Subjectivity and the Fan
In today's Friday NFL column, Bill Simmons seems to imply that we should just ignore the Colts when they have regular season success. He implies that everybody just praises Manning to no end and ignores his playoff failures (odd for an internet writer to fail to notice that Manning is constantly criticized, especially for his playoff performances), and he seems to imply that Tom Brady is this underrated, underappreciated, never-been-on-the-cover-of-a-magazine quarterback (he's clearly not).
I think that fans of a particular team lose all sense of reason and objectivity when thinking about their team. They start to believe the disrespect/"nobody believed in us" business. It is the irrational subjectivity of fans that makes fans of a champion say things like "everybody loves to rip us" or "nobody really respects us" (what, you wanted your team to win a championship and then just have all the rest of the NFL's fans love you? You didn't realize people would dislike the champ?). We lose all sense of objectivity and reason once we start rooting (just read anything written here by "What was that bang?"). This is why we start clamoring for lousy backup QBs to start when the starting QB has a lousy game. This is why I've attached my identity with the Vikings as close-but-no-cigar heartbreaking losers.
I still dislike the Bears
Every week as the Bears are scheduled against another lousy team, I somehow think that the lousy team has a shot. I really do; some part of me believes Miami can beat Chicago this weekend. I don't know what is wrong with me.
And now I fear the Packers
The Packers are now one game behind the Vikings, are showing signs of a running and passing game, and seem to be fielding a semi-competent passing defense. Plus they still play each other twice. I spent the first half of the season too complacent; after 2005, I thought there was nothing to fear from the Packers and there was no reason to watch them every Sunday with loathing detestation rooting for them to lose. Now I realize that they're still in competition with the Vikes and are as detestable as ever. I hate to keep paying attention and booing.
Weekend Goodness
If you're not excited to find out that large portions of red wine could help fat people live long healthy lives... then friend, you ain't me. Grapes and red wine will now be staples of my household.
Enjoy the weekend everybody. Except Bear and Packer fans.
If the Dolphins behind Joey Harrington go into Soldier Field and win, then I think we can all say this.
ReplyDelete"No team will ever go undefeated again while any members of the 1972 Dolphins are still alive."
If the Bears lose to the Giants, which I expect them to, then the undefeated dream is still alive for other teams in the future, because hey, it's the Giants on the road. If the Bears lose to the 1-6 Dolphins, then there's some sort of crazy 1972 mojo going on that will result in no one going undefeated ever again.