I root for the New York Jets. Not only do the Jets lose every year they seem to be experts on finding out new ways to do it.
It’s always Advent when you’re a Jet fan.
The Jets at 8-3 seemed destined for the playoffs at the very least. But Jet fans once again let their team fool them, myself included.
1-4 in their last 5 games puts them out of the playoffs and after a disastrous loss two weeks ago in Seattle they really would’ve done everyone a favor if they just went out and shot themselves before taking on Miami this weekend. Coach Mangini, once known as the Man-Genius, was fired today and rightfully so.
I ask myself every year why I put myself through the trouble of rooting for these guys? They will always lose, or so it seems. However, like the Red Sox fans know now–losing builds character. It makes victory all the more savory.
It’s also more interesting to lose. When I covered baseball I always found that the better stories were in the losing locker room. The pitcher who was tortured by personal demons, the rookie who dropped the ball and feels like he’s going to be placed on the next bus out of town, the coach who simply made a bad decision, the complaints about officials and umpires. The other guys just won–but the losers ended up being a greater story.
I also find that losing creates opportunity for self-reflection (or at least it should). What am I falling short at in my life? What could I have done better? Am I satisfied with being #2? Am I really using all my gifts and talents wisely? Who do we need to help us? What needs to be my focus today?
And so… we have the Jets, asking many of the same questions. They now must deal with finding a new coach after him being touted as the next big coaching success and then crashing and burning. They have their aging Quarterback who wanted to have one last great day in the spotlight but couldn’t push the hands of time back even one minute more. And they have their cursed history that reminds all of us of a Lucy-football–the one that she pulls away from Charlie Brown and sends him crashing down and nearly killing himself.
One day…next year…the longing…waiting for the savior…the darkness…lighting small candles and seeing just a bit more light each week…
But when does the savior come?
Never…it’s always Advent when you root for the Jets.
But Advent is often a lot more interesting than Christmas.