The phrase “act like you’ve been there before” applies to creating the mindset of a winner. But what about when being there before involves feeling like a loser because once again the Buffalo Bills might be in decline. Losing two games in a row the way they did heading into the bye week resurrected the the boo birds and dreaded feelings we all carry (maybe a little too much) as lifelong fans.
Some of us have been on this journey since the team’s first season in 1959-60. Memories of the AFL Champions in the mid 60’s still brings a smile to ‘old geezers’ like myself. But those memories are faded because they were so long ago.
Most of what I felt the rest of the way was like riding on a roller coaster. Parts of it were fun and exhilarating, but some made me feel dizzy and nauseated, like the Rex Ryan era.
Many of us have been patiently waiting for the magical season where it all comes together for Buffalo… when we are finally released from our collective misery. Because for many of us, the Bills represent a community of people who are made fun of by people from places where the weather is better, the economy is better etc.
So when a team starts losing (true for the Buffalo Sabres as well) it hits different for fans of Buffalo sports. We take it personally, sometimes way too personally.
We all need an escape from the realities of what is going on in the world around us. But that escape should not raise to the level where it affects our self esteem, or puts us in a place where we are depressed or angry most of the time.
When the team starts losing games social media amplifies negativity like an echo chamber. This can be unhealthy, especially for those who spend a great deal of time on social media. Each person should monitor their social media usage and rationally evaluate the risk/benefit to their well being. Sometimes it’s better to limit screen time and literally go outside and smell the grass.
Since it’s almost winter, for those in the more northern climates, go outside and get some fresh air. I see repeated studies showing a significant benefit to being outdoors for at least 20 minutes a day. When the amount of daylight is rapidly reduced, many of us feel the ‘winter blahs’.
It’s understandable fans get frustrated when the Bills lose a game. But the collective effect of the negativity fans express on social media is a problem with an easy solution.
Turn off the phone/computer and do anything else you enjoy doing. If you don’t have something else you enjoy doing, find something else you enjoy doing. Your mental health is at stake when it comes to screen time.
In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter how the team is doing. It’s not something we can control and letting the reverberations from the echo chamber that is social media affect your mood is not a healthy way to live.
We are all better off yelling at the clouds instead.
Editor’s babble: Many thanks to @KrystleNoel1128 for bring up this topic on X. You can find me on X (less often these days) @RobynMundyWYO.
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