The Frustrated Sports Team Fan

We've all been there before.  Pulling our hair out frustrated that our team lost.  Frustrated that the boundless hope of the beginning of the season is slowly closing as the path to a championship gets narrower and narrower.  And that other team and their fans are celebrating.  The fans psyche is damaged and they must do something to let you know.  Because simply turning off the TV or moving on is not possible.

Before social media, it was the radio and talk shows.  Now anybody (and everybody) with a cell phone can go on an historic angry rant within minutes of a play.  Why do they do this?  I'm glad you ask.

The more proud the program or franchise, the more worked up fans get

I am no psychologist but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night LOL.  First and foremost, all the penned-up energy is released by the following two step gasket blow.

1) Berating the team you love, when truly you do love them, you just need to blow off some steam. By ranting you're rewiring your brain and resetting expectation that a title isn't in the works this year.   Then you can no longer be disappointed (spoiler alert, you will again be disappointed).  Essentially (as Emmanual Acho once ranted), you're self-handicapping.

Examples

• This team is horrible, obviously we're not going to win the title
• Why does our team suck so bad
• I'm so sick of this crappy team.

One would think this is someone who isn't a "true fan".  I argue that their passion pushes them to do these things against logic.  It's just a different fan wiring.  Logic, like the remainder of the season being long, a playoff run being possible, the team not indeed bad (they have a winning record) but just aren't as good as you had hoped has no place here (more in a minute).  If you're familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), it's the second indicator.  Thinking versus Feeling.  Doesn't mean you have to pick one, but the tendencies are (and we've all seen it) to gravitate towards the one that is natural.

Dissatisfied fans are not a rarity (courtesy MLB.com)

2) Find Blame.  Immediately.  In typical hierarchy it goes a) blame the coach or manager; b) blame your lease favorite player (especially if they are highly paid), c) combo of a and b, blame the coach or manager for playing the player you don't like.  d) blame the general manager for any and all mistakes they made (after all they should have had perfect foresight to know this would happen.)  e) Blame the owner for not spending more money.  f) blame the players for not caring.  g) (less for the long term) blame the referees or the system for not allowing your team to compete.

Examples:

• Idiot Coach Casey didn't go for it on fourth down, didn't pinch hit, didn't foul the bad free throw shooter, didn't pull the goalie, didn't get that bum out of the game when he or she was sucking
• I'm so sick of Player Richey Pants, he isn't earning his salary.  Bench him.
• I can't believe Coach Casey keeps playing Player Richey Pants, he's horrible!
• Why the hell did GM Casey sign Player Richey Pants, he is obviously overrated completely ruined the season
• We are so cheap and didn't sign Player Hall of Fame Elite who is the MVP, the owner obviously doesn't want to win
• God, it's like the players aren't even trying; they don't have fire
• So stupid that the commissioner allows the big market teams to spend freely or gave us this impossible schedule
• The refs are obviously biased for the big market team they want the ratings.

Any of those ring a bell?  The mistaken ideal that replacing one thing will fix everything.  I'm here to tell you it's always a team game and every league has plenty of games to prove that (2020 MLB regular season withstanding).  That one fix probably, almost certainly, isn't what's causing your team to lose.

The more rational sports fan tries to enter the fray but is hopeless against emotion.  Emotion cannot be swayed by providing logical statements.  Sure, the frustrated fan may calm down after the immediate disappointment, but the powder keg is still inside for next time.  And the rational sports fan (myself included at times) usually takes a self-perceived superior stance.   "Well, I'm the one looking at facts and they're not."  Who says educated sports fandom is better than frustrated ranting sports fandom?  They're both fans, just different in their approach.  Ne'er the twain shall meet.

Tenets to always remember.

1) Winning in professional sports is hard.  That's why men and women shed tears when they do it.  Players, fans, owners, etc.  It's why we watch.  But there is no perfect formula and every championship team in professional sports (besides one certain Dolphins team) had a loss.  Baseball teams lose 60 times.  The other teams are trying to win too.

The Greatest of All Time knows it ain't easy

2) Player performance is unpredictable.  There are overvalued players on the free agent market.  There are undervalued ones.  Nobody knows which is which or general management would be easy.  You can gauge a good fit in market and age then suddenly it just doesn't go right.

3) The owner wants to win, just has constraints.  Even unconstrained owners don't lead to a title.

4) The coach is highly qualified for his or her position.  It may not be a right fit, but changing frequently is a road to disaster.

5) The refs or league aren't biased.  Refs are imperfect.  But not biased.  You probably ask 30/30 teams think the refs are against their team.  Tells you all you need to know.

6) When a player is struggling, the person most frustrated by his or her performance is him or her.  Their livelihood depends on it.  They replay the mistakes in their head.  They may even start to self doubt.  Tweeting at them probably isn't productive.

The person most frustrated at the play of 2022 Russell Wilson was Russell Wilson

But as a final parting shot, the fan just feels better in their mind if they complain, rant, find blame, etc.  More power to them, they live their life one way, others live it another.

All are fans.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/11/2023

72>69.  No this isn't a math blog.  That is 72 feet greater than 69 years, or at least writes a name in the history books that will never be forgotten.  Canadian golfer Nick Taylor did what no one has done since Louis St. Laurent was Canada's Prime Minister.  He died when Nixon was President.  That is, win the Canadian Open as a Canadian.  But it wasn't without drama.  Having fallen back in the middle of the back nine, Taylor birdied the 17th and 18th to put himself in the Clubhouse with a one shot lead.  But Tommy Fleetwood, who had been near the leaderboard all afternoon, finished to tie Taylor at minus 17.  Hole after whole Taylor and Fleetwood battled.  Birdie on 18.  Par on 18.  Par on 9.  There were rough saves. Pitches.  Putts.  And the fourth playoff hole was looking like Taylor's with maybe a 2-putt birdie.  He just needed one.  72 feet away, he landed a perfect speed/perfect lie putt dead center on the flagged hole to win it with Eagle.  Fleetwood would have needed to make a low percentage putt just for Birdie.  The crowd went wild.  Canada had its Canadian Open Winner.  Nick Taylor, the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 6/4/2023

In an extremely busy season for sports, we turn to Major League Baseball for the first time this season (as the NBA and NHL had a bit of a lull between Conference and League Finals).  One of the big surprise teams in 2023 has been the Texas Rangers.  After making some aggressive moves in the offseason to offset two seasons with a combined 196 losses they are starting to look like the team to beat in the American League West.  One of the big moves they made was to add Corey Seager prior to 2022.  That move is paying Dividends.  After an early season injury in 2023, Seager hit his stride the last week.  In six games, Seager went 11/27 with 2 HR, 3 2B, and 10 RBI.  And there was an 0-5 in the middle of it with nada (that his team still scored 10 runs and won).  Overall the Rangers were 5-1 and extended their American League West lead over the World Champion Houston Astros who only went 4-3.  It may be a race deep into September in the Lone Star State and former World Series MVP Corey Seager has the experience to carry his team and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/28/2023

Memorial Day weekend was packed with sports action highlighted by a (scheduled) triple header of auto racing on Sunday.  The cornerstone in the United States at least is The Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500.  The cornerstone of the Indycar series, it's circled on racing fans calendars a year in advance.  This year's race was clutch to the end, albeit a bit choppy.  Josef Newgarden passed 2022 Champion Marcus Ericsson on the final Green Lap and eased to victory.  After three red flags in the final sequence allowed one green lap to go, Newgarden did not miss on the opportunity.  It is the American's first Indy 500 victory in his distinguished career and he will remember the kissing of the bricks at The Brickyard for a lifetime.  Newgarden is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/21/2023

The month of May is a syzygy of sports not the least of which is golf and specifically, the second major of the year.  The Professional Golf Association Championship.  This year fighting some tough weather through the weekend, with Sunday clearing up for a beautiful day of golf at the highest level and a crowded leader board.  While a familiar former three-time Sportsman of the Week won the Wanamaker Trophy (that being Brooks Koepka), it was a player more like the rest of us who stole the show with his level of play.  Golf Pro Michael Block was already a fan favorite as the only Pro to make the cut and surge into Sunday.  Not only that, he was hovering around the Top 20 eventually finishing 15th.  But it was his shot on the Par 3 15th hole that sent the crowd into a frenzy.  The 46-year-old hit a 7-iron and dunked it straight into the hole.  Not even believing it, he turned to his playing partner Rory McIlroy (also former Sportsman of the Week) who was high fiving him like no tomorrow.  Love a sports where your competitors cheer your success and love our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/14/2023

The Stanley Cup Playoffs sets the stage for the Conference Finals and non-traditional markets are basking in upsetting the longer tenured teams.  Nobody should be surprised that the Las Vegas Golden Knights find themselves in the Conference Finals for the third time in their six years of history.  In a street fight with the offense laden Edmonton Oilers, it was the Golden Knights who emerged victorious in six games to set up a shot at their first Stanley Cup.  One of the primary reasons they find themselves, Jonathan Marchessault.  In critical four game stretch of the week, Marchessault dominated in two wins resulting in a 3-1 week and a 4-2 series win for Vegas.  In Game 3, Marchessault netted the first two critical goals to thrust the Golden Knights back from a 1-0 deficit to a 5-1 victory.  In Game 6, he got a natural hat trick in the second period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead on their way to series victory.  In their 4-3 victory in Game 5, he assisted 3 of the team's four goals.  Marchessault and the Golden Knights are on a mission to bring home Lord Stanley, and I would not doubt that our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week can do it!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 5/7/2023

In the peakiest of season for sports, the Kentucky Derby was a keystone must see event and it did not disappoint.  The field was in flux in the days before Derby Day as an unprecedented number of horses were scratched.  Coming into the weekend, Forte was a clear favorite.  As "My Old Kentucy Home" echoed over Churchill Downs, it was wide open with several favorites.  However, none of the shortest odds won.  Instead, Mage.  A simple name, but stout horse stole the show ridden by Javier Castellano.  Mage was about 10th place as the horses came 5 wide through the final turn but never looked back.  Ran down every contender.  Castellano was patient then ran an amazing line to cut through the field and use his horse's speed to win the race.  Great job but an amazing jockey, our Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week! 

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/30/2023

The Stanley Cup playoffs are beloved for the absolute battle to win every game and series and throwing regular season records out the window.  None of that matra came into play more than the first round series in which the Florida Panthers upset the Boston Bruins in an epic Game 7 to make the second round.  But that's not any old Boston Bruins.  But the most successful regular season NHL team of all time, Presidents Trophy winning Boston Bruins.  After exerting their talent and will in the first four games against the Panthers going up 3-1, the Bruins looked poised to ease into the second round.  Not so fast.  The Panthers battled in Bean Town to steal away a Game 5 victory and take the Bruins back south.  Always a red flag.  Now at home, if they win Game 6, they suddenly put the Bruins in panic mode in Game 7.  And that happened.  And in Game 7, it was Carter Verhaeghe that sealed their fate.  He scored the overtime goal to the shock of the home crowd and the Bruins were done.  It wasn't just that game, Verhaeghe netted 3 assists in the pivotal Game 5 overtime win on the road (including the dime on the game winner) and another helper in Game 6 in what was an easy win.  Verhaeghe was the man in the middle of one of the greatest comebacks and upsets in Stanley Cup Playoff history and is the Longhorndave Sportsman of the Week!

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/23/2023

The first week of the Stanley Cup Playoffs were as chaotic as could be expected, no team (maybe besides the record-breaking Boston Bruins).  No series ended up in a sweep with even the top teams per Conference battling for survival in the marathon for 16 wins.  The Dallas Stars are positioned strongly for a run for the cup and needed a deep team effort to split the week 2-2.  In their wins, they were led by an unexpected source, Roope Hintz, who was fourth on the team in points in the regular season.  Hintz netted a hat trick in a crucial Game 2 win to at least gain the split headed north to Minnesota.  He backed it up with a 3-assist effort in Game 4, again in a clutch series situation, to send the stars home tied with 2 of the next 3 in the Metroplex.  Hintz's 4 goals are tops in the playoffs (through Sunday).  His 8 points trail only Leon Draisaitl's 9 points but Hintz had the clutch.  Can the Dallas Stars take the cup?  We'll see what the Finnish Roope Hintz can do, but betting on him is a good idea.

Sportsman of the Week Ending 4/16/2023

It was an exciting week in the NBA as the play-in format took center stage as teams vied for the last two seeds in the playoffs.  Win you're alive.  Lose you're dead.  The Miami Heat were in the middle of the battle, first losing the play in game to guarantee them a 7 seed, but then securing the 8.  Nobody was more critical than Jimmy Butler.  Butler scuffled in a loss to the visiting Atlanta Hawks to force his Heat into a do or die.  And they did.  Behind his 31 point effort, the Heat disposed of his former team the Chicago Bulls and thrust themselves into the Eastern Conference playoffs.  You cannot win unless you're in the game.  And win they did, taking the first game from the top seeded Milwaukee Bucks by 13 points.  And it was all about Butler.  15-27 from the field.  35 points.  11 assists.  5 rebounds.  The Bucks had no answers.  Can Miami become a beast in the East?  Jimmy Butler will have everything to do with it!  Our Longhorndave Wportsman of the Week!