For so long we’ve been taught to expect the least where the Mariners are concerned. When we get our hopes up, that’s where we get crushed: Lollablueza, Deadgar Weekend, the crushing back half of 2018; these things loom large in fan memories, excitement turning to so much ash in our mouths. It’s why the particular negativity of Mariners fans has to be excused, or at least understood, even as it’s a yoke we wish we could throw off, a heritage we never asked for.
So the first draft of this recap was, understandably, very different. There were little snarky asides and Simpsons references and the kinds of jokes and humor we’ve used to keep the wolves of disappointment at bay over the years.