I'm trying to leave on a high note.
It's just like one of my favorite Seinfield episodes, "The Burning".
George Costanza attempts to go out on a high note after delivering a humorous line, leaving the room before he has a chance to mess it up. After a couple screwups, he eventually is successful. It's all about showmanship.
I will probably not be so lucky. I still have a week to screw it up.
That's all code for me trying to say I'm leaving. I'm moving back to St. Louis, having accepted a job in my hometown recently. My last day with the Jefferson City News Tribune will be this Saturday.
I've loved every second I've worked here. It doesn't get much better than covering sports for a living, and I've had the privilege of doing something I absolutely love. And I've had the opportunity to do so in a great community with great sports teams.
It made the long hours, the nights and weekends, and the journalism salary all worth it.
Tom Rackers, Tony Hawley and Josh Hall do a tremendous job of covering local sports in mid-Missouri. We all work our tails off here to provide the best sports coverage possible. Although I'm sure there's a number of readers who won't agree with that statement, and that is perfectly OK with me.
I'd like to thank all my loyal readers ... so thank you mom and dad! Well, that didn't take long.
All kidding aside, I really do appreciate those of you who subscribe to the News Tribune. You make it possible for all of us to do our jobs.
I can only hope I told stories you enjoyed reading. Because there were certainly plenty of stories to tell.
I've had the good fortune of covering a few teams that made the state title game - the Helias Lady Crusaders soccer team, the Blair Oaks softball team and the Chamois Lady Pirates basketball team.
Those journeys are something special, and I was glad to be a part of them. Hopefully I can live on in your scrapbooks.
I've been lucky enough to watch future NCAA Division I athletes practice their craft in high school. St. Elizabeth's Erin Struemph, Chamois' Miranda Brandt, Blair Oaks' LeeAnn Polowy and California's Sydney Deeken are several girls that come to mind. Jefferson City's O.G. Anunoby and Helias' Hale Hentges and Isiah Sykes are a few off the top of my head on the boys' side.
Obviously there are other Division I athletes locally that I just rarely or never covered here (e.g. Joey Burkett).
It was a dream come true to cover the Missouri Tigers. What a treat that was for me, to be immersed in Missouri's unbelievable run to the Southeastern Conference title game in football this past season. Covering my alma mater - and yes, I think I did a good job of remaining unbiased - on that unexpected run proved to be an absolute blast.
Every coach, player, administrator, parent, student, fan, radio guy and TV guy was nothing but cordial, helpful and inviting during our interactions. That's something I will miss about the sportswriting field. You get the chance to meet some really outstanding people.
So I'm off to St. Louis to take a job at a social media website - LockerDome - and be back with my patient girlfriend and my family. I am extremely excited about what the future has in store for me, but I will never forget all the great people I've met and all the wonderful memories I've made in my 2.5 years here in Jefferson City. Wow. It's hard to believe it's been that long. Time flies when you're having fun I guess.
I'd love to have to chance to say goodbye to as many people as possible over the next week. So if you see me at a sporting event, feel free to come up and say a few words.
Or you can probably find me up at J. Pfenny's this weekend having a couple cold ones in celebration. Feel free to join in the fun.
And in the words of Costanza, "All right, that's it for me! Good night everybody!"