:::SIGH::: Did you ever read the comic strip, "Peanuts" ? Remember how Charlie Brown would have Lucy hold the football? He'd get all excited. Contemplate the matter. Let the anticipation really build up. He'd eye the ball, charge it and.......have Lucy snatch it away at the last moment. Does this concept remind you of any recent events? I mean, the REV's were supposed to be loaded for bear last season. We stockpiled the roster with "big guns" like Mamadou, APC, Ralston & Brown. The season was ours for the taking. And, then we start out the same old way and Fernando was gone. Just as quick as we could say "Good Grief" we traded away Teddy, Diallo & AW. And things got worse. Serna, the reason for the trade, got injured. And we slid down even more. And, the Fat Lady started to warm up. But, something different happened. Our not ready for prime time players (Cullen, Heaps, Kamler, Hernandez, Harris, Kante, etc.) started to play as a team. The sum was greater than the parts. And we won. And, it was good. No, it was great! And hope grew in the hearts of the New England faithful. So we host the championship and fill the stadium to the rafters. The boys are playing great. Wew have our chances and so does LA. And, after 113 minutes, they snatch the ball away from us. "Good Grief!" Except now it's different. I think the paradigm has shifted. We are better poised in this off-season to build upon the team. To become season long legitimate contenders. A solid nucleus of players, a man with a plan and about 5 months to go until the season starts up again. Goodbye to the Charlie Brown teams of old. Goodbye Lucy Van Pelt. Viva La Revolution!