Opinion: Why honoring Rusnak stings

Have you ever had a bad break-up? Odds are you probably have. If not, bear with me for a minute. You spend time with someone, learn their virtues and their fault, spend years together even though sometimes it was hard? There were some good times, but in the end you were just wrong for each other.

When it over, and you go your separate ways, it can be easy, or it can be hard. Even though it hurts you can try to be a bigger person, to be their friend, and want what's best for them even though it kills you inside. I can tell you that with Albert Rusnak returning to Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, I do not want to be the bigger person.

Albert Rusnak is to be honored before Real Salt Lake’s match against the Seattle Sounders. It was reported yesterday by KSL Sports reporter Tom Hackett. According to Hackett, quote:

Real Salt Lake will honor their former captain Albert Rusnák immediately following player warmups. Rusnák, who recently joined the visiting Seattle Sounders, will receive a special Real Salt Lake framed kit while a video of his Real Salt Lake highlights plays on the jumbotron.

The sentiment from Real Salt Lake is a show of respect for one of the most exciting players to come through the club’s doors.

Sorry folks, but I am not here for it.

Albert Rusnak was our captain. The club put him in a position of leadership for club and community, and he accepted the responsibility of being the public face of the team. And that public face of the team and leader of our squad broke up with us over the offseason, and it wasn’t clean break up.

Need I remind us of what Rusnak said when he was announcing his wonderful new relationship with Seattle:

I want to win trophies... I want to play in front of the best fans... The biggest stage, the brightest lights...

Here’s my interpretation: Rusnak didn’t think RSL could win trophies, thinks RSL has a poor fan base, and Utah is a small, dimly lit stage for his talents. How can I not take that personally?

When Rusnak spoke on joining Seattle, he said, “I had to do something right at RSL for some like Seattle Sounders, who’s an MLS giant, to come and be interested in me.”

An MLS giant like Seattle. Makes my blood boil just typing it out. Rusnak has to know what he’s doing right? These are not actions of a Captain, no he’s rubbing it that he went to a rival, and I don’t have to be happy for him. Players move on, it’s part of the game, the but way they they move on shows their character, and Albert has shown his.

My suggestion to the club would be to read the room; he was our captain, and now he plays for a Western Conference rival. I do not want to celebrate his time here. I don’t want to think about “the good times,” I want to forget him, block him, and hope he is never as happy there as he was here. Sorry, I can’t be the bigger person.