The Problem With Winning
The Celtics have only lost 9 times this year. The Patriots just twice. The Red Sox are an annual contender for a World Series victory. My alma mater, Miami University, last night won its tenth game of the year at something called the GoDaddy.com bowl down in Mobile, Alabama. All this winning has got me to thinking.
The most enjoyable sports moments of my life involved winning teams that weren't expected to win. Larry Bird's first championship over the Sixers and Rockets way back in 1981. The Patriots getting to their first Super Bowl in 1986. The Red Sox miracle in 2004. None of these teams was expected to win titles but did, which brought me as a Boston sports fan tremendous joy.
But now, when I watch a Celtics game, I'm not having as much fun because I'm only hoping that they win the game, not enjoying the process. And the Pats have been great this year, a season I predicted they'd win 9 games, but now the pressure is on them to win three more and take home an expected Super Bowl trophy. It's just not as much fun when you're supposed to win. And that's a shame.
Maybe some of this has to do with getting older. I'm 44 and no longer the 15 year old who watched Bird sink a foul line jumper to beat Dr. J and the 76ers to come from 3-1 down in '81, with Johnny Most shouting in the background of my family's living room from out of the family stereo. Nothing may top the feeling of not being able to stand watching the final minutes of games 5 and 6 of that series, then coming down the next morning only to have my Dad draw out his play by play of the prior night's game, then finally exclaiming, "They won Joey!!" Those are special memories of childhood I'll cherish forever. Today, there isn't as much of a thrill in watching a great game. And that's a shame.
I hope the Patriots win the Super Bowl. But it won't be as good as '81 or '86 for this old dog. It just won't.
The most enjoyable sports moments of my life involved winning teams that weren't expected to win. Larry Bird's first championship over the Sixers and Rockets way back in 1981. The Patriots getting to their first Super Bowl in 1986. The Red Sox miracle in 2004. None of these teams was expected to win titles but did, which brought me as a Boston sports fan tremendous joy.
But now, when I watch a Celtics game, I'm not having as much fun because I'm only hoping that they win the game, not enjoying the process. And the Pats have been great this year, a season I predicted they'd win 9 games, but now the pressure is on them to win three more and take home an expected Super Bowl trophy. It's just not as much fun when you're supposed to win. And that's a shame.
Maybe some of this has to do with getting older. I'm 44 and no longer the 15 year old who watched Bird sink a foul line jumper to beat Dr. J and the 76ers to come from 3-1 down in '81, with Johnny Most shouting in the background of my family's living room from out of the family stereo. Nothing may top the feeling of not being able to stand watching the final minutes of games 5 and 6 of that series, then coming down the next morning only to have my Dad draw out his play by play of the prior night's game, then finally exclaiming, "They won Joey!!" Those are special memories of childhood I'll cherish forever. Today, there isn't as much of a thrill in watching a great game. And that's a shame.
I hope the Patriots win the Super Bowl. But it won't be as good as '81 or '86 for this old dog. It just won't.
posted by joe sweeney at 6:54 AM
2 Comments:
Stop overanalyzing..you do still enjoy it...I see it in ur eyes at the Red Claws...cut urself some slack..Love ya
CC
Sorry for the bad news but you're normal. Try to stop comparing your egoist expectations to the outsides of others as you are ok man. Call me when you feel like that..... ANYTIME...I don't have a method to fix but you may find(I have) that just by being able to be honest with someone without them trying to fix you dissipates that sense of aloneness and you leave knowing there is hope and that people do care. One problem though..is that is does require you actually dial the number. Thinking of you. Loved the NFL today..My kitty was in the hospital for 2 days..came home today $531.16 but he's worth it. Love you Joseph!
Christopher patrick Cannan Esquire PHD
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