Literally.
I remember interviewing CEO Grant Dalton for my Newstalk ZB radio show in the days following the loss.
It's fair to say he was a broken man.
He was alone at the Team New Zealand base in San Francisco, resigned to the fact his time of trying to win the Cup was over. He wanted out.
To this day, I'm still not entirely sure what prompted Dalton and the likes of Sir Stephen Tindall - who's backed this syndicate with his own money - to have another go.
The government agreed to an interim investment of $5 million to keep some semblance of a team together, while decisions on another campaign were made.
That did not stop the vultures (read: rival syndicates) picking at the bones of the Team NZ carcass and stealing key design personnel.
Then came the messy removal of Dean Barker as skipper, with several of his mates following him out the door. Barker later claimed he never knew he was on the way out, which was at odds with what I'd been told when I broke the story - that Peter Burling was always destined to take over.
A team on the verge of self-destructing needed a new face, a new public persona, and Burling and his offsider Blair Tuke were it. Proven winners.
The fact Team NZ even made it to the start line this time around is a remarkable feat. That they managed to rewrite the way these foiling cats are sailed is equally impressive.
For eight months, they kept the cycling grinders the most closely guarded secret - cyclist Simon van Velthooven was not even allowed to tell family members he'd made the switch from the track to sailing.Olympic rower Joe Sullivan was also tried out and given a gig as a cyclor - as they have since become known.
What that initial design meeting must have been like, when someone piped up and said: "Hey, let's try cycling grinders. And let's recruit blokes who are not even professional sailors."
I can't explain why I feel such a close affinity with Team NZ. Like many of you, I am no sailing expert.
But if this team - defeated and divided four short years ago - manage to bring the Cup back to New Zealand, this could well be the greatest redemption story ever told.
Honouring a legend
It's a Monday afternoon in Te Kuiti that turned into one of the most special days I've experienced in a media industry where far too often we cover only the negative.
To see Sir Colin Meads looking resplendent in his grey suit, arriving to a standing ovation, was just brilliant. Two disabled car parks for him and his family were reserved but Pinetree - in his typical style - was having none of that. He parked down the street, just like everyone else.
To hear stories of how local builders had given up their time and resources (organisers had spent months trying to raise some $490,000 for the statue alone) to help create the exhibition, was a reminder of just what a special country we live in. Make the effort to go and pay tribute to the great man - it's a fitting tribute not just for Pinetree, but for a small town which went above and beyond to honour their favourite son.
Be proud, Meadsville!
Top fans
I have to admit: when it comes to supporters, the Lions are the best in the business. As one of them told me this week: Yep, the rugby matters - but if they lose the series, they'll still win the battle of the bars.
There's also been plenty of good-natured banter - like this poor Lions fan, who woke up in Raglan to find himself trapped in his camper van. Good to know the old "glad wrap trick" is still going strong in 2017.
