I was simply ecstatic on Superbowl Sunday when the New England Patriots lost 21-17 to Eli Manning– I mean, the New York Giants. I am a sore winner. When I don’t want an opponent to be victorious, my level of glee following my own victory is two-fold because of their disappointment.
It seems strange to get so much gain out of other’s pain. Especially considering I wasn’t rooting for New York.
I was rooting against New England. I could care less that little Manning just passed his big brother in the number of Superbowl rings or that Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin went from hall of shame to hall of fame overnight. I wanted the Patriots to go down.
Why? The Patriots have won it enough. They deserved to lose simply so they wouldn’t win again. That’s how I feel, and I bet I’m not alone.
I gave this some thought over the past week – why does the American sport fan so deeply despise the sport dynasty? Why is it that with every championship more and more Americans turn against franchise?
Think I’m wrong? New York Yankees. Duke Blue Devils. Detroit Red Wings. Los Angeles Lakers. All among the most hated and most winning teams in the sporting world.
Maybe it has to do with our political culture. After all, George and Co. decided they had had enough of King George III, and set up a government that was decidedly anti-dynasty.
After years of single families wearing the crown in Britain, Americans put on their New World caps and limited the terms of the President to limit patriarchal succession.
Oops. I guess we as Americans forgot that lesson. I bet Jeb for Prez 2014 and Chelsea C for the Big P 2028 hope we keep forgetting.
Maybe instead we choose to root for the underdog because we are so used to the underdog winning (see: 1776, Apple Inc., the Shake Weight).
After all, who doesn’t get teary-eyed and inspired when a nobody becomes a somebody through triumph in battle.
Last Sunday, the answer was probably New York Jets fans. And Dallas Cowboys fans. I’m sure they didn’t find Superbowl XLVI exciting at all.
I guess I’m at a loss as to why we hate success in this country. That’s a shame. President Willard Romney has such a ring to it. Maybe the reason why I don’t understand this phenomenon is because I, myself, am guilty of rooting for a champion.
It felt so good to win the World Series in November. Were we an underdog, too? Maybe that doesn’t count.
Meanwhile, go Billikens. This sore winner has to go find a Cubs fan.
