Chiefs A way to stop the insanity and lessen the pain: A reformed Chiefaholic's advice - Page 4

Yosef_Malkovitch · 12:45 PM

*****************
EDIT: I originally posted this after watching the Chiefs blow a 28-point lead in the latest playoff defeat. Given some of the sentiment I've seen on the board today, I thought this might be a good time for a bump.

Most people here don't know me, I've been around since day 1 (literally) of CP, but I almost always just lurk b/c I don't have much to add to the discussion. However, given how much pain this franchise caused me up until 2006, and given how much the advice below helped me live a much happier life during football season, I thought I might throw my 2 cents in.
*******************

I was originally going to post this in one of the numerous “I’m so crushed I no longer care that much” threads, but I thought it might get lost there. I want to pass along some advice that was given to me on this very board many years ago, advice that really changed my life (at least from September through January).

A number of years ago a very wise poster on this board advised me to just turn down my level of caring. I wish I could remember who it was, but he said that if you do that, you can still enjoy the wins but the losses won't get you so much.

I did that over the course of about 8 years starting with the No Punt Game.

I have to say, it's really nice. If you can pull it off, then when the Chiefs win it's a nice bonus for your day but if they lose you just shrug and go on about your business.

Yesterday I spent the commercial breaks doing some work on my laptop and chatting with the guy sitting across from me in the McDonald's where we were watching it. At 38-10 he said, "Well I guess that's the game, huh?" and my response--one borne from years of pain at the hands of this franchise--was to say, "Not with the Chiefs. If anyone can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it's this team."

Then, when Smith fumbled and the Colts recovered, I just chuckled and told him, "I've seen this song and dance before." Every time Luck completed a pass to a receiver who had no KC player anywhere within 5 yards of him, I shook my head and wondered how some people keep their jobs, but I can't say I was ever really upset about it.

After Bowe was ruled out of bounds I didn't even have much of a reaction, honestly. I just turned back to my laptop and finished what I was working on.

It was nice to not be so vested in this team that the loss ruined my day. I remember many times (such as the 1995 playoff debacle) when I was in agony for days--WEEKS--afterwards. I remember one time punching the floor so hard that I damaged something in my hand and couldn't grip well for several weeks.

Not anymore. Whoever that wise poster was, he saved me from this franchise. I still lurk here all the time, and I listen to the games on the radio while I'm working in the yard or around the house, but I rarely dedicate an entire 3.5 hour block to sitting down and watching a game. The exception is the playoffs; I figure that’s still worth spending the time/effort to watch, although I will try to do something productive during commercials, etc. so I don’t feel like I’ve lost so much if (when) the Chiefs choke again.

I used to be one of the most avid fans. I knew every player’s history, strengths and weaknesses, etc. I kept up on all the details of all the games going on around the league that might in some small way affect the Chiefs. I analyzed every facet of upcoming games and could rattle off various statistics at the drop of a hat. And I was utterly and completely crushed when the Chiefs lost key games over and over again. Such devotion absolutely took a toll on me: the frustration, the anger, even the fights it would cause in my personal life after yet another showing of ineptitude by the Chiefs.

Gaz one time wrote about being speechless with rage. I was right there with him. And then, after the No Punt Game, I realized my life is so much more than just following a group of very wealthy athletes (many of whom I truly believe care less than the fans do) drop game after game, year after year.

The result is I've been able to enjoy the good times and just shake my head and chuckle at the truly awful times. The lack of stress has been wonderful, and I'm no longer so crushed by the latest disaster to come out of KC. I’m attached enough to enjoy the success, but I’m detached enough that the absolute failure doesn’t get to me that much.

Maybe it's time for some of us on this board to try to follow that poster's advice. Many already have, judging from what I've read the last 21 hours.

If you haven't done so already, maybe you should just sit back and consider where football really ranks in your life. Regardless of what happens on Sunday afternoon, it's not going to change your life that much. You’re not going to get a raise or a promotion if they win, and you’re not going to lose your job if they lose. It’s just a game, a way to pass a few hours on Sunday afternoons.

The outcome of a game won’t change your life one way or the other. After the game is over, go for a walk. Have a nice dinner with your family. Make love to your significant other. Read a book. Go to a movie. Play catch with the dog. Spend time with the kids. These are the important things in your life, and none of them are in the slightest bit affected by whether the Chiefs win or lose a game.

Of course I know some people will deride me as a heretic for suggesting that maybe KC Chiefs football isn’t and shouldn’t be the focal point of our lives, but hey, I’m just sharing what was shared with me many years ago. It really helped me. I still enjoy the wins but the losses don’t leave me feeling sick in the pit of my stomach like they used to.

Just a thought.

**********************************************************
TL;DR: I used to passionately follow the Chiefs until someone on the board suggested that I not care so much about it. Over several years I’ve slowly adjusted my level of caring and now I can still enjoy the wins but the losses don’t crush me the way they used to. Try it, if you can, it’s actually pretty enjoyable.
**********************************************************

**007** · 12-01-2014, 01:19 PM

At least I know the playoffs are pretty much a non issue now.

**the Talking Can** · 12-01-2014, 01:20 PM

i stopped caring the day bonogrbaccasselsmith arrived

Direckshun · 12-01-2014, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Count Alex's Wins

Pioli and Cassel flipped my switch off. I feel no pain today.

I'm scared it's going to get flipped back next year, because Alex Smith gave me hope yesterday for the first time.

Really? Honestly want to know why.

stevieray · 12-01-2014, 01:28 PM

Chargers scored 21 pts in the fourth to win.

We are going to be looking up at the division for awhile.

Chiefs cant even give themselves a break... it amazes me that I and 70k brave the cold for that kind of showing.

I really thought it was going to be a good contest./.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-01-2014, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevieray

Chargers scored 21 pts in the fourth to win.

We are going to be looking up at the division for awhile.

Chiefs cant even give themselves a break...sometimes it amzes me that I and 70k brave the cold for that kind of showing.

I really thought it was going to be a good contest./.

On the road against the 7th ranked scoring defense. SD scored more in the 4th than Baltimore allows per game on average.

TEX · 12-01-2014, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

On the road against the 7th ranked scoring defense. SD scored more in the 4th than Baltimore allows per game on average.

Got the benefit of some calls too BUT AT LEAST THEY WENT FOR IT! Had they not tried, they would have surely failed. There's a lesson there...

Hog's Gone Fishin · 12-01-2014, 01:45 PM

This is a really nice thread.

Too bad I've already murdered my whole god damn family last night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

eDave · 12-01-2014, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Really? Honestly want to know why.

Check the post date.

stevieray · 12-01-2014, 01:48 PM

I went down to the lower bowl to hang with Arrowman..five minutes left in the game...

...and he was gone. dude never leaves early, until last night...

listopencil · 12-01-2014, 01:58 PM

Great thread. I do allow myself to become emotionally invested during the games. I'll threaten to stab a player's eyes out with a fork when they drop a ball or miss a key block. I'll yell horrible things at my TV set so often that my kids are used to it and just laugh at me. And I'll shout and dance around when they make a good play too. It's fun. But when the game is over, it's over. When the season is over, it's over. Back to real life. There's just too much that is so substantially more important than how my team does on a given day. Or a given season.

**sd4chiefs** · 12-01-2014, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevieray

Chargers scored 21 pts in the fourth to win.

We are going to be looking up at the division for awhile.

Chiefs cant even give themselves a break... it amazes me that I and 70k brave the cold for that kind of showing.

I really thought it was going to be a good contest./.

I get more upset when the Chargers win than when the Chiefs lose because of the SDSMPM.

* san diego sports media propaganda machine

Fish · 12-01-2014, 03:11 PM

Your advice is to not care as much?

Genious!

Eleazar · 12-01-2014, 03:15 PM

no1curr

**Nzoner** · 12-01-2014, 03:16 PM

Football at McDonald's?

Yosef_Malkovitch · 12-01-2014, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nzoner

Football at McDonald's?

Yep, I had (have) a young daughter who needed a place to play, and I wanted someplace I could get some work done at the same time so I needed wifi and electricity.

I learned long ago to at least try to do something productive during the games so if (when) there is an implosion I won't feel like it was a complete waste of time.

01-05-2014, 04:18 PM
Yosef_Malkovitch The Lurkiest Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Wichita, KS. Casino cash: $2605999	A way to stop the insanity and lessen the pain: A reformed Chiefaholic's advice *************** EDIT: I originally posted this after watching the Chiefs blow a 28-point lead in the latest playoff defeat. Given some of the sentiment I've seen on the board today, I thought this might be a good time for a bump. Most people here don't know me, I've been around since day 1 (literally) of CP, but I almost always just lurk b/c I don't have much to add to the discussion. However, given how much pain this franchise caused me up until 2006, and given how much the advice below helped me live a much happier life during football season, I thought I might throw my 2 cents in. *************** I was originally going to post this in one of the numerous “I’m so crushed I no longer care that much” threads, but I thought it might get lost there. I want to pass along some advice that was given to me on this very board many years ago, advice that really changed my life (at least from September through January). A number of years ago a very wise poster on this board advised me to just turn down my level of caring. I wish I could remember who it was, but he said that if you do that, you can still enjoy the wins but the losses won't get you so much. I did that over the course of about 8 years starting with the No Punt Game. I have to say, it's really nice. If you can pull it off, then when the Chiefs win it's a nice bonus for your day but if they lose you just shrug and go on about your business. Yesterday I spent the commercial breaks doing some work on my laptop and chatting with the guy sitting across from me in the McDonald's where we were watching it. At 38-10 he said, "Well I guess that's the game, huh?" and my response--one borne from years of pain at the hands of this franchise--was to say, "Not with the Chiefs. If anyone can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it's this team." Then, when Smith fumbled and the Colts recovered, I just chuckled and told him, "I've seen this song and dance before." Every time Luck completed a pass to a receiver who had no KC player anywhere within 5 yards of him, I shook my head and wondered how some people keep their jobs, but I can't say I was ever really upset about it. After Bowe was ruled out of bounds I didn't even have much of a reaction, honestly. I just turned back to my laptop and finished what I was working on. It was nice to not be so vested in this team that the loss ruined my day. I remember many times (such as the 1995 playoff debacle) when I was in agony for days--WEEKS--afterwards. I remember one time punching the floor so hard that I damaged something in my hand and couldn't grip well for several weeks. Not anymore. Whoever that wise poster was, he saved me from this franchise. I still lurk here all the time, and I listen to the games on the radio while I'm working in the yard or around the house, but I rarely dedicate an entire 3.5 hour block to sitting down and watching a game. The exception is the playoffs; I figure that’s still worth spending the time/effort to watch, although I will try to do something productive during commercials, etc. so I don’t feel like I’ve lost so much if (when) the Chiefs choke again. I used to be one of the most avid fans. I knew every player’s history, strengths and weaknesses, etc. I kept up on all the details of all the games going on around the league that might in some small way affect the Chiefs. I analyzed every facet of upcoming games and could rattle off various statistics at the drop of a hat. And I was utterly and completely crushed when the Chiefs lost key games over and over again. Such devotion absolutely took a toll on me: the frustration, the anger, even the fights it would cause in my personal life after yet another showing of ineptitude by the Chiefs. Gaz one time wrote about being speechless with rage. I was right there with him. And then, after the No Punt Game, I realized my life is so much more than just following a group of very wealthy athletes (many of whom I truly believe care less than the fans do) drop game after game, year after year. The result is I've been able to enjoy the good times and just shake my head and chuckle at the truly awful times. The lack of stress has been wonderful, and I'm no longer so crushed by the latest disaster to come out of KC. I’m attached enough to enjoy the success, but I’m detached enough that the absolute failure doesn’t get to me that much. Maybe it's time for some of us on this board to try to follow that poster's advice. Many already have, judging from what I've read the last 21 hours. If you haven't done so already, maybe you should just sit back and consider where football really ranks in your life. Regardless of what happens on Sunday afternoon, it's not going to change your life that much. You’re not going to get a raise or a promotion if they win, and you’re not going to lose your job if they lose. It’s just a game, a way to pass a few hours on Sunday afternoons. The outcome of a game won’t change your life one way or the other. After the game is over, go for a walk. Have a nice dinner with your family. Make love to your significant other. Read a book. Go to a movie. Play catch with the dog. Spend time with the kids. These are the important things in your life, and none of them are in the slightest bit affected by whether the Chiefs win or lose a game. Of course I know some people will deride me as a heretic for suggesting that maybe KC Chiefs football isn’t and shouldn’t be the focal point of our lives, but hey, I’m just sharing what was shared with me many years ago. It really helped me. I still enjoy the wins but the losses don’t leave me feeling sick in the pit of my stomach like they used to. Just a thought. ****************************************************** TL;DR: I used to passionately follow the Chiefs until someone on the board suggested that I not care so much about it. Over several years I’ve slowly adjusted my level of caring and now I can still enjoy the wins but the losses don’t crush me the way they used to. Try it, if you can, it’s actually pretty enjoyable. ******************************************************** Last edited by Yosef_Malkovitch; 12-01-2014 at 12:45 PM.. Reason: See beginning of OP
Posts: 2,758

12-01-2014, 01:19 PM	#46
007 Shaken. Not stirred. Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: London Casino cash: $12160126 VARSITY	At least I know the playoffs are pretty much a non issue now. __________________ My dear girl, there are some things that just aren’t done. Such as, drinking Dom Perignon ’53 above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.
Posts: 65,734

12-01-2014, 01:20 PM	#47
the Talking Can Supporter Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: street Casino cash: $9202208	i stopped caring the day bonogrbaccasselsmith arrived __________________ Clark Hunt: "Thank god for the Dominican pool boy"
Posts: 51,585

12-01-2014, 01:28 PM	#49
stevieray Most things I worry about… Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Under Pressure Casino cash: $-1284727	Chargers scored 21 pts in the fourth to win. We are going to be looking up at the division for awhile. Chiefs cant even give themselves a break... it amazes me that I and 70k brave the cold for that kind of showing. I really thought it was going to be a good contest./.
Posts: 74,111

12-01-2014, 01:45 PM	#52
Hog's Gone Fishin Fish are scared of me Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $-1529523	This is a really nice thread. Too bad I've already murdered my whole god damn family last night !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posts: 40,647

12-01-2014, 01:48 PM	#54
stevieray Most things I worry about… Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Under Pressure Casino cash: $-1284727	I went down to the lower bowl to hang with Arrowman..five minutes left in the game... ...and he was gone. dude never leaves early, until last night...
Posts: 74,111

12-01-2014, 01:58 PM	#55
listopencil Immanentize The Eschaton Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $-1024120	Great thread. I do allow myself to become emotionally invested during the games. I'll threaten to stab a player's eyes out with a fork when they drop a ball or miss a key block. I'll yell horrible things at my TV set so often that my kids are used to it and just laugh at me. And I'll shout and dance around when they make a good play too. It's fun. But when the game is over, it's over. When the season is over, it's over. Back to real life. There's just too much that is so substantially more important than how my team does on a given day. Or a given season. __________________ *While you live, shine. Have no grief at all. Life exists only for a short while and time demands its toll.*
Posts: 56,877

12-01-2014, 03:11 PM	#57
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $-1401081	Your advice is to not care as much? Genious! __________________
Posts: 48,850

12-01-2014, 03:15 PM	#58
Eleazar Beyond the Rapids Join Date: May 2003 Location: Langley, VA Casino cash: $-370000	no1curr
Posts: 80,659

12-01-2014, 03:16 PM	#59
Nzoner a haw haw haw Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: MIZZOU Casino cash: $26365802	Football at McDonald's? __________________ *Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.*
Posts: 27,111