Question: Did John Swartzwelder quit the show? He didn't write any episodes for this season.
She Used to Be My Girl - S16-E4
Question: At the end of this episode when Marge was imagining what life would have been like if she was a reporter, what did she mean by the "miracle on ice that never happened" and why did she scream afterwards?
Answer: The Miracle on Ice is when the 1980 USA Ice Hockey team defeated the USSR in the semifinal round and was deemed a huge upset worldwide. The reason it was a miracle is the Russian team was highly favored, having defeated the U.S. in a preliminary game by a huge margin, and this game with them was just a precursor for the Russians to get to the championship game. She screamed because now the US hasn't won.
Answer: He took a year's break from the show. He's promised to return for Season 17.
DaveJB