Once a year, we gather as families, as friends, as neighbors, and as humans, to thank everyone, to thank our country, to thank our loved-ones, to thank ourselves, to thank our life, to thank whomever or whatever. 10 days before Thanksgiving, there is one person that we all owe a "thanks."
- Thank you for it all.
- Thank you for being you.
- Thank you for never giving up.
- Thank you for trying.
- Thank you wanting.
- Thank you for blocking traffic while slowing down your car in the late-afternoon of a mid-summer Sunday to sign a baseball for a five-year-old being hoisted up by his father.
- Thank you for giving it your all.
- Thank you for the homerun in Game 7 of the '03 NLCS.
- Thank you for your performance and MVP award in the '03 NLDS.
- Thank you for being a leader.
- Thank you for being the voice of a team.
- Thank you for being the face of the team.
- Thank you for wearing the #34 in a way that would have made Walter proud.
- Thank you for raising money.
- Thank you for being a real person.
- Thank you for being funny.
- Thank you for marrying a Carmel High School grad ... Go Corsairs!
- Thank you for giving me hope.
- Thank you for busting that boombox.
- Thank you for being picked at, poked, prodded and hacked more than any other human your age.
- Thank you for wanting to be better.
- Thank you for being honest.
- Thank you for giving it one more chance.
- Thank you for allowing me to witness your return to the mound in August of 2007, giving me a chill I will never forget.
- Thank you for being a stand-up guy.
- Thank you for being the same person you were "way back when."
- Thank you for the 20 strikeouts.
- Thank you for defining "teammate."
- Thank you for the emotion, the will, and the fight.
- Thank you for loving Ronny.
- Thank you for doing interviews.
- Thank you caring.
- Thank you for wanting to win.
- Thank you for the hometown discount last year.
- Thank you for making me happy to be a Cubs fan, when all else was lost.
- Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The all-stars and superstars have come and gone in the past 20 years, but when I think of the Cubs, I have a hard time picturing anyone before I picture you.
I wish you the best, I do ... in the American League.
I hope you will be back someday, whether to close out the clinching game of the World Series or to the raise your flag atop the foul poll at Wrigely. One way or another, you will be back. You are a Chicago Cub forever. No matter where you go or what you do, you will always be a Cub.
People whisper, people talk, names come out, and as far as Cubs fans go, these are the names: Ernie, Billy, Ronny and Ryne.
Well, from now on, we will have to add Kerry to that list.
Stay Classy ... Mr. Wood!
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