We will miss you Mudcat blog...

Being a die hard NC State fan, it is often difficult for me to swallow my pride and admit that there are some really talented Tar Heels around me.  Before we joined West Raleigh Baseball and the Mudcats last summer, I knew at least of one of them very well (since we had been married for ten years at that point)... but Erin's love of photography was only just beginning to take shape at that point and I really could not have imagined how far her skills would develop in just two short years. 

At the same time I was getting to know Erin the photographer, I was introduced to a coach named Adam.  He was a friendly guy full of baseball knowledge and with a son who could be the poster child for poise, effort, character and determination.  As the season got underway and all of the players and parents got to know one another, we completed a few practices and were getting ready for our first game.  As an aside... It was quickly becoming apparent to Erin and I that Channing was very fortunate to have been drafted by the Mudcats.  With an all star roster of coaches, lead by the Godfather of (and most well respected head coach at) West Raleigh Baseball, I told Erin that Channing was getting more baseball and leadership instruction in his first practice as a Mudcat than I had in over 12 years of playing organized baseball.  It was also at this point that we first read one of the Mudcat blog posts.  I can remember clearly thinking that this was no ordinary parent, no HR Director turned kids baseball critic, but we still did not know what we had.

Fast forward a couple of games into last season when I passed along a link from our blog to my die hard Tar Heels fan/brother-in-law Zach.  Within about 15 minutes of sending the link I got a call back from him... asking me if that was "The" Adam Lucas?  After a short tutorial and some internet research on Tar Heels athletics and sports writing, I began to understand exactly how lucky we were.  Adam is one of the most well known and respected sports writers covering UNC.  He has been trusted by players and coaches in Chapel Hill since the days of Ty Cobb, ok...maybe not that long (oh that was embarrassing... thanks for calling me out Jay).  He publishes one of the most read online sports publications and has authored numerous books on his beloved Tar Heels.  At the same time, he somehow makes the time to scribe thorough, thoughtful, fun and entertaining blog posts after each and every Mudcats game. His posts have been forwarded to grandparents and relatives all over the country and have been read and re-read by Mudcats players time and time again.  And though I know it is probably killing Adam to receive praise for what he thinks is a minor contribution (I am guessing that he could write about twenty pages in the time is has taken me to write these three paragraphs), it is the least that this Wolfpack loving father could do.  Thank you for sharing your gift for writing with our Mudcat family and for giving your time on and off the diamond so willingly.  We will miss our web gems and game highlights sorely and know that unless we draft the son of someone like Rick Reilly, we won't soon replace your blog posts. 

... that is... unless you have any interest in getting some really nice photos of Asher in action next season... perhaps we could convince you to make a couple of guest writing appearances on the Mudcat blog next season... once a Mudcat, always a Mudcat!