There's Always Next Year

My wife and I have a running joke which says that I should have been a sportscaster. This is because I often will offer personal observations or commentary about whatever sporting event I happen to be watching. That, in and of itself, does not qualify me for a career at the worldwide leader. The joke comes from the increasingly frequent echo effect that occurs when the actual sportscaster on TV says something eerily similar to my statement, often using the exact same language. Unfortunately, my voice (and most would say my face) are not very appealing for TV or radio work. When discussing this the other day, a friend asked about the possibility of sports writing. In order to explore this intriguing possibility, I decided to do what any technologically advanced, modern writer does. I started this blog. (I am even writing my first blog post on my wife's iPad.) I don't think it will be daily to start with, but I will be attempting to post at least weekly unless inspiration hits me more often. Please feel free to give me your feedback on any and all posts. Here is my first attempt. (In reviewing this post, I realize it is rather long. It is my first attempt, and the subject matter is very dear to me. Please oblige me this time. I promise that future blogs won't be so wordy.)

The casual sports fan will not know the name Joan Dolores Kauzlarich. In fact, the most dedicated of sports fans will not know the name Joan Dolores Kauzlarich. You see, she never made it big in the sports world. She did, however, make it big in another world, my family's world. That's no small world by the way. She married Bill Kure and became Joan Kure. She was, above all, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother. To me, she was Grandma.

It is a little strange for me to write like this. You see, up until this past weekend, I have never had to refer to any of my grandparents in the past tense. I will turn 30 later this year, and I am well aware of how blessed I am to have made it this far into my life and still have all four grandparents living. Sadly, Grandma passed away last Saturday morning at the age of 78. Because my grandparents live in Missouri and I have always lived in Texas, we couldn't see each other as much as we would have liked. Still, I know that she loved me, and I know that she prayed for me. Those are the two most important things a grandmother can do for a grandchild.

Before she died, Grandma helped me to start learning a great sports lesson, which has now become a great life lesson as well. Grandma was born in Chicago. She was a Bears fan, but the guys she cheered for the most were her beloved Cubs. The lesson she and "the Cubbies" (she always called them the Cubbies) taught me comes from what has become the perpetual motto of Cubs fans the world over.

There's always next year.

I have heard Grandma and my Dad, who is also a lifelong Cubs fan, say that many times during my life. Living so far from Grandma, and moving out on my own and away from Dad, I guess I had not heard that in a few years. More likely, I refused to hear it.

As my wife will attest, I am an obsessive sports fan. A few years ago, I had a subscription to a magazine whose initials spell "yes" in Spanish. When it ran out, I did not renew immediately. I told my wife that I would wait until one of my favorite teams won a title. Then I would subscribe and get that cool bundle of championship freebies they always offer at the end of each sport's season. The problem with that plan is my list of favorites: Dallas Stars hockey, Carolina Panthers football, Texas Rangers baseball, Texas A&M Aggies college football and men's basketball, and Matt Kenseth in NASCAR. Among them all, I have managed to experience ONE title in my 29+ years, the 1999 Dallas Stars. A few readers may wonder about Kenseth's Chase inducing Winston Cup. I was a Mark Martin fan at the time, and only switched to Matt when Martin semi-retired. (Strangely, Martin is still title-less as well.) Do I know how to pick 'em or what?

One title in 29 years, and I was growing increasingly agitated. Furious in fact. Then, my wife asked me (on more than one occasion) why I got so mad when one of my teams lost. Then my grandparents came to town for a visit. In spending time with the family, and talking with Grandma and Dad about sports and "the Cubbies," I heard it a few times again...there's always next year. Then Grandma passed away.

I am working harder at making that motto my outlook. I haven't learned to do it perfectly. However, here is what I have learned.

The Cubs have not won the World Series in over 100 years. There is a term that is often used to describe Cubs fans and that was more than fitting for Grandma too. Long-suffering.

I believe that Grandma is now a no-suffering Cubbies fan. She will get to see the Cubs win a title someday...I think. The difference? She can no longer be heartbroken after each year that it doesn't happen.

For the rest of us, there is not always next year. Life here really is short. Maybe I should not get so worked up when one of my teams falls short AGAIN.

After all, it is just a game.

Scripture: Phillipians 3:13-14 "...one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" This is my favorite scripture.

Quote: "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss