Jay Mueller's Final Revolution Journal

Revolution Journal
Two Weeks Later

Melbourne spring has arrived bearing gorgeous sunny days. Cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon, mild at night. Since the 2005 Revolution left Melbourne, hundreds of thoughts have called pieces of my mind home. I’ve been thinking about what to write since we said goodbye in the Napier room 15 days ago.

It’s not easy.

Anecdotes, memories, impressions and not-so-deep-thoughts sprint across my gray matter.

Tom Ellis standing in icy water. Are those tears? Or is he just frozen?

The woman with the hairy armpits and her loudmouthed friend at the footy impressed by Kyle’s Cincinnati Dockers’ t-shirt. Some guy actually took a picture of the shirt. He’ll show the photo to his mates, “and this guy had a Dockers t-shirt on,” he’ll say with quiet wonder. “But it wasn’t a Fremantle Dockers t-shirt, it was a Cincinnati Dockers t-shirt.”

“Fair Dinkum?” will be the reply.

“Fair dinkum mate, they play footy in Cincinnati.”

“Whoa.”

Bluey taking part in any number of random games: Naked The Game, hand-ball world series and some game he plays in his tighty-whiteys while standing in the Bay (see Revo2005 picture courtesy of Brad Pope…I think he’s explaining the rules to Matty D. and the boys). 

Dan Kocka continuing to surprise; He told me the Friday before the last game, “you’re going to see another side of Dan Kocka tomorrow.” He was referring to the all-night party scheduled to begin immediately after the third place game against Ireland. Instead, he let loose a few hours early. I got to see the other side of Dan Kocka on the field. The guy can play. That’s the side I’ll remember: the surprising side. Not the sleeveless-shirt, grease-monkey side.
 
Aaron’s affection for leather straps; Bruce’s graphic story telling ability; Jagger’s ability to learn from his mistakes (at least I hope there wasn’t a repeat of 2002); BJ’s glasses (have you ever seen a bigger man wear smaller specs?); Uma’s angry hair; Pope’s Harry Potter addiction; Dee’s purple glasses and green hat; Brad Rinklin’s constant carbo-loading and his daily JV-AV performance; the Brunmeier brother fights.

I can imagine them in the family wagon not too many years ago slapping, punching and grappling with each other as the family drove to some dairy farm in northern Wisconsin. Every time I saw one of them push the other one, I thought for sure I’d hear either James or Jared say, “you take that back…I am not a doodie-head…you take that back.”

Poops and Kidney were inseparable, like conjoined twins attached at the skull. Unfortunately, they should have gone their separate ways when playing the card game du jour: euchre. Now, I’m no expert, but Poops had the daunting task of explaining the game to Kidney. Kidney, on the other hand, had the unenviable job of listening to Poops trying to explain the nuances of going alone, avoiding being euchered and following suit when, in reality, Poops didn’t know what in the hell he was talking about either.

Some memories are surreal: Jon Loring asking Fingers, “Does this shirt match these pants?” Maybe you’d ask Sars that question, certainly not Fingers and certainly not in front of other guys. As I snuck out of the room I heard Jon say, “Do these jeans make my butt look big?”

Marty doing his best Sir Mix A Lot impersonation at the Karaoke bar in China Town. Marty is one of the few men who actually look better with a mustache; Earl diving head first in to the bay and then being surprised as he froze his ass off standing in the cold;

Luto asking to use a cell phone to call his mom. I think, “man, how cool, the guy wants to talk to his mom.”

The conversation went like this: “Hi, it’s me.”

“Yeah, uh huh, yeah. Did you find out who drove my truck?”

He listens to her response in silence.

“Well why was it parked on the other side of the street?”

More silence.

“OK, I’ll call you later.” He hangs up.

Matty D. and Tommy Ellis being asked if they were the American coaches when we were in Wangaratta. Not yet anyway.

Bam Sandwich. Need I say more?

Scene: American footy players sit in a coffee shop. They’ve ordered. The waitress approaches with a tray of coffees.

Waitress: “Who has the long black?”

All eyes focus on DB.

“That would be me,” he says without a trace of self-consciousness.

Not only does the table have their coffee, they have a story that will last forever (and become more exaggerated as the year’s pass…it will be like Woodstock…by 2008 everyone will have been sitting next to DB when that particular waitress asked that particular question).

One of the great things about being on a team, especially a team of such substance, is the chance you get to learn about yourself by watching others. Josh Loring and Doug Lewis have shown me what it means to be a family man. They’re two of the lucky guys who were able to share every moment with their families.

Paul and Frank are tough.

You just get the feeling if someone ever asked either Paul or Frank the question that little yappy guys love to ask: “What are you, some sort of tough guy,” Paul and Frank wouldn’t say a word. They would know, deep inside, they would know with every fiber, “I’m tougher than you son,” and then they’d prove it to him. It would be a lesson that poor sucker would never forget.

Dan and Charlie are too hard on themselves. Perfectionism is their blessing and their curse. Their desire strengthens the team. When you see a guy who works as hard as those guys and he isn’t satisfied with his own personal results, you realize, I can do more.

Dustin Jones is a rock. The guy is very cool (I think that’s why the seagulls took a liking to him). He does his own thing. He maintains his dignity. Even when some big jerk spills boiling hot coffee on his back, he’s cool. Patience is his lesson to the team and crazy skills are his gift.

The quiet guys let their actions do the talking and man, they’ve got a lot to say: Brandon, Donnie, Ben and Walker never complained. They showed up, suited up and kicked butt. Maybe Walker did complain, hard to tell, I couldn’t understand a word that guy said.

This team is unique. There will never be another team like the 2005 Revolution. Our achievements, our memories and our smiles are ours alone. No one can take them from us. Keep them close to you, but don’t rest on them. Build on them. Learn from them. This is a chapter of our lives, not the final word.

It’s been my privilege to be a part of this team. I am humbled by your dedication, commitment and professionalism. You’re good men. I am proud to call you my friends. My teammates. My guys.

Be good, or be good at it.

Peace.

- Jay Mueller
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