Growing up in Central NY and having the Yankees AAA affiliate in my back yard, I had it good. I saw future Yankees, i.e. Ron Guidry, on their way to the bigs. I also enjoyed the Yankees in the post-season from 1976, ’77, ’78, ’80 & ’81. I wasn’t old enough to know anything about their playoff drought from ’65 to ’75. Having said that, the only World Championships my team won were in ’77 & ’78.
Fast forward to adult life. The minor league baseball teams I worked for won titles in my first three years. Overall, in 13 years, my organizations won league titles five teams while missing postseason play a grand total of three times.
During that stretch the Yankees turned things around and started winning World Series annually.
I’m also a New England Patriots fan. From 1978 – 2000 all I had to show for that was a couple of Super Bowl losses. Along comes Belichick and Brady and the Pats could be heading to their 10th Super Bowl this February (Five Titles). Throw in a Syracuse hoops Natty in ’03 and I’ve been relatively spoiled over the last 25 years.
Please pardon me if I’ve forgotten what it feels like to NOT to make the playoffs. The Saints are in the postseason for the first time since 2013 while you have to go back to last century for a playoff appearance by the Buffalo Bills.