The Schadenfreude Season
In recent years, the Schadenfreude season hasn't actually arrived until at least mid-October (for baseball) and December (for football), but given the complete ineptitude of our teams this year, this enjoyable pastime has arrived early (when I have time, I am going to post a full post-mortem of the 12 month period from Oct. 1st 2010 through Sept. 30th, 2011 - a.k.a. the worst 12 months in MN sports history). As a reminder, the word Schedenfreude refers to deriving pleasure from the misery and failure of others. I didn't look that up, so I hope I'm right.
So, here's what I'm tracking:
1) Baseball - I thoroughly enjoyed the Boston Red Sox complete meltdown and debacle. I mean, could it happen to a better bunch of people? They had become the Yankees, but wouldn't acknowledge it...maybe this will serve up a little humble pie to "the Nation." Also, this is Karmic payback for Boston sports being so successful over the past 10 years. From here on out, I am rooting against the Yankees...that's pretty much my only objective. I have nothing against the other playoff teams, though the Rangers annoy me. I generally hate all Wisconsin teams, but the Brewers are pretty likeable.
2) Football - It'll be a while until playoffs and bowl games, but I am already enjoying the mini-meltdown of the Chicago Bears. Sadly, I think the Packers are a lock to roll to the NFC championship again this year. In college, I just want to see SEC teams lose...and I wouldn't mind seeing Nebraska get slapped around a bit in its first Big Ten season.
That's all I can think of at the moment...in the meantime, shouldn't the Vikings just go 0-16 so we can grab Andrew Luck? Seriously...the kid is the next Peyton Manning, except more athletic.
3 Comments:
We should really be thanking the Twins for not performing up to expectations this year. Had they made the playoffs they would have been another trouncing by the Yankees.
You got you wish with Wisconsin giving Nebraska a nice B1G welcome. I doubt Ohio State will have that level of success against Nebraska next week.
I am not going to comment on the Vikings. They do not deserve my attention.
I am in 3 FFL leagues and played against Aaron Rodgers and his 5 total TDs in each one.
October 3, 2011 at 9:30 AM
I was kind of hoping that any "welcome" to the Big Ten would come AFTER Nebraska beat Wisconsin. So no schadenfreude there, really.
Thoroughly enjoyed the Red Sox putting together the greatest meltdown in our lifetime. The fact that it was Papelbon giving up the last runs to seal it all was especially delicious.
Pulling for the Tigers - am I the only one that finds it hard to dislike them, despite the interdivisional rivalry? Not a huge Miggy fan, I guess, but most of the rest of those guys and Leyland are hard to hate.
I'm understand BG's take on the Brewers, too. They're not nearly as loathsome as I'd like a team from Wisconsin to be. Nonetheless, they are from Wisconsin, and the Packers are world champs and looking unstoppable, so I'm not inclined to hop on any Brewers bandwagons that roll past anytime soon. That leaves me with few options in the NL - I don't despise any of them, but I find it annoying that the Phillies can assemble a five all-star rotation, and the Cards are always hard to love, especially with LaRussa there. I guess the Dbacks are alright, although they've have won their Series and grown beyond lovable newcomers now, and I'm not a huge Phoenix or Arizona fan. Whatever. They'd all be preferable to the Yankees, of course.
Right with you on setting our signts on Andrew Luck right now. Which means we should actually start playing Ponder, I think, even though we won't want to keep him if we can get Luck. I didn't realize this before today, but apparently he actually CALLS PLAYS ON THE FIELD for Stanford. So, yeah, Peyton Manning's a pretty decent analogy, even if that's setting unrealistic expectations for anyone.
October 3, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Anyone knows what a death knell sounds like for a sporting public?
I now do -
http://www.startribune.com/sports/lynx/131113218.html
October 6, 2011 at 8:56 PM
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