Oh, I'm still cheering them on and hoping beyond hope that they can overcome all the obstacles before them both external and internal, but deep down, I know they aren't going to win it all. It doesn't mean I'm right. It's just how I feel.
And as I said, I don't think that makes me a better or worse fan or a more or less knowledgeable fan. It just makes me a fan that thinks they can't win it all this year. I don't think fans like me stop cheering their teams on or hoping they lose, I just think we have come to a realization, one that may or may not be true.
And for those that do believe until the very end, good for you, although something deep down tells me that you don't really feel that way until the VERY end. That at some point, maybe a minute before the final buzzer, a few minutes, a quarter or a half or even a game or two before, you realize it. At least I think so.
Remember this has nothing to do with being a fan or whether you are going to support your team. This is about your internal realization of discovery that this, or for that matter any other team, just isn't good enough in that particular year. Some very few times that feeling is wrong. Almost all of the time when you get that feeling though, it's right.
I know most fans aren't going to just stop rooting.
I am just comparing myself to what many seem to think reality is based on some of what I read here. (Celtics have little to no chance)
No matter how bad I might see, I can't give up the belief they will win until they are out.
And sometimes, they will reward your belief. (see the Giants)
No, I understand and respect where you are coming from wd,I do. But I have been an unabashed sports fan in football, baseball and basketball since 1975. that's roughly 105 seasons of ball between the Patriots, Celtics and Red Sox. My optimism meeting my reality has been wrong three times.
1981 Celtics - they were down 3-1 to Philadelphia and I thought for sure the season was over, especially when they were down late in game 4. I just thought they weren't good enough to beat that Sixers team. I was wrong and a comeback ensued and the championship came.
2001 Patriots - the tuck rule play. During the review of the play I just thought, that's it season's over. The weather, the game, the teams they had to overcome. I was convinced that season was over. Wrong again.
2004 Red Sox - I've already mentioned this one.
Funny enough in 2007 with the Sox I never got that feeling. Or in the 1976, 1984, 1986 or 2008 with the Celtics or 2003 and 2004 with the Pats. And there have been a ton of years where I never got the feeling until the very, very end.
But this year, something about that New Orleans game got to me and I came to the conclusion, maybe correctly maybe not, that this team couldn't win it all this year. Just something about the way they laid down in the second half of that game that I had seen all too often before that and all too often since that made something click.
I sure hope I am wrong and will be routing on and cheering on my C's, but.......
Topic: When does optimism meet reality? (Read 18901 times)