On Hope and Losing

 

Cosby Field from the new Tailgating Pavillion

Game 7 of the Knicks/Pacers series just ended.

So let's recap. It was Game 7. Eastern Conference Semifinals. At Madison Square Garden. A home game. At the "Mecca."

Do we need any more buildup?

And yet? 

It was a big, fat, nothingburger.

Pacers 130, Knicks 109.

The Pacers had a historic day shooting the basketball and full credit to them for sure.

The Knicks dealt with a rash of injuries, including Jalen Brunson, who left this game with a fractured hand.

But I don't play the excuse game. 

And I also don't deal with the loser mentality of "it was a great season," which I saw before the game started.

No. Screw that, to be blunt.

Sure, marvel at the season eventually but, right now, no shot. The Knicks were the second seed in the Eastern Conference. You would be fine to have expected more.

Instead, it ends like this.

It's a shame.

I'm glad I don't have a show tomorrow because there would be fire.

I got a text from someone at WGCH about last Monday's show, when I eviscerated "phony" fans (you know, Town Hall types who disappear when their team stinks). He told me how "on fire" I was.

Well, I would have been off the charts tomorrow because this attitude makes me nuts.

I don't stand for it with any team that I support.

I want the Jeter stare, where you watch the other team celebrate and carry that feeling into the postseason.

I loved this Knicks team. 

I wish it didn't end this way.

*****

Once again, I'm here to stand up for having the ability adjust on the fly.

I struggled with a "Meet the Beatles" topic coming into this week. Something popped into my brain late yesterday but I just wasn't sure if I liked it.

I went with it. I decided to highlight some of the lads' contemporaries.

And I loved it.

But I completely slapped the whole thing together on the fly.

Broadcasting has to be spontaneous in spaces. In this case, it worked magnificently. 

I enjoyed every moment of it and was ready for another hour.

Next week, I'll be stumbling after the Greenwich Town Party.

I better start thinking of topics now.

*****

It was Lawerenceville's day again
(From the LocalLive broadcast)

The Prep Nationals Lacrosse Championship was today.

It wasn't meant to be for Brunswick, as Lawrenceville came out and cruised to a 14-5 win at Cosby Field.

The Big Red were nasty, putting bodies on the ball constantly. The pressure was intense and they cruised to the title.

They won the Prep Nationals for the second year in a row and will be the number one team in the land.

I loved calling it and working with a great crew including Dan Arestia, David Berry, and Josh Drebsky. Great pros.

Before I head into the wasteland that can be the summer, I'm shifting over to the FCIAC baseball semifinals tomorrow, featuring No. 5 Wilton vs. No. 1 Warde in the early game and No. 7 Staples vs. No. 3 Trumbull in the nightcap. The broadcast will begin at 3:55 p.m. with the "Your Business Name Could Be Here Pregame Show."

But I do want to pause and thank everyone at Brunswick for another wonderful year of game broadcasts. I'm blessed to have these people in my corner to get me to call as much as I do. Kevin Devaney Jr at LocalLive either just puts up with me or likes me. I probably drive Wayne MacGillicuddy at Brunswick nuts as well.

But I'm truly blessed to have Kevin, Wayne, Director of Athletics Cedric Jones, Associate Director of Athletics Ron Van Belle, Head of School Tom Phillip, and so many others supporting me. I get to work with amazing coaches in McGillicuddy, Mike Kennedy, Steve Juricek, and Connor Redahan closely.

Plus the parents and students have been remarkably supportive. The kind words, the occasional tweaks, and the food delivered to the press box all mean so much. A mom introduced herself to me today and said that I nearly made her cry talking about her son in a recent game. Others have said I'm the best part of the game or that it's not a game unless I'm broadcasting it.

It's humbling and I'm beyond grateful.

Thank you, Wick. 

See you in September.

*****

Dan Arestia hands the Prep Nationals trophy
to Lawrenceville

Hope is inspiring.

Hope can make you want to run through a wall.

Hope is also dangerous.

But I suppose it's something.

So I'm hopeful.