It's farewell, for now

Dear Rumble readers,

It is with both reluctance and anticipation that I announce that Wednesday's San Francisco game will be the final St. John's game I cover for the 2013-14 season.

I am scheduled to begin a full-time internship at Ernst & Young soon after the New Year, a wonderful opportunity for me to advance on the road to immersing myself in the accounting profession.

Though I do plan, if time permits, to return to the Rumble during my fifth year at St. John's, I would like to take a moment to reflect on my experience on this website, which has now spanned across almost two and half seasons.

In October of 2011, Norman, the site's manager and editor-in-chief, gave me a chance to realize one of my dreams - to write about St. John's basketball.  My good friend Kieran Lynch, who has since become editor-in-chief at the University's school newspaper, and I had launched our own blog, but couldn't obtain media access.  The Rumble was my avenue.

Since then, I have covered all but two of the Red Storm's home games, either at Carnesecca Arena or Madison Square Garden.  Not everyone can say they've walked through the bowels of the Garden before and after the public doors are closed.  What a unique feeling.  I have also followed the the Johnnies throughout the city and beyond, including to Brooklyn, Providence, Newark and Hartford.

All I ever wanted was to have my voice heard - the voice of a third generation St. John's student and basketball fan.  Having grown up attending games, running around my house sporting a reversible St. John's practice uniform and crying into a pillow the night the Johnnies lost to Gonzaga to get knocked out of the NCAA Tournament (the first time, in 2000), there has been nothing cooler than getting an inside, first-hand look at the program.  The St. John's Athletics team has been nothing but supportive, allowing me that simple chance.

Rumble in the Garden is a great resource for St. John's fans.  There are dedicated writers and readers who give it life each day.  I have faith in the cast I am leaving behind for the rest of the season.  Norman, Andrew and Will have you more than covered, I promise (Norman's editor's note: and we're always looking for more people to contribute in comments and fanposts and maybe more!).  I look forward to following the Rumble grow even further than it has to this point as St. John's chases a bid come February and March.

This sports journalism thing certainly isn't my life track, but it's been fun learning how it's done on the fly.  I've observed some of the New York area's best do their job in a variety of settings.  They've taught me a little about writing, but much more about conducting myself professionally.

Steve Lavin keeps saying that his team is a work in progress, which we've seen clearly over recent games.  He expects the Red Storm to peak in the later stages of the season much in the way his 2010-11 squad did en route to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in nine years.  The talent is there, and it will be interesting watching them attempt to corral it in the coming months.

So, this is farewell, at least for now.  I'll still banter with you guys on Twitter for the rest of the season.  I'll have to live with 140-character limitation.

Thank you and happy holidays.  As always, go Johnnies.

Best,

Quinn

(Norman's editor note: [Insert Sad Face] Quinn's been truly fantastic and leaves huge shoes to fill, but I will con him to swing by. A fantastic natural writer and editor with a real sense of the underlying passions of St. John's as a basketball program, he's been more than a writer - he has been a friend and sounding board. We wish him well even if he doesn't return next season. We intend to block his transfers to any and all rival blogs, however.)