thelesterlee
The title of this article may have caused you to snort through your nose, as it’s always funny to deride a sore loser. It’s not quite as funny when you’re having that experience, though. If you’ve spent a lifetime gunning for the success of a team, showing up to matches, buying custom jerseys or shirts, or have found yourself poring countless hours in sporting video games taking your team to the championship, well, it’s hard not to feel a connection. That’s also because family and regional bonds can tie us to specific teams more than we may realize.
To see our team on a consistent losing streak can be tough. But if someone wins, someone else has to lose. We can see this clearly in soccer, where Manchester United, once top of the premier league with a fantastic manager and amazing players, now stand in the shadow of Manchester City, who have gone from strength to strength over the preceding years. As you can see, it could be that a team based in the area where you live can still cause a great deal of pain.
So, how do you cope if your team is on a deep losing streak? Are there healthy ways around it? Let’s consider that, and more:
Suck It Up
Ultimately, that’s the final tip anyone can give us. We can try and analyze the performance, blame bad luck, assume you jinxed affairs because you forgot to take your dog out in the morning, and a million additional faults, but the truth is that we have to accept and move on from the loss. Losses will come no matter how successful our team can be, and each one is a chance to learn something new and live to fight another day. If you can think this way, then you’ll find a loss only bothers you for a shorter and shorter amount of time until you can process it well and move on, without turning into a conflict at the bar or a bad mood for the weekend.
Remind Yourself Why You Love Sports
Sports fans know the pain that comes when the team you rooted for fails. We often see this at a national level such as when the World Cup soccer tournaments are played. But reminding yourself of why you love the game can help you gain back some of that fire. For example, finding Lakers playoff tickets here to see a team in their element, potentially heading with a friend or partner, can help you forget about the woes facing your team for the moment and just have a good time. Sports are meant to be fun, after all, and you’re allowed to support or see more than one team.
Flip The Script & Give Encouragement
It’s very easy to be annoyed and to criticize when things don’t go to plan, but since when has everything 100% gone to plan? It may be that the team didn’t pull out a world-leading performance this year, or perhaps your coach made some questionable decisions while on the bench. The essence of being a good fan is to know when you need to improve, and not to be so blind in your support that every flaw is forgiven without thought. However, it’s also true that a little encouragement during a down period is important. “We’ll get’em next time” is as good a way to accept a loss as any other. Even saying that to a fellow fan can help. While it’s good to vent, sometimes we need to balance that out if not solely for our emotional wellbeing.
It’s Fine To Take A Break
Sports fans are known for their amazing tenacity and willingness to watch games even when things aren’t going well. But sometimes it can be highly upsetting to do that. Perhaps you fundamentally disagree with the way your club is being run, or you don’t want to support them with a season ticket, even if you will support them in spirit. It’s fine to take a break from sports from time to time, because our emotions suffering such highs and lows consistently isn’t always the best for us, especially if life itself has become quite difficult as of late and you need to relax more than you need to stress. The sport will be back when you return, so don’t feel bad about giving yourself pause if you need it, and perhaps following a lower league or a different sport for a while. Playing darts with a friend can be fun.
With this advice, you’re certain to cope well even if your team is on an infernal losing streak.
