When Ronnie Brewer of the Chicago Bulls drained a three-pointer to extend the lead to 12 with 3 minutes left of the Bulls/Miami Heat series these past playoffs, I and the rest of Chicago took a breath of relief knowing we were one game closer to defeating the overly hyped and notoriously obnoxious Heat. Little did we know that we’d be watching our triumphant season crumble before our astonished eyes while we witnessed the collapse of the Bulls in the most painful minutes of a Bulls fan: when Miami lived up to the hype and ended our season on a 19-4 run and a stab in my heart.
With celebrated victories and championships comes heartbreaking losses and guaranteed wins that slip through our grips. Sometimes I wonder if the pain of a loss is greater than the exhilaration felt after a big win. And with that thought, I introduce you to: the pains of a sports fan.
It’s easy for outsiders to say “there’s always next year” or the dreaded, “it’s just a game!” but our delicate souls know the improbability of repeating that success and the attachment we feel to our respective players and teams. Last season’s NBA playoffs left a dent in my soul, but I can’t help but say that there was a little (very little) part of me that felt a sense of relief, letting go of the constant stress I carried throughout the post-season. So, why do sports fan take games so seriously? At least for me, I don’t get much more than immediate gratification, but the torment of a loss stays with me for a long, long time. I’ll always remember February 4, 2007 as black Sunday after the Bears super bowl loss, or watching the Cubs’ season fizzle away after Bartman’s catch or even Vlade Divac’s (Kings) tip out to Robert Horry (Lakers) who nailed a three at the buzzer in a Kings/Lakers match-up nearly 10 years ago (that was the first and only lead by the Lakers in that game, and they would go on to win the championship that year – Important to note that the tears shed after this game were warranted.)
With the tears and headaches I’ve given myself watching some of the greats in my life, like Roger Federer, for me it isn’t about the foolishness of following something so intently that isn’t real, like many non-sports fans would have you believe, because it is someone’s reality and thinking about how depressed Derrick Rose was after pinning last year’s losses on himself just make me more upset. No, the real stupidity is putting so much weight in something I have absolutely no control over. I’m in awe gaping at each stroke hit (with flawless grace, power and finesse) by Federer, but the agony and pressure of wanting him to win each match and grand slam overwhelms me so much so that I think I only breathe every few minutes (during commercials). I want so badly for my players and teams to win that I feel that passion ruining the joy of sports for me at times. Maybe it’s because I focus on the negative too much, but I really feel as though I’m an unlucky fan who has experienced some terrible losses. I mean, Federer losing in the US Open two years in a row after having two match points in each match?? Come on.
So I’m not sure if there’s a lesson to be learned here or not. Perhaps it’s reaching a level where I can revel in the spirit of great plays and hardworking players, while maintaining a good night’s sleep since I have no control over the outcome. Yes, I will work on that. In the mean time – I would really like to see Federer win another grand slam, so can he work on that for me?