Got To Admit...I'm With Stu J On This One

Okay, I admit it--I've been taking note of the NBA playoffs. In the past several years, I've casually watched the scores, and even caught part of a game or two. But things are different this year. There's a new kid in town, and he is woefully misnamed for his environment.

He's the Utah Jazz.

I haven't really followed the Jazz religiously since the days of Stockton, Malone, Hornacek, and Coach Sloan. The reason why is simple.

They broke my heart.

Yes, I was all in back in the day (it's hard to believe those NBA finals years were twenty years ago...). And why not? The team was spectacular. They were a joy to watch, and we in the smallest NBA market got spoiled. We thought our mountain men were so good, they could be world champions, not once, but twice. 

Too bad it didn't work out. Seems there was a team of city men who were even better.

As Game 4 of the best of seven series between the Jazz of Utah and the Clippers of Los Angeles, tom relieve some of the tension of watching the game, I occasionally check the social networks to see what others are saying, and I found a simple tweet by someone using the handle Stu J to perfectly sum up how I feel when it comes to my relationship to the Utah Jazz.

"STOP IT JAZZ. STOP MAKING ME CARE AGAIN."

Getting emotionally attached to anything comes with a price, be it a partner, a pet, a favorite television show, and even a professional sports team. As this past basketball season progressed, the question for our local team would not be if they would make the playoffs, but would they get home court advantage. Not bad for a team shut out the past few years. I thought, "Good for them!" I considered making the playoff would translate to a successful year, even if they lose in the first round, or get swept.

Then, the Jazz go win Game 1.

And that changed everything.

Yes, even if they lose the series it will be a successful year, but this reminds me of a saying by Homer Simpson. He lamented, "Professional athletes, always wanting more." The same could be said for fans of those same athletes--we're always wanting more as well.

How will this conclude? What's the end game? It's simple--the team either wins a world championship, or they don't. If they do, the fan rejoice and all is right with the world. If they don't the true fans will hurt, but look forward to next year. Others will turn their back, vowing never to trust again. I wonder, when the season's over, what Stu J will do...