What a year, huh?
My first season as a front-page writer is officially in the books, and it was an amazing- and often humbling- experience. No question, I had some very large shoes to fill. But I had two wonderful coaches in Nico and baseballgirl, for whom this has become old hat. I wish to personally thank them- and Tyler- for their patience and support this year.
On the eve of Athletic Nation's sixth birthday, I think it is safe to say that this has been the site's most trying season- and this says nothing of the team's performance on the field. I will spare you the gory details, but "meta-thread" was an all-too popular phrase around here for awhile. And just as we have become accustomed to seeing favorite ballplayers leave Oakland for greener pastures, AN lost a core group of people that had come up through the site's farm system.
But I am not here to talk about what Athletics Nation is not. Just like that little team over at 7000 Coliseum Way has done through the years, AN will rebuild and continue to reinvent itself. Maybe it's not the site you once knew and were fond of; well hell, neither are the A's, but we keep showing up. And if you feel the urge to wax nostalgic over Jennifer, do it. It's no different than getting teary-eyed over Marco. Look, I am the last guy to tell you not to talk about the past.
I don't mind looking ahead either, and I will echo Nico's sentiments about sticking around for the off-season. For many of you, this is the most wonderful time of the year, when rosterbation and speculation take over Athletics Nation.
There might be a retro piece or two from yours truly, including the conclusion of Scrapbook Memories, and the Decade in Review. If you are into that sort of thing.
And for the non-statsy, game-thread crowd, we will keep you entertained. Maybe Leopold Bloom and I will find the time to renew our DLD rivalry. (Or like Rickey working with Jemile Weeks, maybe monkeyball will come out of hiding and show us how it's done). Perhaps someone would like to take on the arduous task of bringing back the QOTM's. I know Nico has some other fun stuff planned, as do I, but why spoil the surprise?
So there will be plenty to see and do to get you through the winter. And remember, Spring Training tickets go on sale December 8...if you weren't sure what to get me for Christmas.
As for the new-look Athletics Nation, I'll leave the interior design comments for someone else. For me, it doesn't matter what the house looks like.
It's who lives there that counts.
