It’s a lot to be a sports fan, sometimes. It’s so stressful.
There are 32 teams in the NFL. Two of them get to play in the Super Bowl for all the marbles and glory. It’s really, really, really hard to get get there. Which means that every year one team is destined for a giant heartbreak.
It’s even worse in baseball, where you have to survive an 11-win (at least) gauntlet to claim the trophy.
So, it’s a big deal to play in that last championship game. It’s also incredibly stressful because I know it’s so rare. It’s so hard to get there, you want to win. You want to witness that moment when your team was the best.
The Niners have broken my heart in that regard as an adult. They were incredible when I was a kid…but I was too young to appreciate that. Too young to really remember. Or even in ‘95 when I was 12, just not to understand that it was such a big deal; after all, winning Super Bowls was just what the Niners did back then.
They haven’t since. And the A’s have been even more frustrating. As good a team as we can put together, we haven’t even sniffed the championship shot.
I am a true sports fan; I do live for the game itself. I watch the regular season, I don’t just tune in when it’s all or nothing. And it is horrible when your team is horrible.
But, damn if it isn’t exhausting when your team is ALMOST good enough.
That’s the hardest.
Cheers to the Niners for a crazy-surprising season. We were the second worst team in football last year. This year, we were a 4th quarter collapse away from winning it all. That’s pretty incredible.
But, cheers to the Chiefs for taking control in the end and winning the game. I don’t think it’s going to be your last; Mahomes is legit. He’s a Super Bowl MVP. He’s the real deal, like Montana was, like Brady, and it’s only his second season. That’s pretty special.
And here’s to next year. This Niners team is really, really good. I hope this is only the beginning. Even Belicheck loses Super Bowls. We just need to get back a few more times, and we’ll get that 6th ring.