Thursday, January 25, 2018

The Lee Nguyen Saga


When the Revs re-convened for the start of preseason camp in late-January, there was a sense of new beginnings. Their first training sessions under new coach Brad Friedel and his staff were set to start and there were new faces to put through the paces. In addition to them there were guys like Diego Fagundez, Kelyn Rowe, Cody Cropper, Antonio Delamea and Claude Dielna. The usual suspects were all there. Well, save for one.

Lee Nguyen never showed up.

He still hasn't shown up.

The holdout stems from a very simple place: money. Nguyen made $500,000 last season, but he's worth at least double that. New England is notably stingy when it comes to what they're willing to pay players. They didn't have any million dollar earners last season (the highest earner on the team was Xavier Kouassi, making nearly $900k) and had no players in the top-20 highest paid players, per The Denver Post.

Here's a rundown of what Lee Nguyen has done since joining the Revs in 2012: played in 191 games, scored 51 goals (2nd-most in club history), tallied 49 assists (2nd-most in club history), has the most penalty kick goals in club history, and the 2nd-most shots, shots on goal and game winning goals in club history. He is just the second Revolution player ever to rack up at least 40 goals and 40 assists, the only other to reach that mark being Steve Ralston (42 G, 73 A).

It seems clear to me that Nguyen is an all-time Rev, probably in the top 5 to be honest (off the top of my head and in no particular order I'd probably go Nguyen, Twellman, Reis, Tierney and Ralston).

The bigger issue is that this hold out has no become extremely publicized. Given Nguyen's stature within the club, his absence was extremely noticeable, only exacerbated by the fact that he has made it clear he was unhappy with his contract situation for quite some time. After he no-showed the start of training camp, the Revs put out a statement in which they said Nguyen was in breach of his contract:

After trade speculation quickly started, Revs management including GM Mike Burns and Friedel came out to say, and continue to say, Lee will not be traded, with reports saying they are not even listening to offers. Rather, they likely have an intern picking up the phone an inch when it rings and then placing it back down to end the call.

Nguyen has finally spoken on the matter, telling ESPNFC, "I hope things can work out in a manner that benefits everyone... I've paid my dues and it gets harder and harder to watch so many players on the Revs and in MLS get rewarded year after year, despite not performing anywhere close to what I have done." He also said that at this point in his career he feels like he needs a new challenge, generally something players will say when they actually complete a move elsewhere, not while they are holding out.



It's easy to say, "Just pay the man." He is justifiably pissed off regarding his status as a top player and not being paid as such. He deserves more money, that much is clear. But the situation isn't as black and white as paying him more money. He may already be mentally out of New England.

Perhaps more interesting in the ESPNFC comments than the money talk is the fact that Nguyen has asked to be traded three times this offseason, once at the conclusion of the season, once more after the hiring of Brad Friedel and most recently before the MLS Draft and combine. He has his heart set on leaving, clearly.

I can see a scenario where Nguyen gets enough cash thrown at him to keep him here, but the damage would have already have been done. He'd be another player who doesn't really want to be here. While Friedel wants Lee in the fold when putting his teams together every week and as their #1 guy on the field and in the locker room, I think the most likely scenario is that things get so toxic that we have to deal Nguyen for less than we should be getting for him.

There is no end in sight as of now, and the road only looks to be getting uglier from here. We can hope for an ending to this mess that is all sunshine and rainbows and happy tailgates on sunny summer nights, but there could be a grim reality waiting around the corner. Brace for it.


Ps-More housekeeping to come, sit tight.
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Tuesday, January 9, 2018

My Next Chapter


This has been by far the most challenging few weeks in my semi-professional life. I understood cognitively (Kevin Durant really wants me to believe he knew the word 'cognitively', let alone knew the correct way to use it all by himself? Kudos to his ghostwriter) that I was facing a crossroads in my evolution as a player counselor and as a man, and that it came with exceptionally difficult choices. What I didn’t truly understand, however, was the range of emotions I would feel during this process.
The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on what is truly best for me and my future as a person that lives on Earth. What would be best for me moving forward? I could job hunt and hopefully find a nice occupation in an office or some other sort of confined space with walls. A monkey cage like I'm a zoo attraction would actually not be too bad now that I think about it, I would likely be safe from attacks by large ursine mammals (talkin' bears, folks), granted the type of metal used and the density of the individual bars would play a large role in whether or not that bear eats me for supper. A nice steel would be preferable, but if they put me in some sort of aluminum contraption it's lights out for me. Not good!
So I could look for a job and hope something hits. As a 22-year-old facing the final few months of college, there is a sentiment that its time to move on. But what if I don't get any bites and end up having to spend the summer at home continuing the job hunt? What then, Max Kellerman? 
It is with much joy that I announce I will be returning to Camp Grossman for a third and final summer. 

 I’m from Medfield, MA originally, but Camp Grossman truly raised me, for roughly 17 weeks of my life. It taught me so much about family as well as what it means to be a man who still acts like a child and gets a lot of joy out of beating a bunch of 10 year olds in basketball. There are no words to express what the organization and the community mean to me, and what they will represent in my life and in my heart forever. The memories and friendships are something that go far beyond the counseloring. Those invaluable relationships are what made this deliberation so challenging.
Now believe me when I say this was actually a very tough decision. Signing that contract meant I was committing to 8 weeks in the summer. If God himself came down form the heavens and offered me a job as his social media coordinator and dog walker, but wanted me to start June 1, I'd have to tell him, "Thanks, but I cannot start full-time until September 1. Also, you were a bit of an absentee dad to Jesus, people forget that." 
So, this was not a decision I took lightly. I will obviously be on a job hunt throughout the spring and summer, but this way I will actually be making money while I do it. Very nice! 
So what do I expect from my farewell season? Well, I have a Maccabiah title to defend first and foremost. I want to go out as a back-to-back champion (think Jordan '96-'97, or Drake when he ethered Meek Mill). Has any captain in the history of that camp pulled off a 2nd place-1st place-1st place run in their only 3 years of employment? The Elias Sports Bureau tells me no. I'm ready to make history. 
With some expected turnover to the camp family, I want to prep the next generation of counselors. The ones who look at me and go, "Wow, there goes the LeBron James of this Jewish day camp in Massachusetts." Once the old guard leaves, they need to be ready to step in. The role of mentor and idol has been thrust upon me and I will gladly and humbly accept it. 
Frankly, I need an 8-week Farewell Tour. I never really cherished last summer and never really said a proper goodbye. I will not make that mistake again. I'l take everything in and enjoy it. The ups and the downs. And as is the case with any good farewell tour, I will be accepting gifts, both of the monetary and physical nature. My Venmo (@alexwong85) is indeed open, so feel free to donate to the retirement tour fund wither at this time or at any point over the summer as you see fit. Even donate multiple times if you're feeling good. As I wrote last year, I will accept any and all monetary donations, preferably in large quantities in burlap sacks, paper bags, briefcases with far too many latches and also simply thrown at me like I'm Sepp Blatter...


That is maybe my favorite line I have ever written so I had to include it again.

 Camp Grossman has allowed me to grow as a person in a very real sense. For two summers I took on a greater leadership role than I had ever previously encountered outside of a Call of Duty campaign. The experiences I've had have changed me for the better. 
I'll do the whole deep dive when the time is right. The way I see it, there are 8 editions of "This Week in Campers" left to write, so those come before any final reflections. 
It's been an emotional ride since the end of August. I've spoken a lot to my inner circle who helped me reach this conclusion. But in the end, its the one I'm happiest with, and thats enough for me. 

 My next chapter isn't about me moving on. It's about me moving forward. It's about adding a third chapter this book. It;s about completing this trilogy. This is my Return of the Jedi. This is Camp Grossman Episode III: Return of the Counselor. 

 I'm excited, and you should be as well. We'll have a good time, get some jokes off and take it all in for a final time. 
Welcome to Season 3. Let's get it.
-Alex Wong, Counselor, Kinneret 

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Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Revs Offseason Update #2


We're back for another offseason check in as a few things have happened since the last update. The Revs signed a coach in Anton McElhone from Tottenham as the new Head of Fitness, and re-signed Teal Bunbury, Andrew Farrell, Brad Knighton and Brian Wright. Right there you have a good depth and squad rotation veteran, a likely starting right back, a very good backup goalkeeper and a nice forward project to factor into the young attacking core. 

The Revs also signed midfielder Isaac Angking as the fourth Homegrown Player in club history. The kid is 17 from Rhode Island, and scored 12 goals in 11 games for the Revolution Academy last season. In the Jay Heaps Era, young guys, namely Zach Heriveaux, got little to no time on the field to develop, so hopefully Angking and Zach can get good minutes under Brad Friedel. After former #1 Revs prospect Justin Rennicks had a bit of a falling out with he club and chose to go to college to play instead off staying in the Revs system, Angking became the new top guy in the Academy. I do still hope Brad can convince Rennicks to come play for the squad at some point. 


Next up, new jerseys! The Revs debuted the 2018 home kit at midnight on January 1, 2018. Here's Kelyn Rowe wearing it:
A post shared by New England Revolution (@nerevolution) on



At first glance, its... meh. This is actually a much better look at it than the computer rendering they dropped at midnight. It's just a bit of a departure from the navy blue and red scheme of the past. We don't have light blue in the logo, or any part of the club really, so that part seems a bit out of place. I, like many others, want to see both the home and away uniforms go with a blue, green, white, red combination to model after the American and New England flags. But these are alright. Nothing special, but they will do the job. I am far more interested in what the new aways will look like heading into 2019, since I thought the update last year was a big downgrade from the previous red, white and green edition. 

Finally, some rumors...

Gabriel Somi

The Revs have reportedly signed Gabriel Somi from Swedish side Östersunds. This article is an interview with the player in which he says himself he's coming to Gillette Stadium. Its also in Swedish so thank you to Google translate for the assist. He plays along the left side and is not exactly a world beater, but we also have a lot of roster space to fill up, so he is at worst a death signing and could actually be part of a left back platoon with the rapidly aging Chris Tierney. This would also hopefully mean no more wasting Kelyn at left back. 

Evgen Opanasenko

Opanasenko is a 27 year old right back, meaning his signing would likely mean a battle at RB between him and Farrell. If he and Somi both sign, we could see a much better looking defense in 2018 with better depth than ever. New fullbacks and a nice looking partnership in the middle with Delamea and Dielna. We also don't know what formation Friedel will favor yet, so he could opt to go wth 5 in the back and utilize Farrell in the middle as well.

Cristhian Machado

 The 27 year old is apparently the best CDM in Bolivia. Check out this Reddit thread on him, but to paraphrase, he's a good depth signing. It looks like the three players we have either already singed or are close to signing are all potential starters who will at least offer competition to the likes of Tierney, Farrell and Scott Caldwell.


Samuel Shashoua



One of the better Tottenham Hotspur prospects at the moment, Shashoua is an 18 year old attacker. Given the fact he is regraded somewhat highly in London, I doubt the loan would come with an option to buy, but loaning promising players for a year or two from bigger European clubs would be very interesting. Obviously, Brad's Tottenham connections would help immensely in deals with Mauricio Pochettino's club. 

Possible Big Names
Rob Stone from FOX Sports apparently mentioned Gareth Fucking Bale as an actual option, but Cardillo has denied that. I am very interested to see if Friedel actually brings in a known name for the "Splash Factor" we have been missing since signing Jermaine Jones in 2014.

Lee Nguyen is reportedly being looked at by Vietnamese clubs. He initially only came back to the US to increase he is chances of a USMNT call up, and he accomplished that. But with he US missing the World Cup, and Nguyen not being part of a team since around this time last year, he could see a return to Vietnam as a big time possibility. He was an absolute rockstar there as a young player. Check out this mini-doc on Lee for a better look at it. I love the guy, so hopefully his family and friends being well-established here more so now than then helps keep him in New England.

The status of Gershon Koffie and Xavier Kouassi are still to be determined as well.

And finally, we have opener dates. The Revs open the 2018 season on March 3 at Philly and the home opener is a week later on March 10 against Colorado.

SuperDraft is coming up and with all the player rumors there will be plenty to occupy us leading up to preseason.
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Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Revs Offseason Update


First off, congratulations to Toronto FC on the MLS Cup win. Obviously with the USMNT ties through Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore people rooted for them, but I love Sebastian Giovinco. For as much as he absolutely pulls our pants down, he's such a joy to watch and I'm glad he got his title. In my mind he's the current talisman of the league, and a championship only reinforces that. 

Now, on to more pressing matters. First up...


A post shared by Kei Kamara (@2k3) on

Yeah, Kei Kamara got traded to Vancouver. Not a huge shock honestly. His contract was running out and with Brad Friedel now in charge we were bound to see this kind of turnover given the relative lack of production and poor results. Even Kamara was aware of this...


I was very excited when we first got him, thinking that with the talent around him he would be a 15-goal scorer at the least. He was still sneaky our top scorer last season with 12 goals, but it definitely seems like less given the expectations. What I did not take into account was Chris Tierney going through a shocking run of form, in which it was crucial we utilized his fantastic left foot for crosses to Kamara. This obviously did not end up happening.

So we get some draft picks in return to aid in Friedel's search for new talent. It's a bonus that we have two good forwards left on the roster though. Having Juan Agudelo and Krisztian Nemeth means the Kei became expendable without having to then go out and look for a new striker. We seemingly have the solution in house. And so, the Kamara Era in New England ends. I will never forget the time you twerked after a goal and got a yellow card.

Next up: the LAFC Expansion Draft. We once again went through the process of arguing over who should be protected and who should not. Or did we? Brad Friedel's roster moves (including those who had options declined, which I will get to later) left the team thin for this. Since Zach Heriveaux and Scott Caldwell are auto-protected due to their HGP status, the Revs were able to protect a total of 13 players. The total list: 
I think they got it very right. LAFC wasn't going to take Chris Tierney and I wouldn't have been distraught if they took Femi. We protect Our most important players through the spine of the lineup, and by protecting Farrell, Bunbury and Koffie, it would appear a few moves are around the corner. Farrell and Bunbury are out of contracts, so protecting them means they are actively working on new deals with the two. And Koffie's loan spell is up, so while we did not have an option to buy him after it ended it seems like they may be trying to get a permanent transfer done. In the end, no Revs were taken in the Expansion Draft.

Now, those with no contracts or options declined. Like Farrell and Bunbury, Brad Knighton and Daigo Kobayashi are out of contracts. I think Brad is a very good backup, but Friedel might be looking to give a younger guy the #2 role. To be completely honest, I do not know what the situation  with Matt Turner is (the same goes for a few other young guys). But he would be my next choice for a backup from the current roster, and with Friedel we could see him and Cropper really start to develop.

Daigo is one of my favorite players. He's the ultimate closer. Normally when you see him subbed in its because we are protecting a lead, a good thing. The few times he has to come in and get 6-out saves he can pull through with a goal or assist or maintaining possession that leads to a goal.

Those with options declined: Benjamin Angoua, Xavier Kouassi, Donnie Smith, Josh Smith, Je-Vaughn Watson, London Woodberry, and Brian Wright.

I thought Josh Smith and Brian Wright showed flashes of promise and wouldn't hate it if they came back on low-salary deals. The one I'm really upset about is Kouassi. I thought he was going to be our new Jermaine Jones and possibly a future captain. When he was healthy he was a destroyer. But injuries absolutely derailed his career. Hopefully this is just Mike Burns re-doing the contract to free up more money for other signings.

Next up is the SuperDraft, I'll cover that when it actually comes around.

And so, Go Revs.
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Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Revs Reportedly Hire Brad Friedel As Manager


GOAL-The New England Revolution have hired Brad Friedel as their new head coach, multiple sources have confirmed to Goal. 

 The former U.S. national team goalkeeper and long-time English Premier League standout will take over the Revs in what will be his first professional head coaching job. Friedel most recently spent the past two years coaching the U.S. Under-19 national team along with working as a television analyst for FOX.

We have the #WojBomb and the #ShamsBomb in the NBA. I think we need to officially start up the #IvesBomb. Big news from Ives Galarcep, one of the most trusted reporters in US soccer. Former US goalkeeper Brad Friedel will soon be announced as the 7th manager in New England Revolution history.

Friedel had a brilliant career that spanned over 20 years and, aside from a 38 game stint in Columbus, entirely abroad. His 544 professional matches saw him suit up for the likes of Turkish giants Galatasaray and England's Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur. He also played in 82 matches for the United States.

Former Rev and current ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman first broke the news that Friedel was at the top of the Revs wish list.


The news has proven to be polarizing early on. Some fans wanted a more proven choice with more managerial experience, while others argue that bringing Friedel in is just as risky as hiring a European manager like former Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti (not that the Revs had any chance in the slightest to land him).

Among the names in the running were New York Cosmos manager Gio Savarese, US national team assistant Pat Noonan, San Jose assistant Steve Ralston and US U-18 coach Omid Namazi. Bruce Arena, former LA Galaxy head man and USMNT manager from 1998-2006 and most recently November 2016 (following the firing of Jurgen Klinsmann) until his recent dismissal after the US failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, was the other finalist opposite Friedel.

Following his playing days, Friedel has worked as a broadcaster for FOX Sports while coaching the US U-19's not he side. Friedel has been at the helm of the U-19s since their inception in January 2016. Under the former US international, the Baby Nats hold an 8-8 record, though they have not played a match since a 2-1 win over El Salvador in early February 2017.

It may be fair to say he could be a bit rusty when it comes to being a head coach as a result. And the entire situation makes it fair to question the hire. You have a raw coach now with a team that got the previous manager in Jay Heaps, a Revolution legend, fired in September. This is not a rebuilding team in the slightest. I would be far more confident in the move if the Revs were starting from scratch and Freidel were really able to set his team up the way he wanted. But you currently have a squad full of MLS veterans, and good ones at that despite their underachieving nature we have seen the past few seasons.


So instead we get Friedel being thrown to the wolves and being expected to figure out how to get the likes of Lee Nguyen, Kei Kamara, Kelyn Rowe, Diego Fagundez, Juan Agudelo, etc. to click. One thing I will say is that he inherits an interesting defensive situation. The back line has been a mish-mosh of personnel. Cody Cropper will be the likely #1 choice at goalie again next season, so hopefully Friedel can help the youngster take his game to the next level, while also helping the likes of Andrew Farrell, Antonio Delamea, Claude Dielna, Benjamin Angoua (if he comes back) and Chris Tierney gel into a better defensive unit.

Adding to the Revs problems, in my eyes, is the problem with the personalities in the dressing room. You have a lot of egos to manage, which is why Savarese was a hot choice among fans given his experience in that type of setting. We saw Tierney wear the captains armband a few times late in the season despite Nguyen actually being the captain. Hopefully Friedel can nail down the egos and get a strong identity starting with a captain who will wear the armband whenever he is on the field.

All in all, its not really a great situation for Friedel to come into as his first true professional managing gig.

Friedel is friendly with Revs GM Michael Burns as well, so there is some familiarity in that regard.
On Burns, prominent soccer agent Ron Waxman had choice words regarding the man and the hiring of Friedel.




The tidbit on other teams or agents not wanting to deal with the Revs (read: Burns) is the most  troubling thing in that thread. This would make Brad's job that much harder in trying to shape the roster to his liking. There was an unconfirmed report on Reddit that former Rev defender AJ Soares refused to come back to the team  few years ago as long as Burns was still involved, and these Tweets from Waxman only add to the legitimacy of the rumor.


It's an interesting time to be a Revs fan. We have a new, inexperienced manager who will try top deal with a roster in a weird place and a GM who apparently has no fans around the rest of the US Soccer community. Can Friedel set up a style of play suited for today's MLS? Can avoid the mistake of Jay Heaps and adapt fast enough to keep New England competitive and keep himself employed? What will this fresh mind do with this Revs roster?

The last two points on Friedel, one for and one against:

Against-He played for Tottenham and I, as an Arsenal fan, cannot root for him on principle.

For-He looks like Red Skull from Captain America.

Bonus Point-Hopefully he can add the Boston Accent to his already weird voice. 


It's not quite English and not quite American and almost sounds a bit Dutch. His accent doesn't have home. We will give your voice a home in Boston, Brad. Drop your R's and come home. 

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Monday, September 18, 2017

Jay Heaps Is OUT As Revs Manager #SackSzn



GOAL-The New England Revolution have parted ways with head coach Jay Heaps, sources confirmed to Goal on Monday night.

 If you haven't noticed, I haven't posted about the Revs since their 3-0 loss to Philly on July 2nd. The title of that blog was "It's Becoming A Chore To Watch The Revs". And I meant that because, like my chores, I stopped doing it. After that game I rarely watched the Revs. I kept up with results and transactions (Dielna and Nemeth, that KC bonehead getting sent off for an elbow against his old team). But they made me stop caring enough to actually follow and watch closely, and write about it. I was tired of it, fed all the way up with that club.

But now, maybe a breath of life? It probably should have happened earlier, but Jay Heaps is reportedly out as manager of New England Revolution. Ives Galarcep is the man reporting this, and he's considered very reliable in the soccer world. CSNNE, the longtime broadcaster of the team, is also reporting this now.

I'm a big Jay Heaps guy. He served the club loyally as a top player from 2001 to 2009, and was brought in as manager in 2011. He had exciting tactics that ended up turning the team around and getting them to the brink of an MLS Cup in 2014 before losing narrowly to LA Galaxy in the Final. But then something happened. It felt like the rest of the league caught on to Heaps and left him in the dust. His tactics no longer producing results, he was lost. Big name attackers like Kei Kamara, Krisztin Nemeth and Juan Agudelo (people forget he played with the Revs in 2013 and then came back in 2015) were brought in, but the goals seemed to never follow. Heaps and the front office finally tried bringing in defenders to fill the cracks. Antonio Delamea seems like he could be the real deal, but the jury (in my opinion) is still out on Benjamin Angoua and Claude Dielna. Its all too little, too late.

Aside from falling behind tactically, it feels like Heaps lost the dressing room. The players became too complacent and too comfortable with him. When you look at managers and coaches who hold long tenures, the Arsene Wengers, the Sir Alex Fergusons, hell, the Bill Belichicks, what do they have in common? They are ruthless (well, Wenger was once that, different topic for a different time). Players were on their toes constantly. The successes of the past did not factor into the future in any way but one: excellence was still expected. Those guys kept players hungry, and probably scared.

Like I said before, huge Jay Heaps guy. I loved the fire and the passion he brought. I think he really did put all he had into this job, he didn't pussyfoot around. He just wasn't able to adapt, both to changing league tactics and to a locker room environment that didn't want to win for him.

I'll always love Jay Heaps for what he did as a player and for the success he brought in the early years of his tenure at the helm. To quote a #WengerOut banner, "Thanks for the memories but its time to say goodbye".

As far as replacements, it's a good bet assistant Tom Soehn will be interim manager. The early rumor/hope on Reddit is for Giovanni Savarese, a Venezuelan who played for New England in 1999, appearing in 27 matches and scoring 10 goals. Savarese has been head coach of New York Cosmos since 2013.

As Reddit user AdamInJP wrote about Savarese: "The Cosmos are the Island of Misfit Toys. MLS cast offs, international imports that didn't like the structure of the real big league, kids in their way up, foreign players who are just a shade below MLS level. Savarese makes that eclectic group of players win. Also of note, he busted his ass last fall to find landing spots for his players when it looked like the team was going under. He did that after his pay checks ended. Players love him. I want that in a coach."

With the eclectic group we have and the egos in the locker room, it sounds like Savarese might be the right man for the job.  I'll update when coaching changes happen, but I won't be blogging about the games the rest of this season. Hopefully theres enough hope for next season to warrant regular blogs again.

PS-Burns and, unfortunately, Kraft need to be next out. At the very least Mike Burns needs to be ousted form the GM role. He STINKS. Getting an owner completely dedicated to the Revs would be great, but if we can get a GM who, along with a manager and team president in Brian Bilello, can convince Kraft to splash cash on the team in the hopes of creating even more revenue through winning, then I'm OK with Kraft remaining as owner.
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Saturday, August 5, 2017

Boy's Club, Men's League: Quarterfinals


The heavyweight bout we all knew was coming finally happened. Black had beaten us twice prior to this game. The first was a blowout, the second much closer, both going in their favor. Would this be the game that finally saw Maroon pull out a big win against their hated rivals? 

Actually Good
Squad depth. The full roster was there. Subbing out Jake for New Chris, of course. 

Actually Bad
Squad depth. We had 4 guys who do not sub out, and one who in this game barely subbed out. 

Actually Good
Black missing all their big guys, and only having five guys total. 

Actually Bad
They are still DEADLY from 3.

Actually Good
Emmett played the game of his life. He was an x-factor on offense and played good defense. 

Actually Bad
We missed Jake's scoring. Especially since we didn't really heat up that much until the second half.

The end result was a 2-point loss for Maroon, meaning the season is over. This matchup was the best chance we had against them, and they still pulled it out, so hats off to Black. We still don't like them, but whatever. 

In the end, Chris 1 fouling out in crunch time, New Chris not being near the scorer Jake was, and not playing Emmett on their best shooter all game hurt us a lot. Even two missed threes as a result of Emmett's defense in the first half would have been game-changing. We didn't get some bounces either, which sucks. It just wasn't our year. 

Who knows what incarnation Maroon will have next year. Who will be back? Who will be off to other ventures? For now, all we can do is look back on the past few months and wonder about what-ifs. And remember to always #BelieveInMaroon 
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