Happy New Years everyone, I hope as you read this you’re still drunk from the night before. I hope last night you told everyone at the party that you loved them like family and found yourself watching Shawn Mendes live performance videos at 4am. I hope Mercy rang out from your buddy’s shitty 2011 Beats Pill and you explained to everyone there how much you “love this fucking song.” I hope they agreed. I hope you texted your ex from 6 years ago “happy News Year1” at 1:38am disguised as a “u up?” text. I hope they left you on read at 1:39am. And I hope against hope that your hangover to kick off 2019 has not set in yet. I hope you still have hope for 2019. I hope you’re excited for the new year. And most importantly, I hope you’re still reading this.

At this time, I’d like to open up to you all a little here by taking a look back at 2018.

2018 was the craziest year of my life, and that’s saying a lot. And I don’t mean like quaaludes and vandalism-type “crazy”, no, that was more 2011 sophomore year of college, Frank. This “crazy” year was a lot more, for lack of a better term, wholesome.

I got a dog January 6th.

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I walked out of a job I hated with all my heart on July 22nd and never went back in.

I got engaged, August 10th. 

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I bought a crib, offer accepted August 10th, moved in September 22nd.

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Then started a new job on September 10th.

In addition to all that, I stood up in three of my best friends’ weddings, one of those being Fat Boi Jerry. 

And while all of that might sound pretty adult to you, during all of these wholesome activities, I still managed to find time to puke on my own jeans after a Wings game, get in a bar fight in Chicago, and proceed to have my worst football season betting and fantasy-wise in my entire career. So while I’m not the complete animal I used to be circa 2008-2015, I still am no where close to having it figured out. 

But today is not only a new year, it is also the birthday of my blog/website/Instagram – Champagne Athletics. And believe it or not, things have changed quite a bit since launching January 1st, 2017. For instance, this was the original logo: 

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I used to post things like this: 

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And I’m pretty sure I was kinda in a relationship with Erica Ott.

The Longnecks didn’t exist. The Fizz had never been recorded. Matt Patricia was still the rocket scientist coach for New England. The Wings’ playoff streak was still alive. The Pistons had Stan Van and no Blake Griffin and the Tigers were still a World Series contender. 

In fact, since the website’s launch it’s safe to say every single Detroit team has gotten worse. But that is neither here, nor there. While 2018 and the first half of this article has undoubtedly been selfish on my part, I want you to know that 2019 is going to be the best year yet for you, the reader. 

I know I am not the easiest account to follow. I go dark. I get inconsistent. I lose bets for you. There are probably times where you have no idea what I am talking about and even question my ability to accurately comment on the sports teams I claim to love so much. I get it. But I want you to know that since the day I was born, the year 2019 was destined to be the best year of my life. That’s why I have the number literally tattooed on my left leg. I got it on my 19th birthday. Wait what?

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But I digress. What I am really looking to say here is thank you to all of you. All of you who like the photos, share the articles, reply to my asinine stories, purchase my merch, and everything else in between- it means a lot. And the least I can do for you is take a more consistent approach to the website, the socials, and content.

2018 was a selfish year. 2019 will be all for you, the reader, the listener, the follower, the viewer, the fan (and a little bit for my dog and fiance because that pigs gotta get fed and I have a wedding to plan).  

But all who follow Champagne are royalty and I am merely your servant. So I raise my glass to you, and promise to work my hardest to make 2019 the best year yet for our small but powerful Detroit community.

Cheers, 🍾

 – Frank