Hello all! I’ve been posting to this site for several years, and have been thankful to all who have subscribed. I recently moved to a new site, and will be posting there now. If you would like to continue to read my drivel, please visit and subscribe here.
Hope to see you there!
John
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.“ ~ Winnie the Pooh
Its 2:07 in the morning and I’m restless, as I have been for the past week. I have been looking forward to this day with a mix of exhilaration for new adventure, thoughtfulness about things accomplished, and sadness about the faces and personalities I am going to miss.
I started my working career in June of 1979 with the Penn Emblem Company. I’ve left and returned three times for different reasons over the years, but today is my last day.
For the number crunchers (I had to do it)… I’ve been employed by Penn Emblem for 32.3 years / 981 months, / 11,773 days – in 12 offices, with 9 job titles. Whew! With so much time invested here, my crazy thoughts and emotions are probably not unique. I’m awash in some great and, truthfully, not-so-great memories over 32 years entering this building. But I’m only going to dwell on the positive today.
I’m going to miss so many things… pretzel on Fridays, the meetings (not really), awesome espresso and caramel coffee (free because of me, just sayin’), the many customers and contacts over the years, working trade shows (not really, again), the holiday party, barbecues and all the other events with the great Penn team.
I Took This Photo!
In these years, I have been fortunate to travel extensively for Penn to places around the world. I’ve visited 45 states, and pretty much all of our major cities. I’ve also spent time in crappy little hotels in small towns… all great experiences. Business travel can be tough, so I’ve always made sure to relish the sights and sounds of these great places. I’m smiling now about some of these memories:
These places and these experiences happened for me for one reason… Penn Emblem. And I am forever grateful.
The people at Penn Emblem – my friends – have shaped me. While our most important life experiences are spent with family, we spend more waking hours at our jobs. Sad, but true. So the people we work with are vital to our development. Most pass quickly through, with no effect. Some are with you longer, making indelible marks. And some are, and will always be, friends for life.
I can’t thank everyone, but some quick mentions are below. Apologies in advance for some of the quirkiness and inside jokes. No explanation will be forthcoming!
Thanks so much to the ownership of Penn Emblem – the Blumenthal family. From my beginning with Ted and Robert, to the future with Stephen and Tyler. Over the years they have provided a home and security for me and my family. You are many, but special thanks to two:
To Randi, for your passion, for challenging me, for some loud arguments, for about 2.5 million emails (I’m estimating), and for giving me the freedom to grow. In many ways, you are the reason I’m beginning this new journey, and I thank you.
To Jon… for the many cocktails and serious saving-the-company conversations, for the first class upgrades, for many, many golf shots and the one hot dog that put me in the hospital, for many “working” lunches, for your raucous laugh and the joy you exude, and for your guidance and example as one of the best Dads – and Grandfather – I know.
Back to the road… great travels and conversations with Mike, and my 9/11 partner, Tom. To the real road warriors and “lounge-o-liers”, Keane, David and Bob.
Some of these friends are no longer with us, but certainly deserve mention: To JP, much love from Mantis. To the larger-than-life Burly Mon, my travel buddy. And to Mike, who’s cynicism and indescribable humor inspires me to this day.
Very special thanks to Lynne… we’ve shared some frustrating days like any other job. But your friendship, conversation, laugh, quirkiness, Lynne-isms made my day, every day. You may not know this but I tell everyone… you are the nicest person I have ever known.
And finally, to the Big Four – Rich, Debbie, Janine and Alisa. So many years together, so much laughter, some tears, so many knowing looks and raised eyebrows, and many stories to share (some we probably shouldn’t…). You four were, and will continue to be, my rocks.
Obviously I could list many more Penn peeps. Please know that all of you will forever be in my heart.
I’ve been crying while writing this, and I’m sure I will be doing that all day. My happiness is knowing that it will never be goodbye to any of you. So I’m going to take some sage advice from a very smart friend, and just sneak out at some point this afternoon. I will be counting on many phone calls and texts, lunches and drinks, posts and tweets. I love you all very much.
CMA, and don’t tell skinny.
“I think there has been this rhetoric that has been spewed out over the last couple of years – players have to go to Europe. If you want to go to Europe that’s fine, but I would guess that come 2018, 80% of our roster will be made up of MLS players. It is not about where you play, it is about what you bring to the team and how much you care.” ~ USMNT Goalkeeper, Tim Howard – January 2017
The U.S. Men’s soccer team will not be participating in the 2018 World Cup Finals. That bad news was finally determined a few days ago, and it has taken me that long to gather my thoughts. While there are many reasons for this elimination and many more problems with U.S. Soccer, the statement above is at the core.
The sad trip ended on Tuesday night, but we started down this road in April 2013 when Clint Dempsey left Fulham FC in English Premier League to play in MLS. He left arguably the most competitive league in the world to come home and play in the U.S. Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Tim Howard – the core of the USMNT – soon followed, leaving their teams in Europe. That was the beginning of the decline that eventually eliminated our country from participating in the 2018 World Cup,
US Soccer has exhibited a cockiness that is unfathomable to me. Soccer is the most popular sport in almost every civilized country in the world, and it is played the same way everywhere. The rules of the game are the same. Professional league rules are the same. Except in the United States. Player development differs, and one can certainly argue that passion for the sport is key. But for some inexplicable reason, our players and supporters ignore a belief shared around the world – Country First, Club Second.
One of the true principles of development in soccer – or any sport – is that if you play with and against better players, you become a better player. It works consistently at the youth and professional levels. In a list of the Top 100 Footballers in the World published by The Guardian in 2016, only five of the top twenty-five played professionally in their own country. So Howard’s belief is false to me, but he was close to right about one thing: The roster for Tuesday night’s match against Trinidad and Tobago was 72% MLS players. So we may reach his 80%, but since we won’t be in the World Cup in 2018… who really cares?
The passion for the sport is much less here, but it is growing. MLS is trending up in popularity and succeeding financially, but it will be decades before it rivals top European leagues – if ever. It has been said that part of the success is due to its close relationship with US Soccer, and I agree. But while MLS continues to grow, expected growth in domestic talent and development has not happened. That makes the relationship very one-sided.
I’m keying on one issue, but there are others. Player development must be examined more closely than ever, and many have been crying out for the heads of manager Bruce Arena or Sunil Gulati, president of the United States Soccer Federation. While those steps may be necessary, the core issue will remain. If our players and fans want to compete on the international level, the national team must be the priority.
By the way… the ladies understand that.
The USMNT-less World Cup will go on, and I will watch all of it. But I’ll really miss screaming and yelling and singing for my country with my son and hundreds of others at a local drinking establishment. And that makes me sad.
Our country is experiencing unprecedented conversation about national pride. Our citizens question each other daily… Do you have pride in your country? Are you American? Or more accurately, are you American enough? But looking at the last two years of US Soccer, one can see that being the greatest country in the world must be earned… it isn’t a given.
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