Happy Thanksgiving - Count Your Blessings

by John Fischer on Nov 25, 2010 12:34 PM EST in Site News & Miscellaneous

It's important to be thankful even when it's not Thanksgiving. Like when your goaltender keeps you in a close game. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

Not everyone who reads In Lou We Trust will be celebrating Thanksgiving, but today is a good day as any to at least count your blessings. There's plenty to be thankful for, if you sit down and think about it - which isn't the easiest thing to do, admittedly. To get the ball rolling, I've come up with 5 based around this very site and it's subject after the jump:

Being able take the time and the resources to follow the great sport of hockey at all. I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who can talk and watch hockey for hours on end, and I don't get really tired of it. It truly is a passion for me; but even just having a passing interest is laudable as it is such a fantastic game to watch - especially live.
Following the New Jersey Devils. Regardless of how bad this season has gone. There's some thing to be said for staying true to your team, and that support only grows stronger through struggle than when everything's going well. This season aside, I've witnessed so much success, so many good moments, so much amazement from legends like Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, and Patrik Elias to eventual legends like Zach Parise to cult heroes like Sergei Brylin and so much more. It extends beyond the guys on the ice to the guys behind the bench, like the late Pat Burns, and those in management like, of course, Lou. The organization, even when losing, maintains a high level of professionalism; and they are now truly trying to reach out more to grow the fanbase. In the big picture, I really can't complain about the last 16 or so years.
The increasing availability of hockey. 15+ years ago, your only way of following a team was either on TV or radio, by the newspaper, and maybe a newsgroup on the Internet. About 8-10 years ago, the Internet really took off and there were message board communities and websites formed about following the team. Now, there's so much at your fingertips. Those communities continue to thrive there are blogs like this one for any aspect of the game and most teams in the world of hockey. TV now comes in HD, there are services like NHL Center Ice or NHL Gamecenter for those outside of the market, and radio feeds can be accessed nearly everywhere. There are podcasts like Talking Red, where hockey can be discussed by whoever wants to discuss them - and of course, big thanks to David Sarch for starting it up. There is microblogging on platforms like Twitter and Tumblr, for those shorter thoughts, links, pictures, or what-have-you. There are video sites like Youtube where people can share something they saw; and NHL.com provides high-def video of goals, hits, and other highlights themselves. Beat reporters like Tom Gulitti and Rich Chere not only post news as it happens, but they try to interact with their readers. There are statistical resources like Behind the Net, Time On Ice, and Puck Prospectus to extend analysis of the game. None of this was happening way back in 1994 and I don't think anyone saw it coming.
How far this blog has come. On a dreary October 2006 day while at my desk as a GA, I finally decided to listen to that inner voice I had for years and started a blog on Blogspot. It took me about an hour to come up with the name, and since then, this very blog has went to levels I never thought possible. I was invited to join SBNation and their amazing platform, thanks to the James Mirtle; I've been supported by the rest of the hockey network; and it's now truly well renowned among the hockey community. I've received praise from reporters, communication from Devils management and player agents, and I was even asked to help contribute to a book. On top of this, it isn't just me anymore. Other people have agreed to write here site just out of the same passion that I have: Thibaut "Tibbs" Deshayes, Steve Lepore (now with SBN-NY), Tom Stivali, Matt Ventolo, and Kevin Sellathamby. All to contribute and take the site further to the next level. This blog is a testament to the thesis that if you write about something you enjoy seriously and keep at it regularly, it will get people's attention and respect far beyond you could expect.
The readership of this very site. Most of all, I want to thank you, the reader. Thousands read ILWT every day, and it's such a wide range of people. Readers range from teenagers in school to college students to those in business to those who own businesses and everyone in between. The site has attracted readers from all over the world, making it truly a world-class site. I thank you, the member of the site who has take time out of their day to add a comment, write a FanPost, and post a FanShot. I thank you, the people at games who's ever heard me yammer on about the team or whatever else either at the Rock or on the train platform. One final anecdote: Last night, I was struck up a conversation with two young men, Seth and Adam, about the 2-1 win over Calgary. As my train arrived, I remembered to introduce myself and mentioned my site. I believe it was Adam who exclaimed, "Oh, you're that guy? You got me through work all last summer!" I still reel a bit from those compliments and therefore I cherish them. It, along with knowing that thousands make a point of it to read ILWT everyday, justifies spending so much time writing. Thank you most of all.

Now that I'm done rambling (for now), I want to know what you're thankful for with respect to the Devils and/or this site. Please leave your responses in the comments. All the same, from everyone at In Lou We Trust, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

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Comments

Happy Thanksgiving John!

We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but I’m very thankful for this site. So much amazing reads and very nice in depth approach to Devils hockey. Hoping this lasts until the internet is dead!

by vincent enrique on Nov 25, 2010 12:40 PM EST reply actions

Happy Thanksgiving to All

John-Happy T-Day and thank you for the opportunity give me a forum so that I can post my prospect updates and random stupid ideas (i.e: Trade Tedenby) on this site.

Like you, while I don’t enjoy seeing the team struggle, it is rewarding and at times more enjoyable to watch a team grow and push past those struggles.

by Tom Stivali on Nov 25, 2010 1:05 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Happy thanksgiving to everyone. You make a good point – sometimes we don’t realize how many things we should truly be thankful for in our lives. I’m certainly in that situation right now. Its always good to take a step back and admire the world around you, and the great things you have been blessed with over the years.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle

by Tim G on Nov 25, 2010 8:21 PM EST reply actions

I celebrated my Thanksgiving over a month ago, but Happy Thanksgiving to all.

In Lou We Trust/Twitter
This season is all a terrible dream brought on by too much Penne a la Pesto.

by Kevin Sellathamby on Nov 25, 2010 8:29 PM EST reply actions

Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving to all Devils Fans

Thanks to John for his hard work every day during the season ( not to mention last off-season).

Thanks to Doc and Chico (and the occasional Steve) for being the best announcers in the league. Watching the away games would be a lot less fun without them.

Thanks to the Devils organization for putting a playoff caliber team out there for the last 15 or so years. Yes, I am including this years team. Last off-season we were all hitting refresh on our keyboards several times a day to hear the latest news in the Kovy sweepstakes. This excitement was there because most of us felt that we would be a team that would make it past the first playoff round with him on our team. Give thanks that this is still possible.

Right now there are 60 regular season games left in the season. I took a look at the top eight teams in the east since the lockout. The 8th place team averaged just over 91 points per year during that period. We have 16 points right now. We need about 76 more points in order to have a realistic shot at making it to the playoffs. (Yes, I know both the Flyers and the Habs both made it with 88 points last year. Both of these point totals are out of the norm and you can’t expect the 8th team to get in with only 88 points.) The top 8 teams average about 10 overtime losses per season or about 10 points earned in losses. The Devils have 2 so far this year. If we are able to gain one point eight more times this year, that would leave us 52 games where we have a chance to gain the 68 remaining points that we need. 34 out of 52 games. This is a 66% win rate. I know that many of you think that this is unrealistic, and it may well be. But its Thanksgiving and today I have the right to be hopeful.

I just think back to the 2006 season… we are having the worst season in years…our best forward was out on long term injured reserve…he comes back and the team is immediately hot…we go on a winning streak to win the Atlantic Division on the last night of the season. Who knows, it could happen. I’m just shooting for 8th.

Thanks for listening to my dream.

by DevilsDDS on Nov 25, 2010 8:45 PM EST reply actions

The Sky is not Falling

Sorry FrankG929, I didn’t see your post until after I expressed my thanks. Nice write up. I feel in honored company to share the thoughts of a great mind.

by DevilsDDS on Nov 26, 2010 9:11 AM EST reply actions

np. It’s a pretty uncommon perspective around here. I’ll be keeping track against the expectations I set in that post. Even with the 2 losses earlier in this string, they’re still only one point behind where I targeted them to be (although they need to win today).

Go Devils
Go Jets
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by FrankG929 on Nov 26, 2010 1:22 PM EST up reply actions