The Suffering Fan

[Zephyrs]

I found this an interesting read and it made me think of Bob the whole time.

[Arroyos]

Great article. Thanks, Scott. The psychologists I have been reading, for background on how communities deal with losing sports franchises, consistently reported the danger of psychological damage when a Winning franchise suddenly becomes a loser. That's when it hurts, apparently, and not just people's ego but their identity. Suicide rates go up, alcoholism is rampant, and domestic violence increases.

So winning is more dangerous than losing.

More fun, of course, at least in the short haul, but more dangerous to our health and the health of those around us. That's the idea that has motivated my recent string of stories. That, of course, and the absolutely unimaginable success of Yuma after all those years of identifying ourselves as the league's worst. Someone has to pay for that sudden success--and its inevitable demise--and I think we all know who.