Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

 

The day has arrived for the blog to say goodbye to the 2020-21 season and go into the summer hiatus from writing. I will still post blogs periodically as news arises and time permits. 

 

To say the 2020-21 season was unusual would be a gross understatement with the team in a bubble because of COVID. Luckily, I was able to attend practice as the only member of the media that covers the team on a daily basis. Have to admit it was lonely sitting at center ice all by myself, with my required mask on, watching practice and unable to interact with players and coaches other than with hand signals. I didn't attend a game in person until after I was vaccinated in mid February.  

I am not going to go through the long list of everyone I thank each year in the "thank you" blog at the end of the season but want to mention two. First are the readers of the blog. As most everyone knows the blog is a labor of love for me, not a business, and the only reason for its existence is to share information about the Allen Americans with all of you. From a meager start in 2012, as of today there have been 1,887,797 unique page views that have reached people all over the US and Canada as well as the hockey hotbeds in Europe. It proves fans of the Allen Americans are all over the world.

It is quite an undertaking to write about the team seven days a week during the season and it does indeed take a village to make it all possible. It seems like as the years go by more and more blog readers help me out with information, ideas for stories, ask questions and let me know they appreciate the work I do. A special shout out for those of you that act as proofreaders and fact checkers so I can correct the many mistakes I make being a one man show. It is hard to put into words my appreciation whether you read the blog every day or are a casual fan that stumbles across my daily musings. It has been my pleasure to meet many of you and your words of encouragement in person, comments at the end of each blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, message boards, and email have been very satisfying and inspiring. Thanks to you, the readers!

With all of the stats and information included in the blog what makes it special is hearing from coach/general Steve Martinson. If there has been a positive from this strange season it has been Martinson's willingness to talk to me early every morning to share the latest information about the team. It is definitely above and beyond the call of duty and I am confident not matched by any other coach in the league. I have said for several years the blog started when Martinson arrived and will end (in its current form) when he leaves. Luckily, he was just re-signed for one year, so he will be in Allen for the 2021-22 season and hopefully many more years beyond.  Thank you, Steve Martinson.
  
  


I will still publish blog on an as needed basis as new information becomes available. I will be talking to Martinson a couple of times per week. If you are on Facebook or Twitter you can see whenever there is a new post on the blog by liking my page on Facebook at "Allen Americans Blog" or following me on Twitter at @allenamericans1. Remember, it is only 117 days until Allen Americans hockey starts again. The lucky 13th season is not far off.
 
 



DID YOU KNOW: One year after the earliest last game of the season, this season set the record for the latest last game of the season. Here is the date of the last game played in each year of the Allen franchise along with the results.

May 4, 2010: 4-3 loss to Rapid City in the CHL Presidents' Cup finals
May 8, 2011: 5-3 loss to Bossier-Shreveport in the CHL Berry Conference finals
April 10, 2012: 4-2 loss to the Texas Brahmas in the CHL Berry Conference semi-finals
May 11, 2013: 4-3 OT win over Wichita in the CHL Presidents' Cup finals
May 10, 2014: 5-2 win over Denver in the CHL Presidents' Cup finals
June 14, 2015: 6-1 win over South Carolina in the Kelly Cup finals
June 9, 2016: 4-2 win over the Wheeling Nailers in the Kelly Cup finals
May 9, 2017: 4-3 loss to Colorado in the ECHL Mountain Division finals
April 25, 2018: 4-1 loss to Idaho in the ECHL Mountain Division semi-finals
April 6, 2019: 4-1 loss to Wichita, out of playoffs
March 7, 2020: 4-2 loss to Tulsa, no playoffs, season canceled
June 22, 2021: 3-2 OT loss to Fort Wayne, in the ECHL Western Conference finals