Two Types of Losses

snake plissken

1st Team
Apr 13, 2011
578
35
47
Birmingham
To me, there are two types of losses and one is alot easier to cope with than the other.

The first type is when the other team has better players and/or makes the plays to win the game. Two perfect examples are the 1994 and 2008 SEC Championship games against Florida. In 1994, we played even with them all game until the Gator QB made some great plays toward the end to win the game. Can't remember if it was Terry Dean or Danny Wuerffel. Both played in that game. The loss was painful but easy to understand because our kids played their guts out, mostly mistake free, but were beaten by a better team.

The second game is the 2008 Championship Game, Tebow just made the championship plays in the 4th quarter to win the game. I don't think our team could have played any better in that game. And again, I thought Florida had the better team.

Both of the above examples were played with National Championship hopes on the line. But the losses were much easier to swallow for me.

Now the second type of losses that absolutely destroys my soul is when we have the better team and simply give the game away with stupid mistakes. I can site the 2011 LSU game and the 2010 and 2013 Aubie games. We had the better teams, but simply made way too many mistakes including fumbling and penalties. These are the games where the pain just seems to linger. So many mistakes last night. If only we could have done one thing different out of about 8 we could have won. Just very disheartening, sickening, and rejected. Each one of these losses seem to hurt worse and worse.

Just my 2 cents.
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
45,499
46,842
187
They hurt worse and linger longer because you are left wondering "what if". Your mind just won't let go - you can't sleep at night because your mind just keeps spinning out "what ifs". In your two examples, it took many failures to lose each of those games. Your mind assumes that, had any of those failures not occurred, you would have won. Of course we cannot know with certainty that this is true, but we still churn it over and over in our minds. Eventually we are able to focus on other things and move on, but it takes time to let go.

In games in which the other team is just better, you tip your cap and move on with your life. Well, most of us. ;)
 

Atl Joe

1st Team
Nov 27, 2010
405
5
37
They hurt worse and linger longer because you are left wondering "what if". Your mind just won't let go - you can't sleep at night because your mind just keeps spinning out "what ifs". In your two examples, it took many failures to lose each of those games. Your mind assumes that, had any of those failures not occurred, you would have won. Of course we cannot know with certainty that this is true, but we still churn it over and over in our minds. Eventually we are able to focus on other things and move on, but it takes time to let go.

In games in which the other team is just better, you tip your cap and move on with your life. Well, most of us. ;)
Hear, hear to Snake, JD and Big10.
 

CincinnatiAlum

2nd Team
Aug 9, 2004
304
1
37
Could not agree more .... I have what if this game to death.
*One field goal made ... with some phantom movement call??? Still don't see it
*One penalty for holding
*Flag thrown on Auburn's last touchdown to tie ... should have been thrown
*Kicked field goal instead of going for the 1st down

This one is going to take some time to heal ... so imagine how the players and coaches feel :(
 

oregonbltzkrieg

1st Team
Sep 17, 2013
791
0
0
Ducks at Warp Speed
You'll get over it in a week or two. I felt the same sickening despair when we lost to Stanford. But after a short while you start putting things in perspective and it hurts less. You then look forward and try to do the best for the remainder of the season and hope for a better year next year.
 

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
OB,

You underestimate the sickness of living with relatives and friends that are API fans. I can get over it, but putting up with it until next year is another thing. I would rather beat LSU or Tenn., but I don't want to lose to API! It's like losing to a branch of the main university. Nothing to gain by winning, but a lot to lose by losing! It is actually becoming an unhealthy rivalry by some standards.


You'll get over it in a week or two. I felt the same sickening despair when we lost to Stanford. But after a short while you start putting things in perspective and it hurts less. You then look forward and try to do the best for the remainder of the season and hope for a better year next year.
 

CrimsonProf

Hall of Fame
Dec 30, 2006
5,716
69
67
Birmingham, Alabama
OB,

You underestimate the sickness of living with relatives and friends that are API fans. I can get over it, but putting up with it until next year is another thing. I would rather beat LSU or Tenn., but I don't want to lose to API! It's like losing to a branch of the main university. Nothing to gain by winning, but a lot to lose by losing! It is actually becoming an unhealthy rivalry by some standards.

Going to listen to a lot of public radio and Christmas music this week to avoid local sports talk. Whew.
 

Ldlane

Hall of Fame
Nov 26, 2002
14,253
398
102
Btw - My daughter loves your mascot!

You'll get over it in a week or two. I felt the same sickening despair when we lost to Stanford. But after a short while you start putting things in perspective and it hurts less. You then look forward and try to do the best for the remainder of the season and hope for a better year next year.
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
45,499
46,842
187
OB,

You underestimate the sickness of living with relatives and friends that are API fans.
This is what I don't understand. If the friends and relatives love you, wouldn't they feel for you right now? I mean, I get their joy, but when they see you, wouldn't they feel for you? In your presence, wouldn't they temper their enthusiasm? I know that my friends and family who went to rival schools (even ND and Michigan) all offer sincere condolences to me when the Buckeyes lose. They are happy for the loss, but they do not enjoy my pain.

It seems to me that Alabama/Auburn fans enjoy the pain inflicted on the rival fans as much, if not more, than the joy of the victory itself.
 

Bama Reb

Suspended
Nov 2, 2005
14,446
0
0
On the lake and in the woods, AL
This is what I don't understand. If the friends and relatives love you, wouldn't they feel for you right now? I mean, I get their joy, but when they see you, wouldn't they feel for you? In your presence, wouldn't they temper their enthusiasm? I know that my friends and family who went to rival schools (even ND and Michigan) all offer sincere condolences to me when the Buckeyes lose. They are happy for the loss, but they do not enjoy my pain.

It seems to me that Alabama/Auburn fans enjoy the pain inflicted on the rival fans as much, if not more, than the joy of the victory itself.
Some do. Not all, but some definitely enjoy the commiserations of their rival's fan base. I'm sure it's equally so in other parts of the country as well.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,932
15,935
282
Boone, NC
Unless some drastic changes occur in the real near future, get ready to feel this way about every loss we have.

Not saying we are going to start losing, but when we do your "second type of loss" is always going to be the case.

Who are we going to play that is actually more talented as a team or more loaded with individual players in the near future???

So if/when we lose in the near future, get ready to feel this way because the reason will be because we didn't play to our potential. When we play to our potential WE DON'T LOSE.
 

Alabama22

1st Team
Aug 3, 2010
834
0
35
Alabama
I'm married to an aubie and watched the game with her. After this one, I won't be watching anymore Alabama/AU games with her in the future.
 

Titans&Tide

1st Team
Jul 22, 2000
623
473
187
52
Tuscaloosa, AL USA
www.kornegay.us
I've often said that I don't mind getting beat, but I really hate losing.

Getting beat is when the other guys are just better than you. Losing is making mistakes and letting the other guys win. That's what we did Saturday.
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,284
30,895
187
Beautiful Cullman, AL
This is what I don't understand. If the friends and relatives love you, wouldn't they feel for you right now? I mean, I get their joy, but when they see you, wouldn't they feel for you? In your presence, wouldn't they temper their enthusiasm? I know that my friends and family who went to rival schools (even ND and Michigan) all offer sincere condolences to me when the Buckeyes lose. They are happy for the loss, but they do not enjoy my pain.

It seems to me that Alabama/Auburn fans enjoy the pain inflicted on the rival fans as much, if not more, than the joy of the victory itself.
It's very unhealthy. I never talk trash before or after a game. I don't really have any Auburn friends anymore - one of my best friends ruined our friendship partly because of the way he acted during an Iron Bowl party several years ago.

We always watch Alabama football with my wife's family. But that is in jeopardy now because of how a particular family member acted during and after the game Saturday. It's sad. I'm not talking about good-natured joking back and forth. I'm talking about hurtful behavior.
 

fralo4tide

1st Team
Jun 4, 2009
930
24
37
Pensacola, FL
We all have in our minds those handful of plays in the game where if we would have just got one of them right, perhaps the game goes our way. One I haven't heard you guys discuss, unless I overlooked it, was the third down run by Yeldon before they stopped us on fourth down. I thought T.J. GOT THE FIRST DOWN, but the ref marked it a blasted half-yard shy!!!!!! Please tell me if I am wrong!!!!!
 

WMack4Bama

Administrator
Staff member
Nov 7, 2008
11,483
1,219
232
Tuscaloosa, AL
My issue with this loss is that the way it ended, you can't escape. I watched every NFL game played yesterday and every commentator brought it up. Okay so I turn off sports and try to listen to some music, the deejays are talking about it.

I go to a site that shall remain nameless that perpetuates ignorance through low budget music videos, crimes against humanity, and sometimes, just sometimes they have something worth looking at. And the first video on there was that last play.

It's like a wound that won't heal because people keep picking at it. And sadly, it'll bee this way for a while...right up there with the Flutie Hail Mary and the Miracle on Ice. We'll never live this down.
 

Jessica4Bama

Hall of Fame
Nov 7, 2009
7,307
12
57
Alabama
My issue with this loss is that the way it ended, you can't escape. I watched every NFL game played yesterday and every commentator brought it up. Okay so I turn off sports and try to listen to some music, the deejays are talking about it.

I go to a site that shall remain nameless that perpetuates ignorance through low budget music videos, crimes against humanity, and sometimes, just sometimes they have something worth looking at. And the first video on there was that last play.

It's like a wound that won't heal because people keep picking at it. And sadly, it'll bee this way for a while...right up there with the Flutie Hail Mary and the Miracle on Ice. We'll never live this down.
Yep. It was even on The Today Show this morning.

I was sitting in church yesterday, and I started thinking about that last play, and I just laughed. We will never see something like that happen again.
 

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