There is a price that comes with sustained, long-term success. We all are willing to pay that price, of course, but we do feel it, acutely.
Once you've attained the highest level of success, it's hard to get too excited afterwards for anything except that ultimate. You start feeling malaise, boredom even, with victories. They become routine. Losses are frustrating but you excuse them away. The refs worked against us, the other team cheated, we had injuries, etc., etc. Everything negative rationalized, everything positive totally expected and systematic.
Make no mistake: their fans wouldn't trade with us, but they're unable to feel the joy that our fans are beginning to feel with Freeze at the helm, which will only continue to grow and spread if we have actual success on the gridiron. We've been so anxious for it, yearning for it, and now we're getting a taste, and for us it's like an oasis in the desert. We're not sure it's a mirage but that cool - even freezing - water beckons and IT IS GOOD.
AU has always been able to weather the lows and enjoy the highs, and our fans know both are fleeting.
Would we trade it for top 5 finishes, SECC and nattys every year? Most of us probably would, but this sense of anticipation that we have now? That disappears, replaced by something else.
Remember it and savor it.
Once you've attained the highest level of success, it's hard to get too excited afterwards for anything except that ultimate. You start feeling malaise, boredom even, with victories. They become routine. Losses are frustrating but you excuse them away. The refs worked against us, the other team cheated, we had injuries, etc., etc. Everything negative rationalized, everything positive totally expected and systematic.
Make no mistake: their fans wouldn't trade with us, but they're unable to feel the joy that our fans are beginning to feel with Freeze at the helm, which will only continue to grow and spread if we have actual success on the gridiron. We've been so anxious for it, yearning for it, and now we're getting a taste, and for us it's like an oasis in the desert. We're not sure it's a mirage but that cool - even freezing - water beckons and IT IS GOOD.
AU has always been able to weather the lows and enjoy the highs, and our fans know both are fleeting.
Would we trade it for top 5 finishes, SECC and nattys every year? Most of us probably would, but this sense of anticipation that we have now? That disappears, replaced by something else.
Remember it and savor it.
