An Ode to the Richmond Braves.

Ah, the former Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate.

Sometimes I really do miss you.

I miss your laugh, your smile.

That time when you had Ryan Langerhans.

Ah, the Richmond Braves.

A man's team.

A team's team.

A team that went [insert all time Winning Percentage here]

Pett Orr! Horacio Ramirez!

Roman Colone and Kyle Davies!

I never saw any of these guys play.

Chipper Jones was there.

And I saw him play.

And it was grand.

Ahh, the Richmond Braves.

A team I suddenly miss now that I can drive

and have a girlfriend

and parents who won't let us drive 3 hours to Washington.

The memories! Sitting in the nosebleeds on purpose!

Extremely expensive food! Dip-n-Dots!

My dad paying for everything!

It was good.

And yes, Atlanta did take every player who performed well.

Atlanta did rape the team of all its prospects by mid-August.

But they fought on.

The Richmond Braves are why I was a Braves fan in the first place.

Why my dad was a fan.

Why they matter to me.

And while the Richmond Braves are dead and gone

I will always remember what they did for me.

And hope they put another team in that stadium rotting 10 minutes from my house

And while I may love again

It won't be a pure love, like what we had so long ago.

Oh Richmond Braves, we never appreciated you.

And we got what we deserved.

Will you please take us back?