The Ringer’s Defining Moments of 2019 list is missing something: A St. Louis Stanley Cup

Recognizing defeat and getting over it isn’t easy. The past can be known to sting a bit. Old wounds sometimes don’t heal properly and old habits will not die.

Looking in the past can be a tough thing, especially if you’re a Boston sports fan who experienced June of 2019.

The Ringer, a popular sports and pop culture website, released their defining moments of 2019 list this week. There was some cool stuff on it. Max Scherzer winning a baseball game with a busted eye. A cat becoming the spotlight of Monday Night Football. Tiger Woods reclaiming some glory.

Blah, blah, blah.

Their list was missing something important. Something that happened on June 12, 2019. An event that led to a sea of BLUE filling the streets of St. Louis a few days later. A triumph that led to one of the greatest parties OB Clark’s will ever know. What do you think The Ringer’s list was missing?

THE ST. LOUIS BLUES WINNING THE STANLEY CUP! GLORIA!!!!!

Yep, there’s no mention of this in the long and substantial list that even remembers Albert Pujols’ return to St. Louis ten days after the Blues hoisted Lord Stanley on their shoulders for the first time in franchise history. A defining moment should be an NHL hockey team winning a Cup, and not a cat taking over another boring night of NFL action.

Why do you think this happened? The Ringer may care about hockey less than ESPN, but come on. Who do you think owns The Ringer website? Try and think real hard about it. He adores Boston, thinks Tom Brady is Dr. Manhattan, swears by Fenway, and once hosted a short-lived HBO talk show where Ben Affleck famously released a batshit crazy Brady rant.

Any guesses or ideas? Let me help. Bill Simmons owns The Ringer. I can imagine his favorite hockey team is still Boston. While he has pledged to not be a diehard fan of the Bruins, you bet your ass he was watching those games in June. You know it. I wonder how Bill feels about St. Louis stealing championship glory from the clutches of Beantown’s hands in a 4-1 beatdown at the Garden. Maybe just a little thought.

I can imagine a writer The Ringer suggesting the Blues’ first Stanley Cup win for the list and Simmons’ reaction was akin to Bobby Axelrod’s explosive tendencies on the Showtime series, “Billions.” I bet he blew up on the kid making a few extra bucks while he puts himself through college. Maybe not. Too bad. It’s just a fact.

A cold, lovely reality that took place. Alex Pietrangelo’s Christmas came early thousand-watt smile with the Cup over his head will be on every other list released the next three weeks. It’ll be on my list, your list, and the person next to you’s list. When the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since Leonardo DiCaprio died on the Titanic, everybody was taken by that tale. It was corn syrup for the entire world. I’d even admit a healthy portion of St. Louis fans were in on that little bears triumph action. You had to feel something for those fans who waited so long. The story received National attention.

The Blues got it this past summer, but couldn’t land on The Ringer’s list. I’m not really mad about it. It just makes me laugh. The fact that St. Louis stole Brad Marchand’s dream once upon a time in Boston.

So, before I go, allow me to provide them with an excerpt that didn’t make the cut. Here we go, short and sweet:

~THE BLUES WIN THEIR FIRST CUP

“June 12. Late evening. A Rask was in goal, but the Blues came marching in, going up 4-0 in a winner-take-all affair. Marchand stood by and Petro flew by, sealing the result. The clock was drained, the buzzer rang loud, and GLORIA shouts abound. At long last, the Blues had won a Stanley Cup. Their first in over 50 years. Marchand cried, Boston Baked Beans were spilled, and the streets bled blue and gold instead of black and gold. For one summer in the harsh wins of professional sports, a new champion was crowned. The St. Louis Blues.”

There you go, Ringer. Free of charge. Stuff this in between Kawhi Leonard and The Astros.

Old wounds burn long at times. The past stings. Still, memories do serve a purpose.

You may not want to remember, but we do. Also, get some damn hockey on that website!

Special shoutout to Carl “The Intern” Middleman for sending me this lovely story idea. You may have heard, but Carl is a film critic, radio everyman, and does the music at Blues home games.