The fallout

"I hate losing more than I like winning."

I'm waiting for the LHSAA to crown a 5A champion, and it sucks. I know we were not playing well enough to win in May, but we were awesome in March.We played with enthusiasm, swagger and a purpose. Unfortunately, we started to believe we were good --  No. 2 in the state, the best Destrehan team since 2004. They asked about it, brought it up often, but we reminded them that they had to finish the job. You can't be great without winning the big playoff games, but they didn't listen or execute.

The 2013 team wanted to win, but all the teams want to win. Some find a way to win, others just recruit to win. They are there every year. They win a lot and smile and celebrate, just like they earned it. I'm sounding bitter, and this blog is not about them.

I wanted to write about how I feel, this hollowness I can't shake. I went to a school system function today and faced the crowd. Many said congratulations for a great season, others asked why I was retiring in 2014, but most just couldn't believe we were not going to the tournament. It's hard to explain.

As coaches we did the normal coping procedures, we started looking at next year and this summer. The expectations are high for next year. We have the big arm, pitching depth and good team speed. Our hopes are high, but that's so far away, at least two blogs.

See you Saturday night after we have a champion.