The postseason is what every single athlete is aiming for. At the beginning of the season, all teams are on equal footing, and all have an equal chance of winning it all. They all have the same amount of wins and losses, and they all have the same potential. Yes, once the first games begin, this equality is erased, but it isn’t until deeper in the season that the potential for the postseason is determined.
Experienced sports fans know that not all teams are created equal. Players stay on their own teams, continuing some of the same dynamics from the year before. Sometimes, players get traded, and the balance of the teams shift. These are all normal occurrences, and all of them are exciting and have an influence on what the postseason will look like. So, while the record books might show equality, the teams really aren’t, creating a little bit of useful information for sports bettors, fantasy players, and those that just like to see their favorite team succeed.
Even if you are not a fan of the two teams in the championship, it’s still fun to watch. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single game like the Super Bowl, or an extended series like MLB’s World Series, each moment is filled with tension and excitement, and this is precisely why we love sports. It’s about watching people perform at their best when it counts the most. Every kid playing pickup basketball at the park dreams of the NBA Finals, but only a handful of professionals ever make it. The NBA is the hardest pro league in the U.S. to get into, after all, and even some of the best players ever never get a ring. It’s the epitome of sports.
Some sports do not have the same rigid structure of the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL. They don’t have an organized championship season or playoff period. NASCAR does with the Sprint Cup, but even this doesn’t usually come down to one race, winner take all. It’s the culmination of points, and even if someone wins the final race of the season, they can still lose the overall title because of someone performing better longer in the series.
Yet other sports have different methods of determining a winner. The PGA, for example, has several championships. There’s the Masters’, the PGA Championship, and a few others. It’s generally agreed upon that the Masters’ is the most prestigious event, but this is far from formal. Different golfers have different aims throughout the year. Being a golf fan, though, doesn’t mean that you are void of the excitement that other sports have when the regular season is over. The big golf matches take place over the course of four days and can be extremely intense. Yes, golf might seem like it’s a very slow paced sport, but there’s a lot that goes into it and being a top level golfer is a huge act of athleticism. The big events, like the Masters’, are fraught with stress, emotion, heartache, and triumph. Even from the couch, it can be quite exciting to watch.
Going to a playoff or championship game is an amazing experience. Even if you’re just going to a Final Four game for college basketball, there’s something about stepping into that arena that is unlike any sporting event you will ever attend. It’s a one of a kind, unique, experience, and if you ever get the opportunity to go see your favorite team play in such a game, you should do what you can to see it. You will definitely not regret it.
