Staying Calm During Stressful Games

Intl.Aperture said:

I've had multiple people ask me what I was doing for the game - like I was gonna go out to Buffalo Wild Wings or come over to their place and "chill and watch the game." Screw those idiots. I'm alone in my home with my wife where I don't have to varnish a bit of my emotions, can wear comfy clothes, raid my fridge, drink my own beer, and hit my own can.

For real, nobody actually wants to watch a bama game with me. The last game I watched with someone was against Tennessee in 2015 when we won it right at the end. I thought I was going to have an aneurysm from keeping my emotions in check.
We muff a play and internally I'm going full 4 letter, wishing I could slap something, chewing out players but in real life I just turn to my buddy and am like: "Whew - tough one."

Nah. I said all the stuf earlier about it not affecting my life but that doesn't mean I don't get ratcheted op for a moment or 2 during these types of games.

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Haha. I’m not sure which is more stressful. Watching a close game, or trying to keep my emotions in check around other people while watching a close game. I absolutely hate watching games in public venues like Buffalo Wild Wings, and prefer to watch them either alone or with only a very few- like one or two-other people. It just stresses me out, lol. I have no problem watching from the stands though-being at a game is always less stressful to me. Maybe I feel more in control because I am not restricted to the TV camera angles and don’t have to listen to the announcers. It’s probably why I post on this site on the game threads, let’s me vent without making a complete fool of myself to those around me- just to y’all lol.

I think muting the game would probably help the most. I never noticed how much stress the announcers add to a broadcast with their angles and hype until I watched a broadcast that was nothing but crowd noise and the thump of pads. Was so much more relaxing.

Wish I knew the doctors you guys have. My new doctor doesn't write prescriptions for benzo's.:smile:

B1GTide said:

I pace. If I really get keyed up, I find that muting the TV helps. For some reason, watching without sound is easier on my nerves.

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I agree with B1G on hitting the mute button. Ok, now I am signing off.

GrayTide said:

I agree with B1G on hitting the mute button. Ok, now I am signing off.

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Enjoy the game!

Food.

Sometimes I just have to leave the room and no longer watch the game. My nerves just can’t take it. Vodka helps too.

Two words: Maker's Mark

Well I’ve found a new way to stay calm. Tetris in the breaks.

Repeat with me:

It is what it is.

Well this one wasn’t stressful. I wasn’t nervous all night. I guess I just knew it wasn’t going to be.

Jessica4Bama said:

Well this one wasn’t stressful. I wasn’t nervous all night. I guess I just knew it wasn’t going to be.

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I agree - the first loss to Clemson hurt for months. This one doesn't feel the same because there was no doubt that Clemson deserved this win.

I don’t handle the stress well. I’m from a family of UT fans, live amongst UT fans, and all of them talk trash. My brother has even taught my nieces and nephews to talk smack even though I never, ever do so myself. My wife just isn’t into sports despite my best efforts to get her interested. So I really only have my own echo chambers.

Rationally I know there’s nothing I can do to affect the outcome. I also know that success or failure in a game can’t impact me personally. Emotionally though this is a tribe I chose for myself when I first turned on a black and white TV my grandmother bought for me when I was eight years old and the first thing I watched in wide-eyed fascination was a Bear Bryant coached football game. I think in some ways the fact that I’ve been so resolutely and independently attached to Alabama football makes it feel all the more personal for me.

I dunno. I can’t exactly explain it.

I can handle getting out played and all that. What gets me so upset is the stupid stuff. Kickers who can't kick. Just about everyone we play can put kickoffs in the end zone consistently. Last night was a good example. Dabo evidently knows how to recruit a good kicker. The other stupid play was when we got down around the three yard line I looked over at my wife and said, "we are so predictable. We will get a false start penalty or lose yardage trying to get cute" We did both. I know our tendencies. We have done these all season but finally met a team that had a real defense and wouldn't let us get out of the hole we dug.

I need to find a way to not notice these things. So far can't seem to not notice.

I stop watching and find something else to do. My wife's yells and stomps from the other room let me know if Bama is coming back. Heard them during the SECCG this year and against LSU a few times. Never heard any of them tonight. I stopped watching after Tua's second INT. At that point it was all over but the crying.

I find if things are going badly, listening to Eli is preferable to watching and/or hearing the ESPN crew.

I said it in another thread, but this was the first time I have ever stopped watching an Alabama game. It was 37-16 and we failed again on 4th down, I walked away. Didn't even know they had scored again until I saw the post game thread. Made one comment and read some and went to sleep.

If someone asks me am I alright one more time I am going to lose it.

DzynKingRTR said:

There are 3 versions of me during a game when watching at my place.

1. Blowout – I am sitting in my recliner with the foot prop up, sometimes even laying back, only standing when going to the restroom or fridge. I talk/joke during sometimes during commercials I will change the channel to see other games scores.
2. Closer than expected - Edge of my seat, still in the recliner but the foot prop is down. Occasionally discussing a particular play! No changing of the channel until I am satisfied.
3. Trailing or nail biter – standing, pacing, cussing. THERE IS NO TALKING OF OTHER PEOPLE! The channel never gets changed, if you change the channel, I will make you leave.

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I now learned of a 4th version. I sit in disbelief and shake my head. I never raised my voice or cussed. I just sat there. According to my friends, that is when you should be scared of me. When I am yelling and cussing, I am just blowing off steam. When I am quiet, I am too angry for words and say the wrong thing and you may go over the balcony.