Vikings Fans, Dwelling On Sunday's Loss Is Not Healthy
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Vikings' loss to Seattle on Sunday was brutal, but the value of replaying (and dwelling on) the game's final few seconds is questionable.
Simon Almaer, a skills coach at Premier Sport Psychology in Edina, says that it's not healthy for fans to watch replay after replay of Blair Walsh's missed field goal.
"It's completely understandable to be upset, to be frustrated and maybe even momentarily angry," he said. "At times, I think it can go beyond that."
The extreme anger hurled at Walsh, he says, is an example of that.
"Maybe if we have the perspective that Blair Walsh is someone's son, is someone's husband (potentially), is someone's sibling, then maybe we would have a different thought," Almaer said.
He says fans need to remember their place is on the sidelines, that their role is to cheer the team on.
"To really hold on to frustration for long periods of time is not healthy," Almaer said.
On the other hand, he notes the Vikings are in a healthy place.
"Hopefully, we have taken a good step forward this year, and we can take a new step forward the following year, playing under the new roof," Almaer said.
He added that children watch how their parents and other fans react to wins and losses. It's important to be mindful, he says, of what those reactions teach children.