The Double-Edged Sword Of A Successful Season
Sports evoke interesting emotions in the people who follow them, and therefore, sometimes make very interesting societal and psychological studies. In non-academic terms, sports make people act weird sometimes. Something we’ve experienced a lot of recently in Philly is the fun part of sports: winning. But as the Phillies season came to an end in Game 6 of the World Series, and as the Union fell in heartbreaking fashion to LAFC in the MLS Cup, it’s hard to not feel exceptional hurt when thinking back on the way those teams’ years finished. It’s the double-edged sword of what having a successful sports season means; yes, you’re excited about the point your team advanced to, but when you get so close to the ultimate goal and fall short, it changes the whole thought process, not just about that year, but seasons to come.
Think about how you view the Sixers right now. Does the regular season feel like it matters all that much? If your answer is no, I’d wager you’re like the large majority of the fan base. This isn’t just because the NBA regular season is a farce, but because the Sixers’ measure of success is only playoff based at this point in the team’s trajectory. That’s a good thing in a lot of ways, but for Joel Embiid, James Harden, and company, it can lead to immense pressure when winning 55-60 games and even securing a 1 seed won’t be enough to satiate the fan base. The Eagles are 8-0 right now, which is awesome in the moment, and we all should feel strongly about their ability to make a deep playoff run. Now don’t take this as a lack of appreciation for what the birds are doing, but do you think the New England Patriots remember the 2007 season fondly? 16-0 doesn’t feel quite as sweet when you lose the big one, and afterwards, anything short of Super Bowl success the next season is a failure.
Now some of you might be thinking “So what’s the alternative? Don’t try to win?” No, that’s absolutely not the point of this article. Having this dilemma is a good thing for a fan base. It means that your teams are in contention enough that championships are always in play. It’s a good place for Philly to be, that every team (besides the Flyers) are currently championship contenders. It also comes with the understanding, though, that a successful season is more difficult to attain in Philadelphia now. Does that mean we need to self-police our expectations and try and take more joy in regular season accomplishments? I’m not sure. Can a fan base still enjoy moral victories when championships are within reach? It’s tough to say that they can. Maybe the best we can do is simply try and prepare ourselves for what a lot of winning seasons will bring: a bittersweet feeling if teams don’t win it all. We’re in a great spot right now sports-wise, but let’s remember to still enjoy the ride, even if it doesn’t end at the top of the mountain.
