How to Mourn a Playoff Elimination

If you are a 49ers fan you might want to turn away and click on another website. In case you have been without cell service, the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs by the score 31-20, in Super Bowl LIV on February 2nd. The defeat is painful because the 49ers did blow a ten point lead with less than 7 minutes left in the game.

It was a crushing defeat especially being apart of the 49ers Faithful. You waited two weeks for only your team to let the Lombardi Trophy slip through their fingers. I am not here to do a game recap but if you are feeling depressed that your team got eliminated or lost in the championship games. Here are my three ways to mourn a playoff exit.

1. Hide all of your team’s gear until preseason.

So your team just lost the Super Bowl. You want to run outside and say every curse word in the book. The first step in the grieving process is to get rid of your team’s shirt or hat. That means putting all your t-shirts and hats out of your sight. So, if you keep your hats inside your closet then put your gear in the back of your pile so there is no way of seeing your gear. Because if you see any reminder of the logo then you will get many negative emotions.

2. DO NOT GO STRAIGHT TO TWITTER.

Twitter is often referred to as the toilet bowl of social media. I highly recommend that you avoid Twitter straight after a loss because it can get annoying. There are many examples of fans just taking things to the extra mile. They often forget that athletes and coaches alike are human too.

I would stay off Twitter about 24 to 48 hours after your team loses. The great thing about Twitter is that there is always something new trending every day. However, never go on Twitter when your team loses a heart breaker.

3. Stay Positive with Your Team

Being a Bay Area Sports fan, I have been accustomed to a share of postseason heartbreaks. The Oakland Athletics have only won one postseason series since 1997. The San Jose Sharks did make the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016, but have never lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup. The San Francisco 49ers have broken my heart in two Super Bowl appearances. The Golden State Warriors did blow a 3-1 series lead in the 2016 NBA Finals.

The Giants did win three World Series titles in six years but I am not a fan of the Orange and Black. I know most of my friends will be heartbroken that I am not a Giants fan. Much to delight of most Giants fans, just remember the Athletics have 9 World Series Titles while the Giants have 8 World Series Titles. Just a drop of knowledge for all the bandwagon fans.

Now back on track with this post. As a fan, you do not control the outcome of the game. I know fans have different superstitions you go through before a game. My personal favorite is when the Warriors won their 2nd straight NBA Title. That postseason, the Warriors went 15-1 and just obliterated teams. So, I would wear the same pair of socks for every Warrior playoff game. I know the obscurity of this superstition might have led Kevin Durant to his second straight NBA Finals MVP.

Remember those good times with your teams. Be grateful that your team made the playoffs and played when the lights were the brightest. For most fans, we have not seen our various teams lift up their respective trophy. However, keep faith and stay patient. Because the longer the title drought is, then the sweeter the victory will be whenever that comes.