To go from the high of making it to the championship game to the low of getting blown out in it. It will effect each person differently. Some fans will just move on and never think of the game again. Some will watch the game several times just to understand how it happened.
I am not bitter about the loss. I actually feel blessed.
I cheer for a team that has been competitive for the majority of my life. I have seen them compete and win several super bowls. The Pittsburgh Steelers have remained one of the best run organizations since the late 70’s. I have only known 3 head coaches.
This year I watched the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup again. I saw the Chicago Cubs end 100 years of being the lovable losers. Now if only the Pittsburgh Pirates would finally win the World Series.
There are other fans that have never seen their team win a playoff game let alone make it to the playoffs.
For the majority of my life, there was no Twitter to connect with the players after a loss. Maybe that is why I can’t understand why people go on their accounts and call out players on their favorite team. Fans act like the players didn’t care about the outcome.
Instead of telling players that they gave us a great season and sorry they fell short, people want to tell players that they sucked and that they should retire. Some fans might have gone to a very personal level to some players.
Fans have called for coach’s resignations. Those same coaches that fans were praising their work 2 weeks ago. The same coaches that took a team that was 4-5 and won the next 9 games.
Before social media, fans would just vent to their friends. Now that we can get reactions from players, we go to them. Some go just to get a reaction out of a player. I couldn’t imagine how most people on social media would act if they were called out the same way.
I don’t have an issue with posting an opinion online. Heck, this whole article is an opinion. I just think more people need to do it with respect. Say a player under performed. No need to say that player needs to jump off a bridge. What is the point?
There were definitely things the Steelers could have done better. I respect the athletes that are out there. They are playing a game that I would have loved to had a chance to play.
Even though we view it as a game, we get emotionally involved. Imagine the player or coaches and their family? After a 11-5 record and 2 playoff wins, people wanted some of them to lose their jobs.
Take a second and think about it. Imagine going to school and having 5 tests. You get 100% on 4 of the test and on the 5th test you get a 50%. Should you be kicked out of school? Should your classmates rip you to shreds in front of your family and friends? Should the teacher be fired because you failed to execute what the teacher taught you?
Before you tweet or Facebook a player of coach, ask yourself that question. Remember they were trying to do their best out there. Yes, we can point out things we didn’t like. All I am saying is that you need to be respectful at the same time.
Picture curtosy of The Economic Times