Groping For Third
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By PK Thunda, Where's He Get The Mask
I wanted to write a post about the Mets' epic collapse. I wanted to say how the New York fans will never be the same, how the Philly fans finally got the break they've deserved for years... but that's all bullshit. The truth is that we talkin' about making the playoffs. Not a championship. Not a playoff win. We talkin' bout making the playoffs. For better or (in my opinion) worse, all that sports fans and the sports media (which includes the blogosphere) really care about is championships. Most serious sports fans could name the past 5 or so champions in each major sport without much trouble, but just try to name every playoff team from last year in ANY sport (OK, I can do the NFL, and with some major effort the NBA and MLB, but I have very few friends and too much free time).
I know that making the playoffs is a fairly necessary step in the process of becoming champions, and the Mets absolutely blew that chance in epic fashion, but the odds are that they weren't winning a championship this season. The only way this collapse will be remember 5 or 10 years from now is if the Phillies manage to win the World Series, which every fan who has ever lived in Philly knows is not happening. Think back to all the legendary sports collapses: how many times did the underdog NOT go on to win a championship?
Championships are the currency of legacy, especially for teams. Occasionally, a Dan Marino comes along and performs so well, even without a championship, that he is forever ensconced in the hall of Jim Carrey co-stars. But how many non-championship teams last longer than 10 years in memory. The 1998 Vikings (15-1) were as memorable as a non-champion gets, and they're basically gone from memory. Name the three best NFL teams of the last 5 years. If you didn't say Pats, Colts, and Steelers, then you're biased towards your hometown team. But the Eagles and Broncos both have more wins than the Steelers over that time, and the Seahawks have only two less. Even 5 years later, all we remember is the championships.
I am not trying to say that we are wrong for only caring about championships. Even the most dedicated sports fans have limited memory to devote to sports, and championships are as good a filter as any. All I'm trying to say is that we should hold the flood of articles comparing the Mets to the 1978 Red Sox or the 2004 Yankees until the Phillies win the World Series. In other words: this too shall pass, Mets fans.
