The end-of-the-season cry.
I saw it once again Friday night. Atascadero fell in the first round of the playoffs and on came the sprinklers.
Now, I'm not pointing this out to belittle the Greyhounds. I did it, too, back in the day. You didn't even want to see the red rings around my eyes after my last high school basketball game - and we weren't even that good (Sorry coach Sharp).
Who didn't cry after their final intersholastic sporting event? They're the weird ones.
But in the midst of that Atascadero agony, it hit me.
Consider this: With so many high school football playoff games going on this Friday, how many hundreds of kids bawled together in the throes of defeat in California alone? Or is it thousands?
Nationwide, we're certainly talking about a lot of losses, a lot of kids and a lot of salt. This past Friday might mark the biggest mass cry of any day this year.
And I'm all for it.
High school boys aren't known for sharing feelings or hugging or making themselves vulnerable. This is their one day a year where they can do it in front of thousands of people. And it's cool.
It wasn't fun to see. And an early exit wasn't the way the Greyhounds were hoping to finish off their best season in close to a decade.
But in a few years, all people will remember is that Atascadero went 9-2, won the PAC 7 title, blew out its two biggest rivals and made it to the playoffs.
The Greyhounds have far better things to cry about than most.
Friday, November 17, 2006
We've all done it
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2 comments:
Just so you know, this is twice you've gotten the same thing wrong. This year's home playoff game wasn't the first since 1997 for Atascadero. The Greyhounds also hosted in the first round in 2001. They went 0-5 in the preseason and 4-1 in the Los Padres League, good for second place, and lost in the first round at home.
This column was not needed. Atas was a team of young men. They may have been mad or even upset about losing but that's expected. But don't label them cryers. They are not.
From a SLO fan that is proud to have ATAS in our league. You made all of us in the PAC-7 respected this year. Great job.
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