I normally don't do this, but I felt like sharing this one. It's a retrospective mostly; no real news there, but maybe some details you didn't know or some nice memories.

It's too long to post in its entirety, so I link. Sorry in advance if that offends you, if it's not your cup of tea, or if you are a troll.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for what you do here. It really does make a difference in the sports world here.

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I’m starting this post on New Year’s morning, just after writing the New Year’s Eve piece for the site, then holding my dog up for a while to see the fireworks, get some exercise, and answer the call of nature (he can’t walk). People are furiously celebrating having made it for another year and the chance for yet another.

Over the past few months, I’ve taken notes, scribbled, doodled, edited poorly. I’ve done this casually for quite some time, actually, but now it’s active. Now it’s here, upon me. Someone has to do it . . . might as well be me.

Sometimes, however, you know for a fact that there won’t be another year to celebrate, not because `the world’ ends, but because something in it is. This is both a gift and burden. It gives time to celebrate those intervening moments. It gives time and cognizance to make things count. It adds perspective. On the burden side, it’s just a bummer. You tick off the number of good times, watching the numbers proceed down to one.

Then zero.

This is happening, basically, with “Hornets.” (As it was with my dog; he died in February, on trade deadline day. I miss you, Cosmo. Very much.)

“Hornets” is going away and “Pelicans” is coming in. “Hornets” will cease, at least as the active entity they were since their inception.

Even if there is a second life in Charlotte or some other town, it won’t be the same. People are, of course, pointing to Winnipeg and Phoenix, saying, “The Jets aren’t the Coyotes! The Jets aren’t the Thrashers! The Jets are the Jets!” For those who don’t know, the Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix and became the Phoenix Coyotes, where the franchise has continued to struggle as it did in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, the Thrashers were sold and relocated from Atlanta to Winnipeg, rebranding in the process to the Jets.

Still, it’s not the same.

You can never come home again.

Looking back at those colors that will never fly again over New Orleans as the home team. One last battle against the Mavericks (I hate Dallas) at home, and win or lose, the colors will never return home. Then, one last battle against the Mavericks (I hate Dallas) on the road, and win or lose, “Hornets” can’t come back.

You can never come home again.

Much has been made of the rebrand since before the team arrived. All the reasons for, all the reasons against, all the processes and choices. We’ll touch on that, sure, but the main point is to really remember “Hornets,” from the New Orleans perspective mostly. Some important things have happened under this flag. It’s equally important that these things be remembered, respected when appropriate.

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