Sports PTSD

My friend Dan is from Minnesota and is a big fan of the Minnesota teams, especially the Twins in baseball and the Vikings in football (He may be a huge fan of the Wild and the Bucks, but I don't know for sure). He now lives in the Dallas area so he is well versed on the local teams I root for (the Rangers, Cowboys, and Mavericks). He called me the other day to ask if I had heard about Drew Pearson going into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. He asked if Drew Pearson pushed off on Jerry Jones to be able to get into the Ring of Honor after all these years, an obvious reference to the spurious claims of Viking fans that Drew Pearson pushed off on cornerback Nate Wright, which would have been offensive pass interference, in catching the legendary Hail Mary from Roger Staubach in the 1975 NFC Divisional playoff game. What Vikings' fans don't understand is that it doesn't matter if Pearson pushed off or not because pass interference was not called therefore he didn't commit it. Wait. This post is being written to argue with Dan because he knows I'm right.

What's obvious about Dan and Vikings fan everywhere is that they suffer from Sports Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Sports PTSD. Sports PTSD is the inability to get over sports misfortune or defeat even after many years. In real life PTSD, people suffer or witness a severe traumatic event (car accident, natural disaster, abuse, etc) and suffer physiologic symptoms when triggered even if the trauma has passed and they are no longer in any true danger. It generally treated with therapy and medication to deal with some of the symptoms (such as sleep disorder).  In fact, in my work, I deal with kids who are struggling with symptoms of PTSD and use cognitive behavioral therapy that focuses on the trauma and the related symptoms. (BTW, in talking about Sports PTSD, I am in no way demeaning PTSD. It is a serious psychological problem that affects many people.)

Sports PTSD occurs when events turns against your favorite team and great disappointment ensues. For true PTSD that disappointment should take place in a big game, normally a playoff game or series. The question is can Sports PTSD be treated? I believe it can.

I think everyone knows what are their own areas of Sports PTSD. For fans of Kentucky basketball, one name: Christian Laettner. For Buffalo Sabres fans, three words: in the crease. For Red Sox fans, two names: Bucky Dent and Aaron Boone. Must I go on?

For me, two of the most serious ones I've faced have been exorcized within the last year. As a Rangers fan for my whole life, I've lived with years of mediocrity or worse. Until 2010, the "glory years" were the late 90s with three division titles in four years (96, 98, and 99). However, each year they were rudely swept out of the playoff by the juggernaut Yankee teams which went on the win the World Series each of those years. After that, the Yankees were the bogyman.
I went to a game in 2000 and had seats 7 rows behind home plate. The Rangers tied the game in the bottom of the tenth of Mariano Rivera, but gave up a lead run in top of the eleventh. The bottom of that inning, the Rangers loaded the bases with no outs and the ballpark is going crazy. Luis Alicea is up and hit the ball about a foot in front of the plate and the catcher touched home plate and tagged Alicea out (he thought it was foul). The next batter (the immortal Scott Sheldon) grounded out.  Complete deflation. 
One of the greatest heroes of the 2000 season was journeyman pitcher Brian Sikorski who shut out the Yankees over 7 innings in his major league debut. He appeared in nine other games that year (starting four) and ended up with an ERA of almost six. I went to Rangers spring training the next year and everyone wanted Brian Sikorski's autograph because he had stuck it to the Yankees. Of course, beating the Yankees in ALCS in 2010 has removed most of the sting of those years.

The other major one that has been healed is the Mavericks choke against the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA finals. This year, with no one believing in them, least of all their fans, the Mavs stuck it to the Heat. Again, demons exorcised.

Another big Sports PTSD moment for me came in a series the team I was cheering for actually won the series- the 2005 NLCS between the Astros and Cardinals. The Astros led 3-1 and were ahead 4-2 in the top of the ninth and there were two outs as Brad Lidge had struck out the first two batters. Then, a single and a walk and then Albert Pujols hit a ball the landed about three weeks later. My heart is racing just thinking about it. The Astros won that series as Roy Oswalt pitched 7 strong innings and Brad Lidge didn't pitch, but the stage was set for getting swept in the World Series in which Lidge gave up the winning runs in games 2 and 4 including a home run to Scott Podsednick, who had hit none all year. The real killer though, for me, was the Pujols home run. I was able to watch that game and I was so excited and then completely deflated. I wasn't able to watch Oswalt's masterpiece in game 6, so I missed that opportunity for healing.

Perhaps Sports PTSD can never be healed.  You'd think after last year, I'd have a little confidence in the Rangers.  But instead, when they fall behind, I often still get the depressed feeling that causes me to think they will NEVER WIN A GAME EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!  Of course being a fan of the Rangers is like have a friend or family member with Bipolar Disorder.  They go on these crazy hot streaks and destroy everyone in their path and then they look like minor league team flaying at sliders and kicking the ball all over the field. 

So what are your moments of Sports PTSD? What gets your heart racing or mind running whenever you see a replay or hear someone mention it?