It’s been a tough year for Boston sports fans. We lost Jon Lester and half of our World Series dream team, the Bruins traded Boychuck and Thornton, and the rumor mills are buzzing with gossip about Rondo and Brady getting ready to pack it up and leave.
One of the hardest things about rooting for Boston sports is losing your favorite players. I remember when my dad told me Johnny Damon was going to the Yankees after our historic 2004 World Series win. “But why would he want to leave Boston and go to New York?” I asked. “We’re the best!” No matter what team you root for, if your favorite player gets traded, retires or willingly joins another team, there are certain stages everyone goes through upon hearing the news.
Stage One: Denial
“So did you hear they’re getting rid of _____?”
You don’t take it seriously, your friend’s just messing with you. Then you start hearing it on the radio, on the news…
No, this can’t be true. They’re wrong. He’d never leave, things have been rough lately but he’s in it for the long haul, right? Right?!
Stage Two: Anger
Well, it’s true. He’s gone. What a jerk, he thinks he can leave like that, after everything you’ve been through?
He’s going soft anyways, he really sucked last season, he’s too much of a wimp for this team, we don’t need him… DAMNIT WHY IS HE LEAVING?!?!
Step Three Bargaining:
You’re hoping, praying, that wherever they go, it’s not New York. Anywhere else is fine. You can handle them going to Pittsburgh, or Miami, or even L.A., just not New York. You’d do anything to keep them from going there…
But nine times out of ten they go to New York, or at least to your least favorite team.
Stage Four Grief:
This is when you start to believe the team will never be the same or that it’s the beginning of the end of the glory days.
What if all the best players leave and we never win another championship again?
Stage Five Acceptance:
Okay, so they’re gone. There’s nothing you can do about it, and you’ll move on from this.
Besides, you’ll find new players to cheer on, because while players may come and go, the Bruins/Sox/Celtics/Pats will always be champs.