The first NFL game I remember was seeing Marino getting sodomized by the Jags in the divisional round in '99. Since then, being a Dolphins fan has been nothing but pain. The thing is, for some reason I'm totally okay with the Dolphins underperforming. Even this season, which is late playoff run or bust, I'm completely understanding of all our failures. As long as the Fins even smell like they're on the right track, I'm ecstatic.
Within the same general time frame, one of the first college games I remember is the University of Miami destroying Nebraska in the National Championship. The Canes were dominant. Everybody was going to the NFL. These days I have no patience for the Canes. My standards are so much higher. It doesn't make sense to view these two teams through such a different lens.
Is it just me, or do you guys also benchmark against your early memories? Trying to figure out why I didn't love the Dolphins any less during their one win season, but a 5 loss Canes gives me heartburn.
Grew up with the Urlacher Bears. It's all been 100% downhill since Lovie Smith was fired. And at least the Super Bowl team had a legendary defense and I could make fun of the Sex Cannon at QB. And that's an actual funny joke. The Bears have been a really unfunny joke for over a decade now. Whenever the QB throws it deep and it's picked off I can't say "You just gotta unleash the dragon" and laugh it off knowing the defense is coming into the field. Now everything just sucks and it's not funny at all. The whole identity of the team has been gone for years and years. And then the '18 team which was actually really good has its season end on the goddamn double doink. The Bears were good enough that year that they'd certainly have made the Super Bowl if they win that game. But nope...ended on a joke.