The Contradictory Nature of Winning and Losing in Sports

This is the time of year where winners and losers are both celebrated and scorned.

Losers:
Notre Dame Fighting Irish – College Football National Championship
Buffalo Bills – NFL AFC Conference title game
Washington – NFL NFC Conference title game

Winners:
Ohio State – College Football National Championship
Kansas City Chiefs – NFL AFC title game
Philadelphia Eagles – NGL NFC title game

People love to give Notre Dame a lot of static since they have not won a national title since 1988 . The fact that they have won 13 national titles means nothing to those that hate Notre Dame. Since it has also been 36 years since their last title, even their fans are not a happy bunch. For winners, ND is labeled losers.

(Fun Fact: Yale has the most college football national championships with 18. Alabama has 15, Princeton 15 and Notre Dame has 13).

Winning matters it seems, but it all depends on when you win and what you consider winning.

The Buffalo Bills made it to four consecutive Super Bowls; 1990 – 1993. No other team has had such a level of success. They can clearly call themselves the greatest team in the history of the AFC. Yet, they have no Super Bowl victories. A Josh Allen quarterbacked team is now 0-4 against KC in the playoffs. This level of success will never erase Wide Right. It also won’t erase losing 7 additional games to teams that were clearly just better than they were (Dallas twice, Washington, and KC).

The fact that Buffalo won 93 games during their SB streak and being one of the top 4 teams during their run in with KC just doesn’t matter.

With all their winning, Buffalo is not considered winners.

Washington made their first NFC Championship game since 1991. Today they were considered winners.

All Kansas City has done the past 5 years is win. Today they are labeled losers, cheaters and credit for their success is given to the refs and a rigged NFL. With all their winning, they are losers.

ND lost one game after a 13-game winning streak and put $20 million dollars in their bank account. They are losers.
Buffalo continues to be one of the best teams in the history of the AFC.
They are losers.
Kansas City wins and wins more.
They are losers.
Washington has been garbage for over 25 years. They lose a playoff game.
They are winners.

In a world where losing makes losers, when winning makes losers, and losing makes winners I do not think anyone really knows what a loser is.

I will tell you what a loser is. Someone that does not think. Someone that does not show up. Someone that makes no effort. Someone that does not care.

Approach life with the idea that you will do your best every day; you are winning.

Do not listen to the noise. Pay no attention to those that criticize your efforts.

Chances are that the people doing most of the complaining and finger pointing are the real losers.

Win or lose, as long as you are trying, you are winning.