This week I chatted with some of my Philadelphia Eagle friends and listened to many other people lament the fact that the Patriots are the AFC champions...again. Everyone wants the Patriots to lose because they are tired of seeing them win. Hmmm. That got me thinking that this is what other people think of the Steelers. Tired of seeing the same team in the winners' circle. Of course, if you're a fan of the winners you feel differently. I tried to channel all of those thoughts and comments through the week and decided that the hatred for the Patriots is greater due to the "cheating" and "spying" nonsense in the past, and because Tom Brady just seems to rub people the wrong way. Interesting.
At the beginning of this week, I realized a bit late that I could have probably gone to the Pro Bowl for the weekend. I clicked some ad on some social media site and tickets for two were over $400 and uh, yeah, no. But I think that was probably just the site because the Pro Bowl is just a fun scrimmage ala preseason play. Surely, people don't pay that kind of money for that type of football. But I had family members visiting me, rain was scheduled for Sunday, and my honey was in the finals of the Australian Open so I gave up that notion and saved myself some money.
My relatives arrived while I was watching the Open. It was a delayed broadcast since ESPN figured few people would get up at 3:00 in the morning to watch it live. Since I had recorded it, and since my ESPN app had already beeped me that my honey had won, I turned it off and enjoyed our time together. Later, after dinner and goodbyes, Tom and I walked the dog around the hood in the misting rain. We hooked up with a neighbor and his dog about halfway through the hood. I don't really know the man well, but Tom and Elliot do and so we walked together.
The guy is very tongue in cheek and witty in a sly sort of way. He mentioned to Tom that the NHL All-Star game had been interesting, and Tom responded with a question as to was that today and the man looked at me in horror and rolled his eyes and shook his head. I commented that he wasn't exactly up on his sports knowledge and mentioned the Pro Bowl being played today. The man then questioned me as to was that today, he hadn't known, and so I looked at him in horror, rolled my eyes and shook my head at his ignorance. Then just to prove my own sports knowledge, I threw in that the Australian Open was also played today, adding that I would be watching it after this walk. He then told me that Roger Federer had won which would have annoyed me had I not known this, but again, I have the feeling this is just this guy's way. I replied, thanks, but I did know that my honey had won, and then he responded with a disgruntled, who cares, he's the Patriot of Tennis. Another old Tom Brady.
Whoa! Those were fighting words as Roger Federer is my favorite athlete, but there it was again. People tired of seeing the same winners, no matter the sport. When did we become so jaded with greatness? When did we stop rooting for the team or the individual who has proven time and time again that they/he/she still has it? Why did we?
Everyone has the same chance. Marin Cilic had the chance today to beat Federer, but he didn't have what it took in the end. The teams the Patriots played each Sunday had the chance to beat this team, but they didn't have what it took. Tiger Woods dominated golf, yet many people whined about him. And don't get me going on the hatred of my other favorite athlete, Lebron James. Wow, but do people not want to see him do well.
I don't remember this mentality when I was younger. We loved the underdog, but we also cheered the greats. We admired their audacity, their physical and mental toughness, their sheer power, their athletism, and their superiorness in the sport they played. They might not have been our team or our favorite, but by golly, we gave them the nod due to their greatness. Now it's just pure disgust or hatred. It's really sort of sad.
The winter Olympics will be starting soon. We don't act as snobbish during these two weeks over the cream of the crop, mainly because most of us only follow them every four years, but this is a good time for us to remember that greatness should be high fived. Kudos to the best. We can be disgruntled over their wins, but we should at least acknowledge their feat. Because everyone has a chance to take them down.
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