News flash here – football is a particularly harsh sport. Not just from the physicality of the game, although no one denies that aspect of it. Its true harshness comes from the playoff system and the sudden finality of a playoff loss. At lunchtime all is good in the world and expectations are running high for fans and players alike. By dinner the entire world has crashed and formerly loyal fans are looking for their collective pound of flesh from players, referees and team management.
Take what happened to the Cowboys this past Sunday. One minute there’s 100,000 plus screaming fans cheering on their heroes at the giant sundial known as AT&T Stadium, players are taking the field with a confident swagger, and optimism for great things to come is raging all around the Metroplex. Now fast forward just a few hours later and fingers are being pointed, firings are being demanded, and players are asking for mercy for their family members (see below).
I get it that Cowboys fans are a bit over the top, and invest large amounts of money and time into their team. And perhaps they’re just following their owner’s lead when it comes to being a bit off-center and emotional. But I think it runs deeper than that. I think it stems from the-one-and-done aspect of playoff football in general – whether it be college or pro. So think about it for second, if your team has a bad game in a best of seven baseball, basketball or hockey playoff series, they have time to regroup – shake it off if you will. Let’s make adjustments and get back at it in two nights. Have a bad game in the NFL playoffs? See ya next year fellas.
What makes the NFL playoffs (and the Super Bowl for that matter) such incredible three hour roller coasters is exactly what makes it so devastating to the loser, especially when the loser has home field advantage (low hanging scoreboards and blinding sunlight notwithstanding), a $40 million quarterback, and are favored in Vegas by 3.5 points. It’s an adrenaline rush up, then a crash back down. Then back up again, and down. Throw in questionable play calling, bad clock management, mistakes by veteran players and you have the hangover that’s been casting a shadow on DFW these past few days.
But chins up everyone – it could be worse. I know its’s been 26 years since the ‘Boys last appeared in the Big Game, but just imagine living in Buffalo. With a projected low of -2 and high of 14 degrees for this Friday, and an amazing 0 for 4 in Super Bowl appearances, things really could be worse. Much worse.
