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Tuesday, June 8
It is still painful, but honestly, tonight my heart is filled with wonder and gratitude. Wonder not that we made it so far, but wonder that a team evoked so much emotion from me and my hometown. Wonder that I could care about sports that way again. I missed that feeling. Not the smug overconfidence of watching Team Canada in the Olympics or the simple enjoyment of a sports game with a beer at a bar - but watching a game. Being consumed by it. And being rewarded by it.
And let us not forget gratitude. This team went so far not just for themselves, but for me. Did I lose faith over the years? Possibly. Calgary never stopped being my favourite team, and over the past three years I saw my faith somewhat restored. I watched with glee Iggy's season two years ago. And again with glee at the couple of games I went to last season (we won!). But even in October I still felt the malaise of disppointment. And then Miikka. And then... well and then it wasn't just the games I went to that we won, it was the games I watched. And then the games I didn't catch as well. And I saw why. It wasn't because we had more talent, or more money. It was because we worked harder. Because we were better as a team than we ever were. In the biography I read on Scotty Bowman the author suggested that a good coach can win you 20 games. I didn't understand that until this year. Sutter and Playfair have made a team into a team. And Iginla showed the leadership we knew he could. And some 25 guys showed they could step up and produce the very best of their careers, for my team. For me. I'm honoured.
posted by Duncan @ 10:53 PM
© 2003-2010 Duncan Wojtaszek
No reproduction whatsoever, in any form, without permission.
All views expressed here are those of Duncan Wojtaszek and no other person or organization.
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