To my non-sports and especially my non-baseball loving friends this post will probably just make you roll your eyes and think how stupid people are to take sports so seriously.
Today I have a serious sports hangover. If you don't know what that is then you should probably stop reading here as you probably have something important to do like "work," shopping or watching another episode of Dancing with the Stars.
Generally to have a sports hangover one must endure a severe let down on the sports front either over the course of several games/weeks or in one seriously devastating loss or event. It is hard to explain but all day I have been highly irritable (yes more than normal), quiet, slightly...hmmm..more like manically depressed.
Today's sports hangover comes courtesy of the Red Sox who would normally always be the source of this kind of hangover unless of course you are also a Minnesota Vikings fan (apologies to all you Cubs fans). The managed to incorporate about every event that causes sports hangovers: high expectations, terrible start, great majority of the season, complete meltdown over several weeks and then one large seemingly impossible devastating loss last night.
I was so angry last night...and even still today I am very very upset about what happened last night and all this month. Although I have to admit it seemed like cosmic forces were working against us last night at least. The Yanks blow a 7 run lead in the 8th only like the 3rd time in their history they have blown a lead that late in a game. Yet to do it in such dramatic fashion was insane!
Add to the fact it seemed the Red Sox couldn't get out of their own way (base running mistakes, fielding issues, men left on base etc). Basically Boston kicked the Nation in the teeth last night and now we are left with a very cold and long winter with lots of question marks for next season and that perhaps is the most painful of all. I didn't think we had much of a chance given our pitching problems of late but being in the playoffs is always better than not being in the playoffs.
Here is list of my most memorable sports hangovers
North Stars lose to Pittsburgh in Stanley Cup finals after being a #8 seed in the playoffs - 1991
North Stars move to Dallas and break my heart - 1993
Vikings lose in overtime to Atlanta (at the time the only 15-1 team to not make it to the Super Bowl) - 1998
Vikings 41- donut game vs New York Giants NFC Championship - 2001
Sox lose game 7 in ALCS - 2003
Sox lose to Rays in game 7 ALCS - 2009
Sox lose to Baltimore "Curse of Andino" on last day of season & miss playoffs 2011
Maybe more to come. The documentary film crew is stopping by the apartment tonight for an interview regarding the season ending debacle. That is going to be fun.
Let's go Tigers, Rays & Rangers!
It's time to play some hockey!
Vikings lose to Saints in NFC Championship game 2010
