A BYB THANKSGIVING

Today is Thanksgiving.  It's a big day in millions of households all over the place.  It's the time of year where we sit with family and friends and pray, eat and enjoy each others company...and someone special gets the drumstick.  Now as I grow older, I find myself thinking all too often about my family and what comes next in life.  It's a crazy road.  One moment everyone is healthy and laughing at one another in my home.  The next, we're at each other's throats and just want peace and quiet.  But the moment the kids grow up and leave the house to begin their own journey, I know I'll be a mess.  I'm crazy about my kids.  I'm crazy about my wife, and I thank her today for putting up with me.  Today happens to be our anniversary too.  15 years isn't easy for many couples these days, but I'd like to think we did it with ease, because it happened so quickly and it was a lot of fun so far... I can't wait for the next 15.

Family is a big deal on Thanksgiving and as you know from this past year, we've built a pretty good one here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, with your help of course.  We interact quite a bit and the dialog we share is special, but the thing is... me, my writers, we put our thoughts out there for you all to see every single day.  Sure, there are people that like to criticize us for our work, but it's funny... when I ask them to do a better job, they don't.  In fact, they stop criticizing.  Writing isn't easy, is it?

As far back as I could remember, I was writing something down somewhere to get thoughts off my chest.  My mind is constantly full.  I can never relax, and when I say never, I'm serious.  I once went for a massage.  I say "once" because I didn't enjoy it.  It would have been better for me to give it than to get it.  Anyone who needs to keep moving like me knows what I'm talking about.

Many times when you, the BYB readers are sleeping, I'm writing. It's usually my only time where there is silence and I haven't taken time away from my family.  I do it because I know you'll be looking for it in the morning.  That's what makes my writers so special. They do that too.  Do you know they prepared some pretty wonderful pieces for you BYB readers over the next few days? They did, and they did it now because I want them to be off for the next few days.  I want them to take a break, they deserve it, they work hard.  All of us have families.  All of us need to spend time with them today... so do they...so do you... so do I.

I'm 42 years old.  I haven't seen nearly as much as I want to in my life, but that's OK.  I have a gift.  I have terrific people all around me.  I see smiles and while life is a stress some days, it's days like this that make it all worth it.  Sipping a glass of wine, relaxing, talking, keeping it light.  Living life is needed.  You clear your head this way, you think, you reflect and you love.

I'm thankful for my parents who have always been consistent.  "Never give up. Fight for what you believe. If you want it, go get it. Rise above the losers.  Etc, etc." It's all there and there are a dozen more cliches' that could be included.  But the point is, they taught me to challenge myself, even when I didn't think I should. And then I did... and it all worked out. It's an important life lesson. Look at the mountain, climb the mountain and end up on top, but only if you believe in yourself.

Don't believe me? Ty Hensley's a product of that.  Kimberly Roots is (Read DON'T STOP BELIEVING...EVER). Derek Jeter. Bryce Harper. BYB. The list goes on and on. The message is the same. Fight hard, work hard and anything can be accomplished... anything.

I'm thankful for my Bleeding Yankee Blue writers.  They are warriors in every sense of the word.  They write, never complain and while life is busy, they get it done because they know you, the readers will be looking for it.  We have become close and we have become a true family.  We talk regularly, not only about BYB, but about life.  We all have work or kids, or sports or events, but when we need to re-group and get something cooking for you guys... we do it.  We do it because we love it. We do it, because we love our readers... our family.

I'm thankful for the friendships I have made over the past few years.  The Hensley family, Marci and Ty in particular are spectacular people.  I am a huge Hensley fan and my kid can't wait to see Ty pitching in Yankee stadium.  I think that's pretty cool.  You want a treat? Read THANKSGIVING WITH THE HENSLEYS, and interview we did with Marci last year.

I'm thankful for Pete Caldera, a great and underrated sports writer for the Bergen Record.  He's a true talent, not only with the pen, but with his voice and sings at the Carnegie Club in New York City several times a year.  I've seen it, it's awesome.  We've become friends and it's been a pleasure to know him.  I'm a fan and you should be too.



I'm thankful for the Posadas. They have terrific values and raise their family right! Meeting Laura and Jorge with my wife this past year was a thrill and while it was brief, it was memorable.  We here at BYB have supported them since we began and in turn, they have supported us.  Laura, thanks for the tremendous support! Our readers love you guys!

Laura knows we're real here.  They know this isn't an act. They know BYB is genuine and that's all we ever wanted from our readers anyway, so we appreciate it very much.

I am thankful that Clay Rapada likes to break our chops, that Mike O'Hara, the former host of the MLB Fan Cave is with us. I'm thankful to have such a great friendship with Kathy Jacobson, one of the best people around and that I can chat it up with guys like Wally Matthews or Bob Lorenz or the fact that Peter Keating of ESPN can write about little "us" in their big magazine. Read HUSTLE TO BE NUMBER 1... NOT 2, for some great stuff. 

I appreciate the audience, embrace it and will continue to try and keep BYB ahead of the curve.  Today though, we rest, we enjoy our families and we pick it up tomorrow.  Look, if there's news on the Yankees front, we'll bring it to you, but it's Thanksgiving.  It's going to be a slow day, so we'll take advantage of it.

Thank you.  Thank you to the best, smartest readers in the world.  I often think about Derek Jeter standing at the mound in 2008 when he lifted his cap and told the crowd that "Yankee fans are the greatest fans in the world." Well, we are, but that's how I feel about you, the readers of Bleeding Yankee Blue as well.  We engage you and you keep the conversation going.  We chat, we laugh, we break chops and at the end of the day, we're a family and you, all of you, are the greatest readers in the world. Fact. I believe that totally and will never forget the tremendous support you've given us.  Many, many thanks. For those who were with us in the beginning, well, we've had a journey, haven't we?

Finally, and again... to Suzie, Jeana, Erica, Chad, Ike, Steve, Rudy and Mike...my writers... my incredible writers that never say no and never stop plugging away... I applaud you. Keep up the great work, and never stop climbing the mountain.

Happy Thanksgiving.

-Robert Casey, CEO & Writer for BleedingYankeeBlue.com
Follow me: @BleednYankeeBlu



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