If you are a Minnesota Wild fan,
this was truly a wild season; pun intended. At the beginning of the year, hopes
were high as new players were added to the team and dreams were uttered that
this could be the year….
At mid-season; all hopes seemed to
be dashed (at least to the fair-weather fans) as cries for a new coach and new
goalies were splashed across the sports pages in the Twin Cities. The Wild had
discovered a new low as they sat at the bottom of the standings.
And yet, with the second half came
new elated hope that this could be the year….as the team rose to the top as a
new goalie seemed to turn the team around as they won themselves into the
playoffs.
And then; as John Madden (the NFL
legend, not the hockey player) said; “It’s a shame someone has to lose”…the Minnesota Wild lost to the
Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the playoffs. And all hopes seemed to
be dashed.
As the sour taste of the final loss
lingered in the air, Jason Stern, Senior
Manager, Group & Inside Sales of the Minnesota Wild, wrote this
post right after the game.
I share with his permission and to
give you perspective as you sort through your own heartbreaks today.
“My Dear Friends &
Family,
Losing sucks. Losing on your
birthday really sucks.
And only my fellow coworkers or those who have experienced a
playoff loss by working for a sports team full-time can fully &
truly relate to the deep frustrating pain that the end of a Minnesota
Wild season creates for us devote employees.
Hard work, long hours, social and personal
sacrifices, and much beyond should be highly rewarded, right? My fellow sports
professionals ride the roller coaster of a season, deal with all the on the
band wagon, off the band wagon, on the band wagon, off the band wagon fans
and in the end we all fully well know only ONE team will head into the
summer truly happy as a result One.
After 15 seasons across 4 leagues
why do I do this???? Because I care. Because of the passion. Because of the
love. Because of the journey. Because sports have been my life for exactly 37
years…today.
Because hundreds of thousands of
sports fans across the world pay hard earned money to see what I am paid to
lead ...to do...to help others experience. This is my career ...and I LOVE IT.
My sales team. My contacts. My life.
No matter how many times my heart
breaks. No matter how many up and down moments a season gives to us. Good and
bad.
Some who don't understand will
say "it's just a game". That will boil the blood of any employee that
has the team logo on their pay checks.
Because to us, it is much more
than a game. It pays the bills. It supports our families. It is our career. Our
way of life.
HOWEVER, there are times like
tonight…on my 37th blessed birthday on this earth …I come home too late to a
sleeping house of my beautiful family…and I see these pictures on the kitchen
counter that my 3 year old has drawn for me for my birthday ...because she
loves me…and I realize it IS just a game.
I am a Dad. I AM A DAD!
And I am so, so thankful for my
life, my wife, and my three little girls.
It's the moments we're all after
in life.
Win or lose it's truly the
moments.
Life is good ...even when you
can't hoist the trophy. Cheers to year 37.”
© 2015 Jason Stern USED WITH
PERMISSION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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