How to deal with a late season collapse

[Flying Razorback]

Life long White Sox fan here.  I've seen a few of these in my lifetime.

The key is to see it coming early and not be blindsided by it.  Hopefully it starts to truly slip the weekend football season starts.  That way, you were entertained and enjoyed the season fully for about 5 months, and it becomes a secondary to your life about the time that it starts to turn to crap.

This year it worked perfectly for me.  I saw the collapse back in June.  The good Sox have been artificially propped in first place by a poor division, rookies playing above their heads, favorable scheduling against teams in slumps, and injuries/slumps to the real division leaders, the Tigers. 

It's been building, and I've been sucked in to "Wow, maybe this team really is special..." a few times.  But I've seen too many examples of "Nope, that's who this team really is."

The collapse started in earnest this week.  Actually 2 weeks ago in a sweep at Kansas City, but it was propped back up by a 6-0 home stand.  The road trip to Baltimore, followed by a road trip to Detroit is going to end the season early for the Sox. 

Looking to get swept by Detroit tomorrow, leaving town tied when they entered with a 3 game lead.  This follows a sweep at Detroit a month ago.

The Razorbacks started today, and it's on to football season.  It's been a good 5 months White Sox.  I'll keep up with what moves you make and who gets lined up for offseason surgeries.  But try to keep it competitive and I'll be excited for a more veteran team in 2013.

[bsking]

Never too high never too low.  It's baseball, you can play really well for a week and go 0-7.

[Flying Razorback]

Never too high never too low.  It's baseball, you can play really well for a week and go 0-7.

Absolutely.  It's so tempting to really get invested.  Even in 2005 when I lived a couple blocks from the stadium I had to keep myself tempered until the division was locked that last week in Detroit.  They were playing great and the Indians went on that insane run that year where they went from 15 games back to 1.5 games back with the lead at Comiskey the first week of September.  Joe Crede jacked a 3 run shot to take the lead and the Sox didn't look back.

The White Sox were recently swept by the Royals, lost 3 of 4 to the Orioles, about to be swept in Detroit for the second time in a month, and here come the Royals again.  The Royals swept Detroit this week too.  They're on fire.  And of course we didn't get to play them early in the year when they were floundering.

It is what it is.  This team was "supposed" to be 72-90 and has had an entertaining summer.  A lot of holes that hopefully can be addressed in the next year and continue to return to the top of the division.

But man.  It's hard to not get sucked in and then disappointed in September sometimes...

[Flying Razorback]

And there it is, waiting until the last week of the season, the White Sox fall from first place.

Thanks guys, you kept me entertained for most of the season.  I wish you could have distracted me from the Hogs in October, but I should have known better.  You were supposed to be 72-90 this year, so I shouldn't complain with an above .500 second place year.

To 2013 we look.

[pigture perfect]

I've never met a life long White Sox fan. You are a rare breed bro.

[Flying Razorback]

I've never met a life long White Sox fan. You are a rare breed bro.

I agree.  My parents were season ticket holders in the late 70s and early 80s.  I was born in 84 but moved to Arkansas at the end of 86.  I moved back to Chicago for college and lived a few blocks from the stadium.  I got to experience the 2005 season. 

I met a lot of lifers in Chicago while I lived there.  However, they seem to have never identified on a national scale because they did not get a national television contract like the Braves and Cubs.

Being a lifelong fan of a 2nd place team is tough.  Going it alone is tougher.  I know every team since at least 1990.  In the earliest days of the internet I spent my time reading box scores and watching the first iterations of pitch by pitch. 

I've also unfortunately lived through many seasons where the Sox were first place or within a few games of first the entire season only to collapse late.

And here I am again, and for some reason it's hard to take every time.

[clutch]

At least you can always say you aren't a Cubs fan. I can't imagine how anybody could tolerate being one of those.

[Flying Razorback]

At least you can always say you aren't a Cubs fan. I can't imagine how anybody could tolerate being one of those.

Agreed.  I have zero idea how people do it.  Most aren't necessarily "fans" of the sport.  Losses don't really affect them. 

[bsking]

Cubs fans like to lose.  It gives them their little niche.

[Flying Razorback]

And the collapse is complete on paper.  Saw it coming all year, but still, it sucks to be in first place for about 120 games of a 162 season, and fall out in the last 10.

On to 2013...