Today on KSR: What Comes Next?

As a sports fan, it’s easy to be cynical when things go wrong; to check out, detach yourself from the situation and pretend you don’t care which team comes out on top. In some situations—for example, when your team is down 20 points in the second half to an unranked opponent, in danger of catching a fourth straight loss after entering the season with championship aspirations—well, it’s the only thing you can do to stay sane.

Still, no matter how hard you try to distance yourself from the outcome, all it takes is a glimmer of hope to draw you back in. When the team is making its great comeback, you may even stop yourself again and again, hoping to avoid any painful ensnarement to a hopeless…