How to Cope when Your Favorite Sports Team Loses

[Harry]

According to dictionary.com losing means, to be defeated in (a game, lawsuit, battle, etc.). However it is from losing that we learn our lessons.

“There is no comparison between that which is lost by not succeeding and that lost by not trying.” - Francis Bacon, Sr. quotes (English Lawyer and Philosopher. 1561-1626)

Losing a game doesn’t mean losing the spirit. The most important thing to keep in mind when coping with a team loss is to remain calm or at least, try not to get violent!

When our favorite team loses a game we quickly begin to get down on ourselves, become negative and pretty much stress out. The following is a list of ways you can cope with when your favorite sports team loses.

1. Think Positive. Often we begin to have negative thoughts run through our minds and let those thoughts carry out our attitude for the remainder of our day. This may cause unnecessary moodiness, and people around you will catch up on that negative attitude. Ultimately this will lead a negative chain reaction. Instead, if you think positive thoughts, people will pick up on your positive demeanor and respect you for that.

 2. Go for a run. Exercise has been proven to be a great stress reliever. Going out for a run will benefit you mentally, physically and emotionally. Your body will feel more relaxed and it’s a better way to get your thoughts together.

3.  Play Video Games. Play sports video games. Play as your favorite sports team and defeat another team or the team your actual team lost to in real life, and celebrate your own victory! Try NCAA on XBox. This way you are having fun, you are part of the game, and you control the outcome unlike reality. Play one-on-one with a friend, play on your own or gather a group of friends and set up a championship league.  possible trip the Super Bowl.  Many UNT fans have already replayed the 2015 season and the Mean Green are 4-0 and in good time might even be in contention for the national championship!

 4. Tune it out. Listening to music will relieve you in any way you chose, whether you rock it out or slow jam it out, music never fails you. Jam out to your favorite music tunes and dance or relax while you listen. This will bring other thoughts and positive images to your mind.

5. Reminisce. Think back to happy moments in your life, perhaps those in which your team won a championship or game. This will give you the feeling the feeling of knowing that there is a possibility for your team to win again.  For North Texas fans remembering 2013 is a good start as that was a time of winning and hope for the program.

 

7. Meditate. Time to channel your inner self, find that peace. A nice way to just clear ones mind of the loss and mistakes they just suffered through. Six types of meditation that one can try are: Breath Watching: Simply paying attention to how you breathe, An empty mind meditation: probably the perfect on when trying to cope with a loss because it involves, an emptying of all thoughts from your mind, walking meditations: this one is pretty simple to figure out, mindfulness meditations: A practice Buddhists call vipassana or insight meditation, mindfulness is the art of becoming deeply aware of what is here right now. Simple mantra meditations: Focusing your mind on something specific, possibly a rematch and hopefully domination by your favorite team, and meditation on a concept: Some meditative practices involve contemplation of an idea or scenario, imagine your team just won big, possibly champions depending on what game it was.

 

8. Vent with friends or to a sports website. GoMeanGreen.com can be very helpful in this particular regard!

 

9. Shop. Go out and shop, possibly find something cheap with the logo of the team that just beat yours and damage it. Another way to cope while shopping is to buy something that will make you laugh.

 

10.Laugh. There is no better medicine than that of laughter! GoMeanGreen.com is a good place for this as well!  Watch your favorite comedy show or hang out with a fun buddy that will cheer you up. This is bound to make you feel better.

 

11.  Write. Express your thoughts in writing, telling yourself what went wrong in the game might help you realize that it may have been an inevitable loss.  Writing a well thought out post on GoMeanGreen.com is a good way to accomplish this therapy.

 

12. Plan. Make your own game plan for your favorite sports team. This will again give you the illusion that you can be in control, share the game plan with some buddies over snacks and drinks and this may turn into a group plan.

 http://www.wikihow.com/Cope-when-Your-Favorite-Sports-Team-Loses

 

[THOR]

Dude, all we need is beer...

[KingDL1]

Dude, all we need is beer...

I prefer tequila but I get the idea

[Eastwood Eagle]

I shift my focus to the Rangers, Stars, Cowboys, UH, Spurs, and Texans (lolz). That is enough to keep me busy.

[FirefightnRick]

All those are great tips for people who actually still care.  The fanbase at NT is quickly tipping past that point I'm afraid.

 

Rick

[KingDL1]

All those are great tips for people who actually still care.  The fanbase at NT is quickly tipping past that point I'm afraid.

 

Rick

Rick, many have asked me if I can think of a lower point on GMG and I think this might be the lowest I can remember, just no sign of real hope short of President Neal Smatresk cleaning house and it needs to happen fast. I don't think I have ever felt this hopeless. This was the first year I did not want purchase my season tickets. 

[EagleMBA]

All those are great tips for people who actually still care.  The fanbase at NT is quickly tipping past that point I'm afraid.

 

Rick

Agree! When losing control and screaming "This SUCKS!" I suggest that you remain positive. Instead of giving in to that impulse, scream "This POSITIVELY SUCKS!". Dr. Phil would endorse this approach.

[FirefightnRick]

Rick, many have asked me if I can think of a lower point on GMG and I think this might be the lowest I can remember, just no sign of real hope short of President Neal Smatresk cleaning house and it needs to happen fast. I don't think I have ever felt this hopeless. This was the first year I did not want purchase my season tickets. 

 

Agree...I was thinking back on how bad it's been before and it's definitely worse now.  Going into October 4th, 2008 we were 0-4......had just had our heads handed to us by Rice 77-20 in Houston the week before,...then returned to Denton to get it handed to us again by FIU 42-10.  Everyone was down but we had basketball to fall back on.  

Not only do we not have basketball to fall back on now...but we have little hope it'll get better because of  Mac's extension and the depressing thought of RV making the next hire.

 

Its a shit sandwich any way you slice it. 

 

Rick

 

 

[HoustonEagle]

 

 

Agree...I was thinking back on how bad it's been before and it's definitely worse now.  Going into October 4th, 2008 we were 0-4......had just had our heads handed to us by Rice 77-20 in Houston the week before,...then returned to Denton to get it handed to us again by FIU 42-10.  Everyone was down but we had basketball to fall back on.  

Not only do we not have basketball to fall back on now...but we have little hope it'll get better because of  Mac's extension and the depressing thought of RV making the next hire.

 

Its a shit sandwich any way you slice it. 

 

Rick

 

 

Agree, most years basketball was like that good hug from momma after football pushed us off our bike.  

[oldguystudent]

Dude, all we need is beer...

 

[KingDL1]

Harry I also watch Necessary Roughness to help cheer me up!

[greenminer]

Out of curiosity, anyone know what RV's hires were at Southern Miss?

[KingDL1]

Out of curiosity, anyone know what RV's hires were at Southern Miss?

I was under the impression RV was just assistant at Southern Miss, if so I doubt he hired anyone. 

[97and03]

Harry I also watch Necessary Roughness to help cheer me up!

A feel good movie about a team getting to one win.  Nothing could be more appropriate.

[foutsrouts]

We lose to Portland State and nothing will help but just saying eff it and walking away. Someone call me when we get a real coach who's actually capable of putting the good of the team above himself.

[UNTDoubleAlum]

I do like the running and video game ideas. That being said, I don't fire up sports games to help myself cope with my teams losing. It's more like..."Man, now I'm sad. Guess I'll go hit a dragon with a sword." 

Also, this feels like it makes me a bad fan, but having a certain amount of redundancy in my sports fandom helps too. I mean, yeah, I've got UNT, which doing terribly, and the Cowboys, who are disappointing me, but having degrees from multiple schools means I have Texas A&M, who is undefeated, and Angelo State, who is #6 in Division 2 Football.

I mean, it doesn't make my primary teams any better, but it's nice to have something to fall back on....

[Aldo]

Super Smash Bros!