Check also for an explaination of this feeling
As an avid fan of three of the four major American sports currently gracing the city of Philadelphia i find myself as with so many other fans this morning subdued. I had hope towards the end of the Phillies season, a mixed bag of emotions leading to an almost certain playoff birth this year, within reach a taste-able treat, for a mouth dry for 13 years. Last time the Phillies where in the post season play i was a young boy scout listening to the world series on a radio with everyone in the troop huddled around the tent. I’m now a working stiff with a house, family, loving wife, wonderful son. Its been a long time for America’s pastime to bring me joy. So when they were so close only to fumble the last week of the season, it actually hurt. Not so much as to make me stop watching but enough to be tentative with my trust again.
My grandfather was an avid Phillies fan all of his life. He supported them up until the historic collapse of 1964 , then never again. He took me to games, explained the game to me but never became invested again.
Now bring in the Flyers. I have been a die hard hockey fan when no one else in my immediate family understood the sport. enthralled by the mystic surrounding my hometown team, the Broadstreet bullies. A series of impressive playoff runs followed this team a mean streaked offensive powerhouse which always came up tragically short. excuses flew over the years and the team is collapsing as i write this. Fireing a decent coach and a laughable gm in the process. Time will only tell how this story leads us.
I think so far the final straw has been the heart wrenching 3 Lost NFC championships of the Eagles, the blown superbowl opportunity and lastly their play this season. Again my grandparents where the catalyst for my interest in football, which took a backseat for many years to other pursuits. I don’t have anything left maybe the curse is more than just trendy folklore, perhaps its real. But it seems that the teams around here find ways to loose in just such a manner to pull your heart out as they flame out. They bring you to highs such as recovering from a 17 point deficit only to loose on a record tying 62 yard kick. Who looses this way? We do. So it is with a heavy heart that i await the next flyers game, and a tenitave baleful glance that i check next Sundays calendar. I’m not quitting but on Mondays like today the air is a little colder and the sun not as bright. Its a shame.
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