What the Super Bowl Outcome Will Mean for Philly Fans
The joy of winning is contagious. The Philadelphia Eagles have been on a great run. The excitement from being the best team in the regular season to winning the NFC Championship game is palpable in the city. Philadelphians are high fiving, hugging, and celebrating the wins with any Eagles fan in their vicinity and even with some Dallas fans (if they can tolerate the Eagles pride). Winning like this produces a great morale boost for the city. As they say, almost everyone is bleeding green.
On the other side of this jubilation is the anticipation filled with anxiety for the big game, Super Bowl LII. Philadelphia has never won the big game. Eagles fans have had to endure countless conversations about how many championship rings other teams have. The excitement and anxiety felt throughout the Delaware Valley for a Super Bowl win is compounded with over 52 years of anticipation.
So, how would a win or loss psychologically impact Philly fans?
A Super Bowl Win
A win brings more joy, energy, happiness and morale for the city. It becomes infectious throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Don’t be shy
This is not the time to be shy after a great win for the city of Philadelphia. The excitement, pride and jubilation is too much to contain. Let others see how happy you are. When someone attempts to give you a high five or fist pump, return the gesture. Smile when someone smiles at you. It’s okay to enjoy the moment and celebrate. As they say, Enjoy the Win!
Get in the Philly Mood (Daryl Hall song)
The entire city of Philadelphia and surrounding areas will be in a happy Eagles Philly mood after a Super Bowl win. What will your mood be? This is a great time to not let difficulties or hardships weigh you down. A Super Bowl win will not remove the things you have to take care of in your life, but for a few days (or more) you can get in the Philly mood and enjoy yourself.
Don’t go too far with your celebration
It’s great to celebrate the win, but don’t take it too far. If you find yourself drinking too much or doing anything that hurts you or others, you’ve gone too far. You want to remember the win and tell the story years to come. When you go too far, the story changes from the Eagles Super Bowl win to your unhealthy behavior or action.
Groupthink goes both ways
Groupthink is when individuals in a group make decisions based on the group instead of their own individual desire to maintain harmony. It causes individuals to take actions that they wouldn’t normally take on their own, outside of the group. After a win, groupthink could make it hard to be sad or upset when everyone around you is happy and celebrating. The uglier side of groupthink is when the celebrations go too far or become dangerous, individuals in the group can get carried away with the momentum.
A Super Bowl Loss
Any loss is hard: loss of a job, family member or even loss of a Super Bowl. We grieve when things don’t turn out the way we thought they would. You didn’t cheer for the Eagles to lose. So, it makes sense that you would be disappointed and maybe even sad.
Sadness is normal after a loss
Sadness is a normal emotional reaction to any loss, major or minor. After a build up of hope and excitement, the let down of a loss makes most people sad (even for a few minutes). Don’t stay in isolation; connect with other Eagles fans to overcome the sadness. Take the time you need, but don’t stay there too long.
Children provide a good example
Children are able to be sad or disappointed and a few minutes later they are back to playing and smiling again. They live in the moment, feel the emotion, and move on. We could all learn from their example.
Don’t go too far with your disappointment
It’s tough to experience a loss, especially after waiting for over 52 years but after a loss don’t go too far. If you find yourself drinking too much or doing anything that hurts you or others, you’ve gone too far. You want to remember the wins and good times that led to the Super Bowl and think about the positive outlook for the future. When you go too far the story changes from the Eagles Super Bowl win to your unhealthy behavior or action.
Keep the Positive in Mind
Even though the season didn’t end the way you wanted or hoped, keep the positive in mind. There were many great moments this season, from the 61-yard field goal, to singing the fight song (E-A-G-L-E-S), to overcoming injuries and many more. There have been multiple examples that point to a positive future for the Eagles, (great young quarterback, tenacious defense, great coach, etc). Having hope for the future can make the sadness go away sooner.
Here’s to a great game and good times for the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Go Birds!
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