The Forge lose to L.A. 3-1. I should be more upset after the final whistle. I should be devastated to lose in the championship match. But none of us are. Nobody expected us to make it here, not this year. To come second place in the entire league, our first year playing at this level? I’m pretty damn proud, actually.

And looking around the field, at the rest of the guys with smiles on their faces, I think the feeling is mutual. A few weeks ago I wouldn’t have necessarily ...