I sat here for a good 20 or 30 minutes, trying to think of a way to get this piece under way, and, well, nothing came to me. I couldn't think of anything particularly witty or clever, so I think it's best to just be straightforward: I will be leaving CelticsBlog for the next several months while I pursue a semester-long internship as part of my academic curriculum at Endicott College.
It's always difficult saying goodbye to something you love, and this is no exception. I cannot express how much I thoroughly enjoy everything about this site and the community that has developed here. I will say that I have every intention of returning to CelticsBlog at the conclusion of my internship, which should be right around when the summer of 2011 is kicking off. Jeff Clark and the rest of the wonderful staff are kind enough to leave the door open for me, and, as I said, I have every intention of walking back through it. In the meantime, I hope to still be a part of the community, and comment frequently on the wonderful work Jeff and co. will undoubtedly continue to produce.
With all of this in mind, some heartfelt thank yous are certainly in order. First and foremost, to the readers. I honestly cannot thank you enough for taking the time, day in and day out, to read my articles and to comment on them afterward. A truly fantastic community has developed here and I am very proud to say I have been a part of it and will continue to be a part of it.
I can only hope that what I have written and supplied here has been of interest, perhaps entertaining, and above all, informative. I know, without question, that I am simply better having been a day-by-day member of this community for the last year, and for that I am incredibly grateful. I consider myself a better writer now compared to when I started, a better fan, and a better person, and that is a result of interacting with such fine people on a daily basis. So, again, thank you.
I also, of course, need to thank Jeff Clark and the rest of the staff. Jeff was kind enough to take a chance on me and I cannot properly express my gratitude towards him for that. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with Jeff, who is immensely talented, and I can only hope that I lived up to expectations. I need to thank Green17 for helping me craft ideas, and for being so patient with my early writing, which certainly needed some fine tuning. Special thanks also goes out to Jimmy Toscano who has become a good friend and was nice enough to tolerate my frequent e-mails and text messages regarding story ideas as games were unfolding. I also have to thank FLCeltsFan and Tom Bellinger (formerly IndeedProceed) for including me in the game previews and for being so accommodating whenever I needed one covered. Thank you as well to Roy_Hobbs, whose opinions I admire greatly. To the newest members of the staff, Jay and Tommy King, Jack Jemsek, Kevin Henkin, and jose3030, it has been a pleasure, and I have no doubt that CelticsBlog is headed for bigger and better things with all of you in the fold.
I also need to give a special shoutout to my good friend and CelticsBlog alum Steve Weinman. Steve's always given me advice, direction, and a great perspective. He's been kind enough to proofread my work in the past, listen to my ideas, and offer words of encouragement. For that, I am eternally grateful.
Again, thank you to everyone. I cannot say that enough. Here's to securing Banner 18 this season.