A new year is an arbitrary marking of the inevitable passage of time. January 1 lacks an intrinsic significance beyond its date as the beginning of a Gregorian month. If the civil calendar began on one of the two solstices, I could see the sense in that since marking the days of either the most or least daylight has a natural symbolism that I find appropriate to counting trips spaceship Earth marks around our sun. For now though, I'm stuck with what we have, possibly still being influenced nearly 2200 years later by Roman consulship.
That's not much of a matter however because the date itself serves only as a placeholder for a larger idea. A notion or reminder to remember that time marches on and not to take it for granted that you will always have more. I memory gaze back on the events of 2011 and in the baseball world it was quite barren of Mariners-related joy and that's no outlier to what we fans have become adjusted, possibly inured, to. The strain of which might be getting to some of us.
No matter what happens though, baseball is still just a game, a game we're here to share over. And for that, through the highs and (many more) lows, I'm glad Lookout Landing exists and exists with the people that it does. I hope 2012 is filled with a larger number of Mariner wins of course, but I more hope that it's filled with events and memories that we collectively enjoy, even if that does involve laughing at our own team's misfortune.
Smell ya later, 2011. 'Sup 2012!
5 recs | 28 comments
Please make something of 2012, M's
You don’t have to win a lot, just as long as you learn a lot.
Thanks to you and Jeff for a blog that made stomaching the 2011 M’s possible, and at times, actually enjoyable.
marc w - January 1, 2012 via mobile
I just hope nobody dies this year.
WhyGodWhy - January 1, 2012
It would probably be OK if Figgins had an arm fall off or something.
ToddK - January 1, 2012
I'm excited for next year.
Something awesome happens every year. Someone will start mashing the ball and surprise us, or we’ll get a steal of a trade, or we’ll have a great winning streak. Good stuff happens every year. I can’t wait to see what happens this year! Hopefully Mike Sweeney will come back!!!!!!!!
Mike Sweeney!!!!*
But seriously. We’re overdue for something awesome to come our way, and I just know/hope that it’s going to happen this year.
*Only kind of exaggerating. He was really cool with us.
John Woody - January 1, 2012
I feel it would really suck for the Mariners to go to the World Series this year.
Think of all the awesome jokes, “The world must be ending! The Mariners are in the WS!”
the other side - January 1, 2012
I could live with it.
$cHu - January 1, 2012
It would never suck for the Mariners to go to the World Series.
grips - January 1, 2012
The 2012 Mariners. Maya My.
short - January 1, 2012
I think the TV show "How I Met Your Mother" used the Mariners in a joke
Something about bring cruel and inviting the Seattle Mariners to a world series. They just don’t belong there.
LeftArrow2 - January 1, 2012
Marshall was making an example of why you don't bring an ex to a wedding, saying it isn't right to let a failed romance see your new, perfect one.
“It’s like inviting the Seattle Mariners to the World Series, which is just awkward for everyone.”
EthanN - January 1, 2012
In fairness to Captain Awesome
That episode aired in 2008.
fiftyone - January 1, 2012 via mobile
And yet it would still be as funny today!
pdb - January 1, 2012
Thank you.
Thank you for all the work you guys do to provide a community for us.
Thank you for all the brilliant content you provide.
Thank you for enriching my enjoyment of the game I grew up loving.
Thank you to all the commenters who make up the community.
Everything on this site comes together to make the Mariners and baseball more fun.
Thanks!
Smegmalicious - January 1, 2012
When precisely do you plan on smelling 2011 again?
katal - January 1, 2012
Thanks Matthew, here's to hoping 2012 is easier for you and Jeff to write about.
stredarts - January 1, 2012
I think it has been stated on many an occasion that the worse the team is, the easier it is to write about them
So fuck that
Corco - January 1, 2012
Yeah, no, not really anymore.
Matthew - January 1, 2012
That used to work because the front office was terrible.
ThundaPC - January 1, 2012
I had a dream last night that i was at fenway
and the redsoxs were playing the M’s, and Ortiz hit a bouncer that Ian Snell dropped (why he was pitching i have no idea) and then a massive brawl broke out among the players and for some reason there were lots of M’s fans in the stadium, and we began fighting with the sox’s fans.
Someone tell me what this means?
Robert Praetor - January 1, 2012
I think it means you're not using your shift key enough
Aaron Campeau - January 1, 2012
redsoxs?
pdb - January 1, 2012
You just had your Moonlight Graham moment
Boston is the one team (outside of Pit and Seattle) that Snell hasn’t had the opportunity to pitch against. Please help the restless soul of Ian Snell fulfill his dream.
UW2010 - January 1, 2012
Sometimes there are surprises.
ignacio - January 1, 2012
I love LL and its authors,
but I’ve never been less optimistic about anything in my life in regards to the Mariners.
:(
sanford_and_son - January 1, 2012
Already regret posting this, please disregard my stupid Eeyore ass
Pun not intended.
sanford_and_son - January 1, 2012
I like that since I have ridiculously low expectations I'm almost certain to be pleasantly surprised!
Corco - January 2, 2012
Ain't nothing gonna break my stride
Ain’t nothing gonna slow me down; oh no. I’ve got to keep on moving
beastwarking - January 2, 2012
A little time in rehab might help you get past the '80's.
And, hopefully, get you over this Matthew Wilder kick too.
ToddK - January 2, 2012
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