Year-end thanks and some final bits (not for publication)

Well, that just about does it.  Another season of writing in the bag.  Some thank-yous are in order:
- To the Stats booth, particularly those who have to sit around me...thank you for constantly feeding me numbers while I sit at the mic, telling our league's story to myself and those who need a better read of the action than the announcers can give.  And thank you for not killing me when I occasionally ZOMG into your ear...
- ...Flip in particular.  The man drops me bout stats a day after the matches.  You've no idea how much easier it is to process information for the recaps or to do some back-of-the-envelope analysis for the previews.
- Hey, Skully!  Thanks for the bout videos.  Absolutely useful.
- To Soylent Mean, who we look forward to seeing lined up in the Rockit pack next year...thanks for your help as gatekeeper of the MNRG website.
- To every player on every team that didn't mind answering a few questions this year...many thanks.  Whether you're a captain, an NSO, a ref, or the rawest rookie in the world, you've made my life much easier.
- Wet Spot, who kept me writing for the Brawl of America.  You sucked me into derby further...couldn't be happier.
- Thank you to everyone who reads the blog version of these posts and took the time to point out errors.  I never quite expected to crowdsource the recaps for consumption by the mothership website, but it's working well.
- Speaking of editing and errors, my wife's best graces have been tested for three years.  She's the final point of editing for the previews and recaps.  Usually points out at least one part of each bout which I've forgotten or got lost in the editing and kicks me until I get it in there.  Thank you, Sherry.
- Finally and foremost...thanks to the women of the MNRG.  We love all of you.  Full stop.
- Psst.  TCTs?  NSRG?  We love you too.


Blog readers, the MNRG fanbase is growing.  We're regularly hitting 4500+ and had two sellouts this year.  Our service to the fans is going to need to grow along with it as we continue to become the pre-eminent women's sporting event in Saint Paul.  I'm going to be spending some time this summer working out how to up my own game.  Those of you who read this tend to be players, staff, and family of the MNRG...what ways do you see that we can better serve our fans?


Best to you all,
-Drew "Garrison Killer" Johnson


P.S. You, the person reading this.  Who are you?  Drop me a line at djohnson.stpaul@gmail.com.  I'd like to have a better idea of who's looking at this.