How we deal with losses (and losing in general) as Falcon Fans

[vagabond_falcon 69]

 

 

So after the game last night, we had a little bit of family drama and the way my wife handled it made me realize something about the boards that drives me crazy.  I know there are some trolls who come in and say "I knew Matt Ryan sucked".  That is not what I mean. There are optimists like me "Ok next week we have the Rams, we can still get in, we still have a chance"  That is how I deal with it.  So I seek out like minded people.. And then there are the:  "We are not a playoff caliber team", "We will get destroyed in the playoffs" etc.  I have a different feeling about those folks now.  That is how they deal with it. The realists (pessimists) need to think the worst so they are not surprised when the bad thing they predicted happens.  The optimists would prefer to be happy in advance,  So go ahead, predict 7-9 if that works for you.  I will predict 11-5 until they lose again and then 10-6 etc etc.  I have no idea what is going to happen.  Heck I only this year learned about reading keys as a MLB (And I am exactly as old as the Falcons).  We are all Fans and will be happy if they do well. The leading up to next week (year) will be different for each of us.

[Nono 2,386]

Honestly, I have been a fan long enough and studied this team, and I can tell when we are going to lay an egg and lose. The Charger game kinda took the wind out of my sails so losing to KC sure it hurt but I started to prep myself mid way through the 4th qtr.

sigh...............................................9-7 & wild card

[birdz4i 9,735]

this is how a bunch of our fans deal with a loss 

 

 

[wizeone 170]

I was an optimist Falcons Fan until the Falcons lost that NFCCG to the 49ers a few years ago. Before that game, I would always see the best possible outcome for our team no matter what. I'd get mad and yell at the TV when some talking head would say Jamal Anderson this, Michael Vick that, Roddy White can't do this, or Steve Bartkowski always does that. I'd argue with my friends from other cities who would always say, "yeah but, the Falcons are going to lose in the first round anyway."

That NFCCG forced me into my current state. No longer a true "FANATIC" of the Falcons. Just a pessimistic fan always waiting on the other shoe to drop. A mis-timed pick-6 (or pick-2 in yesterday's case); a season ending injury to our marquee player; a coach quitting in mid-season; a franchise QB being sent to prison - I mean . . . we've seen it all haven't we? As fans of the Atlanta Falcons, we have endured the worst that the sports gods can throw at us. LOL! But hey, it's just a few hours of entertainment right?

[Grrrillapmpn Inc.® 7,360]

Them: congratulations, you're team pulled it off...barely

Me: Nah they lost (nonchalantly)

Them: What? How? 

Me: interception on the 2 point conversion, pick six..or two I guess. 

Them: **** nah! That's crazy, I know you were sick. 

Me: Nope, it's the Atlanta Falcons...

 

 

That's where I'm at, I expect the Falcons to be the Falcons, but I still watch just in case one day they are not.

[wizeone 170]

8 minutes ago, Grrrillapmpn Inc.® said:

Them: congratulations, you're team pulled it off...barely

Me: Nah they lost (nonchalantly)

Them: What? How? 

Me: interception on the 2 point conversion, pick six..or two I guess. 

Them: **** nah! That's crazy, I know you were sick. 

Me: Nope, it's the Atlanta Falcons...

 

 

That's where I'm at, I expect the Falcons to be the Falcons, but I still watch just in case one day they are not.

Yep! That's me exactly! My neighbor is from D.C., so he's a Redskins fans and we had that same conversation as we both rolled our trash cans to the curb at the same time yesterday at about 4:15pm! LOL!

But, honestly I knew we were going to lose that game. Here's a screenshot of my NFL Weekly Pickem from yesterday. I made my picks Thursday before TNF. Like you said " I expect the Falcons to be the Falcons, but I still watch just in case one day they are not." Perfect!

Edited December 5, 2016 by wizeone

[falconfan5832 94]

Losing,I'm kinda used to,but to lose like that.If they lose the division,and don't make the playoffs,they didn't deserve to win.How can you beat he Raiders and the defending Super Bowl champs,and lose to the Chargers and the Eagles!When the Bucs(who we may have given the division to)plays the Cowboys,I'll hope for a 5 quarter tie,because I dont want either one to win.

[1989Fan 15,411]

1 hour ago, Nono said:

Honestly, I have been a fan long enough and studied this team, and I can tell when we are going to lay an egg and lose. The Charger game kinda took the wind out of my sails so losing to KC sure it hurt but I started to prep myself mid way through the 4th qtr.

sigh...............................................9-7 & wild card

don't think 9-7 gets a WC this season. Winning the division is the way in. Though if we and TB win out, there is always a chance that NFCS gets 2 teams in.

[poutlipper 1,207]

 A Falcons loss used to ruin my day.  I would get legitimately angry... looking back on that, it's so incredibly disappointing.  I still  hate it when the Falcons lose, but I'm not going to let it ruin my day with family and friends.  I'm definitely not going to let it carry on and ruin my next week either.  For this reason, I choose to be optimistic week in and week out.

[JD dirtybird21 22,421]

17 minutes ago, poutlipper said:

 A Falcons loss used to ruin my day.  I would get legitimately angry... looking back on that, it's so incredibly disappointing.  I still  hate it when the Falcons lose, but I'm not going to let it ruin my day with family and friends.  I'm definitely not going to let it carry on and ruin my next week either.  For this reason, I choose to be optimistic week in and week out.

Exactly, it's a game. If the Falcons won the next 4 games, and then won the super bowl, your life doesn't actually change. It'll be the same tomorrow.

[clownorg 10,487]

Drink.....Heavily

[JD dirtybird21 22,421]

There are 2 things in the world that make smart men stupid: Beautiful women, and sports. 

This board is a comedy club after a loss for about 24 hours. Even some of the posters who I respect 100% get rather irrational sometimes. We got fans on here that state the future as fact because "we are the Atlanta Falcons." It's such a terrible way to be a fan or as a person. If you KNOW the team is going to fail, and you choose to feel miserable, why even watch football in the first place??

Edited December 5, 2016 by JD dirtybird21

[octoslash 18,169]

If you let Falcons losses ruin your day, and are any older than, say 30, then you've had a very sad life. 

[ATLsuperfan247 120]

So basicially, we get excited for a win. Get a loss, and thats ok, we will get the win next time? Im kind of questioning if being a fan of a team that doesnt care to win a Superbowl definds me as an insain person.

Why is it that this team cant fight hard out of there own f**kups and bring it back together. Its like "Oh we're confused. Everything is going wrong. Let me pile the problems on. Because we are panicking worse than our fans. But that makes us a brotherhood and a family."

This has never been an under pressure team. Sure we had some games we pull out a win under pressure. But non of those wins counted toward another Superbowl appearance.

Some fans tell other fans to leave because they dont think another fan are loyal enough to be a fan. So then why are any of us fans?

A fan isnt just to be a fan of the team. Its to be a fan of the culture, family, tradition, growth, and community service. Tbh if we had all that, we wouldnt even need this team that can't seem to get out of the way of themselves.

We need a team that can say we are in our own way. but we are mentally successful, so it dosnt matter if another teams are in our way. It doesnt matter if we are in our own way. We are Winning this for our francise, we are Winning this for our city, our community and ourselve. 

If a team can win 5 superbowls then we can win one just saying. This francise is so stuck, it almost seems like a scam. I mean they get money from us and the city so.

Edited December 5, 2016 by ATLsuperfan247

[NateDogg1215 2,178]

Smoke a little something something and it's all good .... but yeah I don't let it bother me as much as before .    The last 3 losing seasons nothing surprises me anymore .    

 

But i I will say this .   When we were down by 11 and went for it on 4th down in the red zone . I did not like that call . Take the 3 points and be down by 8.

 

 

[vagabond_falcon 69]

I am usually over it by Monday.  Really more upset by the injuries. Hope Julio and Jake are ok

[Aleksandr sportolli 46,219]

Am I the only one who wants to know what the wife did?

[vagabond_falcon 69]

On 12/5/2016 at 11:12 AM, Jpowers said:

Am I the only one who wants to know what the wife did?

I opened some mail from a Health Provider.  It was a Bill with a big number. She immediately starting going down the path of OMG, how are we gonna pay it? They are going to ruin our credit.  Blah blah blah.  It was a mistake. No big deal. But she handled it by assuming the end of the world. Then when it wasn't. Just a pain in the neck, she was happy. Thus the reason for this post.

[athell 31,466]

I like to think of myself as a realist and not optimist or pessimist.  I feel like I am invested enough to know what these teams can be or can't be year in and year out.  They have surprised me (Denver/Seattle) and they have let me down (Chargers/Bucs) but I have tried to stay objective through it all.  Fan how you want to fan, do what works for you and makes you feel better!

[ParanoidAndroid 3,619]

 

On ‎12‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 10:54 AM, octoslash said:

If you let Falcons losses ruin your day, and are any older than, say 30, then you've had a very sad life. 

Fan-atics all handle wins/losses in their own way.  If you let it ruin your day/week, that's fine.  I'm not going to call you an idiot.  Some people get upset over; getting cut off in traffic, TV Shows, things celebrities do, social media, elections, stocks, etc.  Fans are invested in this team emotionally and/or financially.  For a lot of people, sports is their only escape from the real world.  They have the right to get upset if they want to.  

[Faithful Falcon 8,108]

Well, to be honest. The direct answers about the game destroys logic. We are quick to scream that our defense is terrible, but what about these factors: 4 rookies starting on defense. 3 second year players starting on the same defense. You can subtract one from second year players if Trufant is starting instead of Collins. Trufant and Alford are just in their 4th season. This is the second year of this defensive scheme. They have had a few missed assignments that have cost us some big plays. On offense, the interception was only our 10th turnover the entire season. When I see all of these threads crying about us not being a contender, it pisses me off. We just have to clean up some things, and we'll be fine. Not only can we contend with any, and every top team in the NFL. We can beat anyone. This is not me being a homer, this is real.

[DoYouSeeWhatHappensLarry 7,402]

I oscillate between "optimist" and "objectivist." Saying that we SHOULD beat the Rams and 49ers isn't an optimistic statement, it's an objectively correct one. And the strengths and limitations of this team are what they are. I don't lie about them or sugar coat them. However, I also don't portray every weakness (or even multiple weaknesses) as fatal to the goal of making the playoffs/winning in the playoffs.

IMO, if one is a well-adjusted reasonable person, they deal with all wins and losses in a reasonable way. Losses fuel disappointment, and then you move on and look to next week/month/year. Letting losses derail you or fuel discussions of curses or whatever is a silly practice. It's just NFL football. It's just entertainment.  

[MAD597 7,497]

Honestly as an ATL sports fan since the late 70's just know our teams will always falter and lose at the worst possible times. Injuries will decimate us in other wise great seasons, Refs will always call against us, Luck will never go our way, Plans that look good on paper for our teams will always fail in reality and in the end our teams will fail. The only thing that ever happened outside of this was the 1996 Braves, but they were able to fail so many times in post season it tarnished our only world championship.

 Do not be a fan if you want to see our teams win, only be a fan for the enjoyment of the actual games and not the outcome. ATL sports teams do not ever have a happy ending. Failure, misery and disappointment are a major part of Teams here.

 

Edited December 7, 2016 by MAD597

[CrimsonFalcon 4,095]

I get excited when we win, take the lead, score whatever.  When we lose, there's nothing I can do about it personally.  Sure, I am a fan of the Atlanta Falcons, but it doesn't have a direct effect on me (as in I'm going to go kick the azz of anyone wearing the opposing teams gear). As I have told my niece when we go bowling "It's just a game", she so truthfully reminded me of that with the Auburn "Kick-Six" years ago.

 

And, as mentioned earlier, It's the Falcons, we're programmed to expect it.

[fuego 16,177]

On 12/5/2016 at 7:23 AM, vagabond_falcon said:

The realists (pessimists) need to think the worst so they are not surprised when the bad thing they predicted happens. 

There's a lot of truth to that. I tend to be that way about my Atlanta sports teams. Every other area of life I am generally highly optimistic.