My five years are up. There's no more denying it or putting it out of mind. This is the last column, the last thing I will write as the sports editor of The Daily Helmsman. I considered doing a cliché send-off about how leaving college sucks, but TJ already beat me to it.
Then I considered doing a last will and testament, but then I remembered how lame it was in high school so I passed on that, too.
How can I leave my mark? What will people remember me by? Well frankly, I don't care if people remember me at all, really. I'll remember I was here, and that's all that matters. I will remember every step of the way, and I will advise you to do the same - not for me but for the future of our athletic program and the future of The University of Memphis family.
That's right, remember the present because it directly affects the future. So much for no clichés, right TJ? The thing is that in my five years at The U of M, sports has never been as big a deal as it is now. However, the past five years have been instrumental in the recent success of U of M sports in general.
Thanks to the slow yet steady progression of several Memphis programs, I'll have fond memories about my time as sports writer/editor. When I look back, I won't remember the construction of the new UC or the mockery that is our SGA.
I won't remember the countless college parties I've attended, now blurred by alcohol and shame, and I won't care to remember the Bursar's Office, Parking Services or the Subway at the Tiger Den.
Instead, I'll remember that I went to school with D'Angelo Williams, Rodney Carney, Gail Lee and Derrick Rose. I'll remember San Antonio and being at the Final Four. I'll remember the creation of the softball team and the women's soccer and golf teams' Conference USA Championships.
I'll remember the Conference USA before the split. I'll remember when it became feasible for The U of M to have an on-campus stadium and the way it divided the campus. I'll also remember that I went to The U of M when our basketball team was the No. 1 team in all the land and I saw how it made our university a family again.
I'll always remember late nights at the FedExForum, Saturday afternoons at the Liberty Bowl and the biggest mosquitoes I've ever seen at Mike Rose Soccer Complex. I'll remember football games against Louisville that are decided by three-points or less and the renewal of a rivalry and the baseball team's run into the NCAA Regionals in 2007.
Most importantly, I'll remember you, The University of Memphis. Whether you're a sports fan or not, at some point in the last five years, every student, teacher and alumni has been involved with our athletic program-like it or not.
I've seen first hand how general campus apathy about sports can transform into passion and concern. You've grown the most, U of M, as evident by the four construction zones that now dominate our campus.
Whether it's to say you're in favor of an on-campus stadium or not or to say that our basketball team is pretty good, all of us are involved with the present and future of Memphis athletics.
There are some things in life that you'll always remember, but there are also things that you'll never forget. I'll never forget Taylor (Booger) Bradford and I'll never forget the emotion after the football team won their next game in his honor. I'll never forget their tear-choked chant, "For Booger, for Booger" as they celebrated in the locker room.
Taylor united us long before the basketball team did. I'm sorry for his death but glad to say his life set the tone for us this year. When one of us triumphed, we all triumphed. If one of us was hurt, we all were hurt.
The 2007-2008 sports season was about unity and the brightness of our program is spite of dark clouds in the past. As a life-long Tiger, I hope all of you past, present and future Tigers remember that. I know the best is yet to come, but it has been one hell of a ride, and I'll never forget it.
