Next year. Wait until next year. There is always next year. Next year we can build on this year. That is the common theme when the Toronto Blue Jays brass does the post mortem on their season.
It’s the same tune the team brain trust has sung for the fans since they last made the playoffs which was 1993 and the won the World Series. 1993!
Brian Mulroney was still Prime Minister until Kim Campbell took over things before Jean Chretien got into office. Ben Johnson was banned from athletics for life (or until the Jays make the playoffs, whichever comes first).
Microsoft released Windows 3.1.
Popular films were Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire and Sleepless In Seattle.
You get the picture. It’s been awhile since fans of the Jays, from coast to coast, got to watch their team play in October.
X-Box and Playstation aficionados may have had the Jays sneak into the post season in their own leagues but you can only stretch video games so far before they really become unrealistic. Since winning it all this franchise has taken the field for more than 3,300 games and what do they have to show for it apart from some very loyal fans?
Zip. Squat. Zero. Nada.
Maybe we can call it the ‘Curse of 1994’ when MLB went on strike. It was a sad day and the conspiracy theorists would say it was all an American plot because arguably the two best teams that year were Toronto and Montreal. Well, no way you can have two Canadian-based teams possibly meeting in the fall classic of an American institution so let’s strike and watch one team fold it’s tent forever and the other fold for what seems like forever.
Neither has been the same but at least the new Expos in Washington have made it past 164 games while the Jays have floundered in regular season land.
Each spring Jays fans get some hope as the team shows strength in many areas but when August rolls around this franchise apparently books a holiday for the rest of summer and makes plans on how to launch fall at home.
We had a glimmer of hope this year but alas it was only a glimmer.
To quote the Jays song: ‘OK, Blue Jays, Let’s play ball!’ Next year of course.
sports@reddeerexpress.com
