Underdogs R Us, Chapter 2

Well, peeps, this week’s blog can practically write itself.

Remember the Underdogs R Us blog from a few months back?

You know, where I was marveling at the fact that our Phillies were the number one baseball team in America, while at the same time was confused because it was a strange feeling, one that we from Philly are not used to, being the city of underdogs that we are?

Yeah. The old feeling is back.  That new, strange feeling of being number 1, was short-lived, a blip, a flash in the pan, not in it for the long run.  Not in it for any runs, something our Phillies couldn’t seem to manufacture to save their lives and our hopes in the playoff series.

And just like that, after the hot Mets, a team that seems to have St. Destiny on their side took us out, we are back to the old familiar feeling of trying hard, giving it our best, but somehow coming up short.  It’s like the Mets were us from two years ago, and we were the Braves. 

Maybe that’s the key? Don’t reach that mountain top too soon.  Maybe something happens when you breathe that rarified air for too long.  Maybe it saps something out of you.  Maybe the key is staying hungry, battling it out in the trenches for most of the season, really working it.

Then, when you need it, you take that hunger and that drive and you kick it into high gear and go for it.  People that counted you out are fuel for your engine. But if you are already there, suddenly there are expectations and pressure to stay there.  You are fighting to stay there vs fighting to get there. Perhaps it’s just easier when people have already counted you out and don’t expect much from you. 

I don’t know.  All we know for sure is we dominated in the first half of the season, lost some mojo post All Star break, while a team like the Mets did it all in reverse.  They were 11 games under 500 in June, then Grimace showed up to a game and suddenly they were on a hot streak and hit their stride at just the right moment.

Maybe that’s it? Maybe if we had our own McDonald’s character come to a game, things would have been different?  Maybe we should look at booking Hamburglar next year?  I am sure the Phanatic wouldn’t mind sharing the spotlight for a bit.

So that’s how this year’s season of baseball ends, after so much initial promise. There will be lots of time to ponder some of these questions in the off season. 

Especially since our Eagles haven’t given us anything to get too excited about.  Hey. Wait a minute. I am seeing a trend here.  The Eagles started out pretty hot for most of the season last year too.  And look how that turned out. Kinda similar.

But now the Eagles are back to following the underdog script.  This year they are not off to a good start.  They are not dominating.

Well, perhaps there is hope for Philly football this season after all.

And come April next year, I won’t be upset at all if we are 11 games under 500 in June.

Seems like the old adage is true: it’s not how you start, but how you finish.

Just somebody remind me of this next June if we are 11 games under 500, please.