Ciao, Pippo

“Oi oi oi, oi oi oi oi, Pippo Inzaghi segna per noi.” The echoes may have faded from our ears, but they may never fade from our hearts. Pippo Inzaghi leaving Milan is one of those events you never quite forget, even if you’re not a Milan fan. And for Milan fans, it brings up powerful emotions of sadness and regret, but also joy and gratitude. I may not see him wearing the red and black again, but I will always be able to see him in my dreams.

A tearful goodbye for his 300th and final Milan appearance

Gianluca Zambrotta: Faithful Soldier

Did you ever have someone come into your life who was just always there when you needed them? Someone who was never demanding, but always true? And then, when the time came, they slipped away, almost unnoticed? Milan have recently lost a person like this, someone who faithfully served the club for 4 years. He played wherever he was needed, did everything he was asked, and wasn’t one to brag about all of the titles he’d won, even the World Cup. Gianluca Zambrotta was our faithful soldier.

Zambrotta tears up after his last Milan match

The Milan Curse

It is well known that Milan have been experiencing increasingly devastating quantities of injuries for a number of years now. This past season’s injuries were more apocalyptic in quantity, duration, and scope, and it is widely acknowledged that this single factor changed their fate in Serie A and in the Champions League. This injury problem has extended well beyond a crisis, and today, I officially dub it “The Milan Curse.”

The Milan team bus arriving in Napoli earlier this season

The Secret Life of Mark van Bommel

People know him as Agent 004, the hard tackling defensive midfielder that other players fear. But what Milan fans learned right away is that the fabled “hard man” is soft as a teddy bear on the inside, and a devoted family man. Or if they didn’t realize it before, his tearful exit from the club after only 18 months certainly betrayed his hardened reputation.

You're still tough to us

The Men of Milan

Okay, I will never understand some guys, but recently in the comments, someone suggested that all of our guys should look like adult film stars circa 1970. Yes, it was a guy who suggested this. So while I would like to point out that I absolutely disagree with this premise, I also want to be fair and give time and space to everyone. So here to fulfill your wildest dreams, guys, I present the Men of Milan… (Sorry, girls.)

Ciao, Gattuso

He was supposed to be a fisherman. In his village in Calabria, that’s what everybody did. And it’s what he was helping with, too, until he managed to convince his poor mamma to let him go for a football trial. It wasn’t ever his skills that kept him on the football path, it was always his sheer determination and his heart of a champion. Those are things that can’t be taught, which is what makes him so irreplaceable at Milan.

Ciao, Nesta

Some wounds never heal, and something tells me that this will be one of them. The departure of Alessandro Nesta from AC Milan has left a gaping hole, not only in our hearts, but on the pitch.

Guest Post: The Judge and the Jury

Some of you may recall that for the first six months of this blog's existence, I had a brilliant co-blogger named Jovan. Then he decided to do something with his life that actually made money. But for today he has magnanimously blessed us with this most excellent guest post from the goodness of his heart. Enjoy...

All Milan supporters without exception are in a sorrowful state of mind these days. After losing the title, we said goodbye to several legends of Milan and world football. To put it in plainest terms, whoever remained unemotional when Gattuso, Nesta, Inzaghi and Zambrotta said their goodbye to Milan might as well put on a black-and-white shirt and put up a poster of Conte on their wall. While Elaine prepares her tribute posts for these red and black legends, I’m going to be that petty guy that points an accusing finger at those who lost the scudetto this year. The judge and the jury, if you will - self appointed, self proclaimed and ultimately insignificant, but still - a sentence will be given.

Into the Great Unknown

The departure of so many legends on Sunday screams for some tribute posts, but with emotions still raw, I thought it would be better to test the waters of a different kind of emotions… the future of Milan.

A new adventure?

Milan 2, Novara 1: Perfect Ending

So many emotions this week. The devastation of a second derby loss, followed by player after player hanging up their Milan boots. The game was supposed to be meaningless, but for fans it became our last chance to see our Milan legends. Suddenly, it was the most important match of the season.

Milan vs. Novara: Endgame

Milan vs. Novara: Nothing Else Matters

This is normally where I would write a preview of our last game of the season. And I was completely committed to doing that, even though the outcome has no effect on the results of either club – Milan have secured 2nd place, and Novara are mathematically relegated to Serie B. But then the announcements came, one after another, an avalanche in my heart, legends who are leaving, and so many amazing memories. Tomorrow will be their last match in the Rossoneri jerseys. And so I realized that nothing else matters.

So much win.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Sunday was meant to be a “meaningless” match between Milan and Novara. Instead, it is turning out to be the most meaningful match of the season, as we say goodbye to some Milan legends and maybe a few more recent heroes, too. So stock up on the Kleenex now because this one is going to be a very sad one.

Small Triumphs

Okay, so amidst all of the sadness, sometimes there are small triumphs. My small triumphs this season are my two children. Yes, that’s right, I have two children. And a Juventino husband. So which club would they support?

Which club would two little superheroes choose?

Confessions of a Heartbroken Milanista

Figuring out what to write at a time like this is like coming home to an empty house after the funeral for someone in your family. Still in too much pain to be ready to move on, yet needing something constructive to do so your grief doesn’t consume you. There will be a preview post for the meaningless Novara game to write later in the week, but for today I decided to take a minute to mourn.

This losing thing really sucks.

Inter 4, Milan 2: The Agony of Defeat

Some games are hard to sit down and write about. This one was nearly impossible. My other half is watching the streams of his team celebrating their Scudetto win, and I am just trying not to feel bitter about a season riddled with injuries and misfortune. But I will say that this game was like our season in 90 minutes: some hanging question marks about Allegri’s choice of available players, big mistakes by Bonera and others, and injuries, the true theme of this season. Galliani has said that our merchandising revenue increased this year, and that is good, because we’ll need every penny and then some to cover all of the extra medical care. But at the end of the day, this derby loss was a bitter pill to swallow after a season that felt like fate was out to get us. Today, I feel the agony of defeat like a wrecking ball through my heart.

Ibra demonstrating that the Collars of Doom™ are actually wings to help you fly.

Inter vs. Milan: Game On!

Inter-Milan Preview: Cursed Snakes

The Derby della Madonnina is always filled with drama, intensity and usually one or more sending offs. Personally, I blame Inter. Ever since they were a part of our club they’ve been pissing us off like the snakes that they are. Well us and everyone else. No one likes Inter. And while their history is filled with lengthy spells of losing, it wasn’t until they took matters into their own hands and shaped Calciopoli that they finally found another helping of success. A treble purchased with what was left of their souls and the decency of all of Serie A. But on Sunday, we can help break that curse. Defeating them will almost certainly guarantee no Champions League for them next year, and will keep our slim Scudetto hopes alive. Break the curse.

Milan 2, Atalanta 0: A White Collar Win

In case you’ve missed every comment I’ve made since the new uniforms were leaked and also my gamepost for this match, I hate the collars on the new kits. Collars are for dress shirts, not football. That’s my quote. And even predicting the Collar of Doom™ to help us win tonight, I did not realize the irony of a white collar win. We didn’t really get our hands dirty, we used our skills and our football intelligence to pull off a win where others might not have been able to. Because we are professional champions, and that’s just what we do. It may not always look pretty, but in the history books, it’s not how you win, only the win itself.

2 goals = white collar win

Milan vs. Atalanta: Game On!

Milan-Atalanta Preview: Unshakable Adversaries

Before the season even began, it was announced that newly promoted Atalanta would receive a 6 point deduction due to involvement with the Calcioscomesse scandal. Their captain, Cristiano Doni, was given a 3 ½ year ban and also arrested for his involvement in the scandal. But that only seemed to drive them to succeed. It was if they needed to prove themselves innocent on the pitch. All year, they’ve been a quiet success story, the 6 point penalty keeping them just under the radar, even though without it, they would sit just behind the 4-way tie for 3rd place. And as if that wasn’t enough, losing hometown hero Piermario Morosini on April 14th seems to have spurred them on even more, as they have not lost a match since. One hero fallen from grace, another hero fallen. For success in the face of adversity, they are unshakable adversaries.

Bergamo says goodbye to Atalanta youth player and fallen hero, Morosini