characterize them based on their words and actions in the IMMEDIATE aftermath of losing the series last night is as unfair on your part as it was unfair for us to call for the firing of every member of the Spirit coaching staff. It's not like this is the newspaper the day AFTER the game-- we're on here commenting AS the game goes on. If you don't get emotional (and if you're emotional, you're irrational), then you're probably not really a fan.

I don't fancy myself an expert, but I'm also no dummy. I know the game, I love the game, and I do support my team. But that doesn't mean I can't (or won't) get emotional. It doesn't excuse me for making an idioitic comment, I know-- but it also doesn't mean that I'm not a 'fan' or an 'aficionado' or whatever you want to call it.

Regardless, I look forward to seeing you (whoever you are) next year. Hopefully.

Joe Grav said...

And not to be annoying, but if you're going to pull out Merriam-Webster, so am I:

en‧thu‧si‧asm 
–noun
1. absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest: He shows marked enthusiasm for his studies.
2. any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy.

I don't see holding up the pom poms and supporting everything everyone does as one of the definitions of 'enthusiasm.' You can criticize my opinions, but don't say that I (or anyone else) am not a 'fan' because of any negative comments I sometimes make.

SoSayethI2006 said...

Thanks Benoit, likewise I'm sure.

Joe Grav said...

We're going to get a lot of this spin in the next few weeks.

"Everything's great! Look at all the games the team won in the regular season...."

Joe Grav said...

LOL

"The holder of this ticket must realize that this team gives you something to do 46 nights out of the summer, and as a result, you have no right to passionately hope that they win a championship and get upset if they don't."

Joe Grav said...

Right, and blogging is an online form of blurting out.

I'm not trying to defend what I said, I know it was wrong and stupid--but I'm not an evil wicked person I just blurted something out in the heat of the moment.. sort of like when you shout at the TV "GO TO HELL TAVAREZ!" Now I don't really want that ;) but I might feel really pissed off at the moment he gives up the walkoff bomb.

Grant Salzano said...

yeah.

about calling fans ignorant.

that in itself was ignorant.

"The bearer of this ticket inherantly acknowledges his or her ignorance of the game and will thus stfu when it comes to intelligent conversation about the game of baseball"

DaveCo said...

Annonymous....STOP BEING A COWARD! I don't care if you're in the front office,an employye, or if your're just an average person--you should not call someone ignorant and rude and everything you've said behind a no-name screename,Mr. NoFace :-p

We have the right to say what we want.
We can voice our opinions,good and bad.
We understand that these guys give up a lot to play for this team,and likewise they should underdstand that people WILL critize or praise them.
I was not giving up hope early last night,but most others did. That is the only thing I will agree with,you guys gave up when it was only 1-0! what the hell?!

Joe gets more emotional than any of us here. He will say things that many will find rude,out-of-line,and/or very informative. You guys must know him pretty good to understand why he writes what he writes. I have no problem with what he writes,even when it's the Kennedy commment...and I know that's because he got emotional.

I do hope tat the Spirit are back next year,as I think they will,and hope to see you all at Fraser in late May again. ;-]


oh yeah,as for the championship. Hmmmmmmmm,who do I want to lose less? :D I think Quebec will win. Brockton will put up a good fight,but I think they'll fall in the end.

Wooden U. Lykteneau said...

Guys - Check out the front page of the Spirit website; you can't tell me that that's not latently directed to you.

Anonymous said...

To all our devoted Spirit fans....

Thank you for your unwavering support and your unquestioned devotion to the 2006 Spirit team. I have appreciated your enthusiasm all season long.

I hope to see you all in 2007.

Very truly yours,

John Leahy

North Shore Spirit Broadcaster

SoSayethI2006 said...

Anonymous,
You are a pussy and a coward.
Have the courage of your convictions and identify yourself or dry up and go away.

Joe Grav said...

Wow, that's refreshing--appreciation of the fans. Was it directed just toward us? Quite frankly, I hope not (and I doubt it)- because if there's one thing I've learned this year, there are a LOT more diehard Spirit fans out there that I didn't even know about, who aren't necessarily in our little circle.

As a fan I appreciate that outreach from the org.

Joe Grav said...

We won't see Anonymous on here again until we make some offseason move that we might Dare to Question.

He waits for instances when he can show how much Better than You he is.

DaveCo said...

I'd like to say thank you to the Spirit org. for the letter to the fans. Not just for recognising us,for I know it isn't directed towards us alone, but all the 100000+ fans that have Caught The Spirit this year. It's very good to see that they still apreciate their fans.

Hey Beniot....by saying "Please check the website during the offseason for all of the latest Spirit news and updates." that COULD be a subtle hint that they're not going. They will probably not say "See you in 2007." because it should be expected to be abck. From what some of the front office have said around me and other information gathered I doubt that this team will not be at Fraser next year.

Grant Salzano said...

we hope.

Joe Grav said...

That was maybe the most logical thing I've ever read in my life.

Kudos to you.

*let's get together and we'll be alright*

we're gonna be ok now...we're gonna be ok lol

Grant Salzano said...

wow average fan.

i agree with joe

SoSayethI2006 said...

What a great acquisition!
Hey Anonymous, would You like to tell me how wrong I am?, or maybe I am just ignorant....putz.