I have quite the Thanksgiving planned this weekend. Football, two days worth of dinner and more stuffing than I could ever ask for, and spending time with family. But, I can’t help but wish I had a little bit more.
The Toronto Blue Jays were supposed to be playing in the American League Divisional Round last weekend. There’s no better way to escape heated arguments among family members than by throwing on a high stakes baseball game that everyone cares deeply about.
Unfortunately, though the Blue Jays won their last three games of the season, they missed out on a chance at the playoffs by one game. They lost one game too many to the New York Yankees. Thanks for nothing, Jays.
That’s not really how I feel though. Watching the Blue Jays turn on the jets in the final month of the season, erase a six game gap separating them from the wildcard spots, and break the franchise home run record was absolutely thrilling, and just what I needed.
I struggled to accept the reality of summer coming to an end once more and winter being right around the corner, but the Blue Jays’ ultimately doomed run lit a fire that kept my heart burning until I turned my furnace on in October.
As much as I want to be defiant, I’m thankful for this Blue Jays team. They are right up there with the 2015 Jose Bautista bat-flip team for best Jays squad since 93, and part of me fears this might be the best Jays team for years to come. They had the fifth best run differential in the entire MLB, but failed to grab one of the 10 playoff spots.
They still provided weeks of entertainment, only they did it a month earlier than I would have preferred.
I feel that way about lots of things in our world today. This summer was pretty awesome. I did everything I wanted to do and more (which never happens), and have more tomatoes from my garden than I have room for in my house. I embraced the loosening of restrictions to the fullest, and I’m thankful we had those two months to enjoy life a little more fully. I just wish we had a little more of that.
Then there is the current societal landscape. On the surface, it seems like we have quite a bit more restrictions than in the summer, but in reality, things are still pretty great, at least from my perspective.
It’s so great that school sports are back in session, and junior hockey players are able to get a feel for that level before they age out.
But, the U18 Canadian National Women’s Hockey Championships were already cancelled. I’m hoping the same doesn’t happen for the upcoming BC Provincial Triple-A Girls Volleyball Provincials set for Dawson Creek in December, or the figure skating competitions and swim meets the local clubs have been so longingly hoping for.
That’s out of my control, just as the play of the Blue Jays, or the team re-signing Marcus Semien, is out of my control. But if things do get worse, for the Jays and world alike, I’ll still be thankful all the same.
Email sports reporter Dillon Giancola at sports@ahnfsj.ca
Dillon Giancola: Thankful, but still wanting more - Alaska Highway News
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