You are a Mets fan who just exited a generational ride that justifies fandom. What was pegged as a transitional year turned into one of the most magical seasons in franchise history, replete with so many unexpected and unforgettable thrills that you could smile with appreciation after a season-ending loss.
Maybe you are a Yankees fan, strutting into the World Series for the first time in 15 years, preparing for an epic encounter with the Dodgers, picturing a parade down the Canyon of Heroes.
Anything less would be viewed as failure for a team infamously likened to “rooting for U.S Steel,” the franchise of Steinbrenner(s), in which fans are fluent in championships (27) rather than pennants (41).
Expectations color everything.