RE: Fellas it’s been fun
Rath and to those leaving, I wish you well. I had thought, especially through your vitamin posts, your perspective would carry the day regardless of the NCAA outcome. Something changed for you, it happens, but I hope we meet again here or at a UC function.
The ironic part is I totally get it, I used to be "that guy". It ruined my whole weekend when UC football lost, lived through the Minter years, saw the Orange bowl and Sugar Bowl live, was in the stands when Bob beat UMass with Wingfield and the Shoe was deafening. My first year of season tickets after service was Cronin's first year, it was a brutal time to be a season ticket holder, but I fondly remember players like Williamson going toe to toe with Big East heavyweights and giving so much effort in spite of losing you just knew that kid would be a success in life.
Now that I look back over 23 years of fandom, my perspective has changed as well. I've lost half my friends in the military to combat or related incidents. The other half for the most part are so chewed up mentally or physically they're on surgery 4-5 in their early forties, medicated, and will never be the same. My good friend's wife has stage 4 metastatic cancer and is dying with 3 young kids. My best buddy in college is already dead from cancer. I've seen first hand folks I respect and look up to succumb to mental illness, problems I used to say suck it up to and now realize it's every bit the challenge cancer or other disease is. I moved to Cincinnati years ago and find myself with no family left in Ohio, life certainly turned out different than when I started this road at UC in the early 90s than I expected.
These details aren't important in the sense of one person's journey, mine is relatively mild compared to many I know. Heck, if you want to read an inspirational story google Keanu Reeves early life and see what a person can do in spite of immense odds while staying true to themselves while also being wildly successful. Or read thank you for your service and see how folks coming back from overseas will never integrate back into civilian life, it will certainly update perspective. But what these tidbits do, and what i hoped Rath and others would see today, is that perspective. No one is shooting at us, I've not lost 20 pounds starving in a survival camp, the sun came up today, UC had a great season that I enjoyed and will really treasure the memories of games and such with friends and fellow fans. It was fun.
Mind you I'm not critical at all of those who want more. There are valid concerns to whether our team can address their shortcomings in March going forward or if this is a pattern to be repeated over and over. Honestly, I have no idea. I guess what I'm saying is that perspective, that Vitamin deficiency talked about before, can be honed through adversity to help you enjoy the journey, appreciate that nothing is perfect, and while losing sucks you can spend 5 minutes on it then prepare for more pressing matters while realizing next year will probably be fun again if you keep that same lens that it's a game to be enjoyed regardless. Thanks Clark, thanks Washington, I enjoyed your career. Better days are coming. People who make more than I do are paid to worry about the outcome yesterday, if you don't think any coach after that loss won't sleep for a week, well.... But I had fun. And I will again next year. I just learned to take the atic out of fan and this is a way better ride. Enjoy the day.
Go cats!
(This post was last modified: 03-19-2018 11:29 AM by Fubar.)
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