THINKING ABOUT OUR YANKEES AND MY LIFE 12 YEARS LATER

Being a fan is tough.  

Sometimes fandom gets the best of us.  It's hard. When the Yankees are winning, there is nothing better in the world. When the Yankees are bad, the whole world's falling in on us.  But let me say, reflecting on the season... reflecting on my life as a Yankee fan... I will always be true to this team and to the fan base. I will always applaud this team. Even in it's dark days. Even when fans get angry. We're a family.  We're a Yankee family and for our diehard Bleeding Yankee Blue readers, we are a true unit.

In the end, I am a die hard. So are you. Over the past few weeks, something unique has happened to me. I thought a lot about my life as a Yankee fan.  I remember the really hard days over the years, the amazing days and how this team developed over the years. How we built great teams, and how we've seen Yankee brass give away key players too.  But that's the give and take of baseball, isn't it? Believe it or not, sitting here, thinking about all of us very frustrated over the past several weeks, one thing I do not believe. Write this down...   I do not believe the Yankees are trying to implode on purpose.  I don't believe top Yankee brass wants them to fail. I don't believe Aaron Boone is truly a bad man or that Brian Cashman sucks. Believe it or not, they all want it just as bad as we do.  

I know, I know, you don't believe me.  Well... I realized something this morning. BYB started 12 years ago this month. Our birthday is next week. I started it because I was annoyed with the Yankees and the quest of them HAVING TO WIN EVERY GAME. A pipe dream, right?  I realize today that all that stuff is great, but the Yankees will always be my Yankees win or lose.  Venting about a bad team is healthy. Being angry because my team loses is ridiculous.  Why? Because life gets in the way and especially now for me at 51 years old.

Thing about this, I started this blog when I was 39 years old. THIRTY NINE.  I was in a much different place.  I didn't have loans for colleges, I didn't have to pay for an extra car or worry about my kid's well being and  their futures and all that stuff. I was working class with a passion to write and love of my Yankee team. Life was simple.

These days it's about my family. You may have seen that I don't write all the time. I vowed I would always write for you. I failed you and I'm sorry. But understand why. As Ferris Bueller so eloquently said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." I don't know why but I remember watching that film in the theater and it stuck with me even back then. And as my family grows up now, I really have taken that quote to heart. I will not miss life. I will always love my Yankees and always want success in them... but I will not get angry over a game I can't control.

Sure, I love the feeling of a good cry of happiness when they win the World Series... but teams fight hard every year. While the Yankees might make the playoffs, they may not win the whole thing. We want it sure, but you just don't know if that's truly in the cards this year... and for me? I'm good with that. Life goes on.

 So enjoy the Yankees ride however you prefer. I will never judge a fan for being angry and having a fit when the Yankees lose. You do you, I'm not here to judge. I'm just saying reflecting on life and my Yankees and this amazing blog that started because I was "Angry" in a time in my life where I could be, things have changed for me these days. I've matured. I've grown up. I will always love this team.  But I have shifted my heart to another achievment, very personal in my life these days... my growing and incredible family.

I want to thank you all for your incredible support, banter, love and relationships we have made because of Bleeding Yankee Blue's existence.  I value your friendships and our conversations.  Suzie and Jeana are like my sisters, you are all my extended family.  We have ALL built a great product.  We have all built a great space.

Never stop rooting. Always be a die hard, and thank you all for your continued love and affection for this little thing called Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Keep helping us drive the train.  Happy Birthday to us on September 14, 2022.  And may we keep climbing for another 12 years after that.

Love you,

--Robert Casey
Bleeding Yankee Blue Chief and Head Writer

Twitter: @bleednyankeeblu