Champaign

I was watching some ESPN highlights tonight and they were showing teams celebrating with dancing, hollering, jumping around, and dumping champaign on each others heads. I don't remember there being such extreme celebrations for simply making the playoffs -- I remember that as the celebration for winning the world series. Now, don't get me wrong, having a good year that results in making the playoffs is a real accomplishment, but worthy of a champaign bash? I think not. I think there are about 30 baseball teams and 8 make the playoffs... that means that about 1 out of every 4 teams makes the playoffs. That doesn't seem champaign worthy to me.

I'm not sure if the fact that they celebrate to this extent is really a bad thing or if this really is my issue. Over the past several years, I've learned more and more the importance of taking time to celebrate victories along the way. However, my bent is to just move on to the next thing.

Perhaps part of my interest in the issue is that I always get annoyed when I see individual players on a team, especially football, go crazy when they make an individual play. For example, consider a team defense of 11 players who each do their job and eventually someone sacks the quarterback.... often that player goes into some kind of individual dance or even runs away from his fellow teammates who have gathered to celebrate - they run away to give themself more space to do their individual dance. That bothers me. What's even worse is that I see these celebrations from people on teams who are losing by 3 touchdowns in the fourth quarter. It doesn't bother me if, in this situation, people get somewhat excited - but to act like the superbowl was just won, seems goofy to me.

I really am not judging these teams or individuals, I'm just adding this to my ongoing thoughts about celebration. I personally don't celebrate meeting expectations I have of myself or others; I recognize it, but don't celebrate it. What I celebrate is victory beyond expectations.

Perhaps I just want to understand more the motivations behind other people's celebrations to give me insight into my own, seemingly minority, feelings.