Coping Mechanisms | PASOTI
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Coping Mechanisms

Mar 23, 2019
751
662
How do people get over awful Argyle results?

After a bad result i am a nightmare to be around, miserable, snappy and very down.

I recently have been going to the cinema on my own.... i will literally rock up to the cinema and watch any old rubbish, anything to stop my mind from thinking about the previous days result.

Interested to see if anyone does anything bizarre after a bad Argyle result?
 
May 22, 2006
4,415
177
This won't be a popular one, but honestly the best coping mechanism is to realise just how little it really matters.

I have three or four hobbies at a time. If a weekend passes where I haven't managed to do a couple of them, then I might go into work in a bit of a strop, because ultimately I'm in control of my own time and if I've wasted it on crap, that's a shame. We only get 70*52 weekends and they run out fast. When I was younger, I didn't have these hobbies, so the success of my weekend more or less hinged on Argyle.

I can't control what happens on the pitch. And when I signed up as an Argyle fan, I kind of knew that I was in for an unenviable ride - the odd promotion, the extremely rare cup run, but most weeks it'll just be football ranging from mediocre to unwatchable. So I learned to celebrate the wins, ignore the defeats and enjoy the gallows humour when it's particularly bad. I started taking Argyle seriously in about 1992, so mid-table in League 1 is roughly par.

Learning to accept that you support a poo team is very liberating. It stops the defeats killing your weekend.
 

IJN

Site Owner
Nov 29, 2012
9,165
22,679
That's what I do now.

I have my first Grandchild and I have taken up golf, more things to think about. When my first love (Argyle) let's me down, I turn to the other new loves.

Simple, but it works.
 
Mar 23, 2019
751
662
Ham Green":2plqi5cx said:
This won't be a popular one, but honestly the best coping mechanism is to realise just how little it really matters.

I have three or four hobbies at a time. If a weekend passes where I haven't managed to do a couple of them, then I might go into work in a bit of a strop, because ultimately I'm in control of my own time and if I've wasted it on crap, that's a shame. We only get 70*52 weekends and they run out fast. When I was younger, I didn't have these hobbies, so the success of my weekend more or less hinged on Argyle.

I can't control what happens on the pitch. And when I signed up as an Argyle fan, I kind of knew that I was in for an unenviable ride - the odd promotion, the extremely rare cup run, but most weeks it'll just be football ranging from mediocre to unwatchable. So I learned to celebrate the wins, ignore the defeats and enjoy the gallows humour when it's particularly bad. I started taking Argyle seriously in about 1992, so mid-table in League 1 is roughly par.

Learning to accept that you support a poo team is very liberating. It stops the defeats killing your weekend.

Wise words...... I definitely fall into the bracket of needing to get more hobbies!
 

Screen Corner

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Dec 11, 2016
247
166
Balham, London.
I follow Plymouth Argyle, Plymouth Albion, Plymouth Raiders and will now be following the Plymouth Speedway team. Although Argyle is my main passion, I still religiously support the other teams.

As you can imagine this causes huge issues as bar the raiders, all teams are below par. It was the part of the reason for me moving to London last year, I cannot take much more stress than what most weekends bring. My missus has caught me following my new local team in London and is worried things might go from bad to worse if I develop the same passion for Tooting Bec football club that I have for PAFC.

Like others have alluded to, the key is to put the result into context and realise a loss to Gillingham means nothing, while also finding new passions of course...

Zoo
 
Mar 14, 2009
5,148
277
Not sure people will understand my logic....but here goes....

I tend to relish the "challenge" ahead. In the sense that if we are in a poor run, and I think every manager at every club will experience this, then how will he turn things around? What will he say and do? I often thing you find out more about managers and players during the bad spells and the poor performances than you do when everything is going well.


I love football, and Argyle. Simply I understand we are not a "big" club. That at the moment being a club which is average to poor (in terms of results) on a consistent basis is our place in the footballing world. This means that I'm frustrated as most but after a few days I just look forward to the next game. I know in all likelihood we will probably be as poor next game as the previous one but there is always this glimmer of hope in the back of my mind we will play much better next time.

I just like sports In general. I loved watching Tiger Woods last weekend win the Masters. Then I find that gives me the energy and enthusiasm to get outside and play golf. Or the same goes for some other sport I watch. That's how I survive. By just enjoying the opportunity to watch and play sports played at their peaks and then play to my limited abilities.

Argyle players deserve criticism for their abject recent displays but I know they are trying their best and doing their upmost to play to their ability and its just maybe unfortunately they aren't as good as the opposition they face. Unfortunately with sport you have to realise someone will always be better than someone else and its a cut throat world but that's just the one we live in.

That doesn't mean as fans we cant have demands and aspirations but you have to put things into context that mostly in life there are very few sporting "winners" (which is why I bang on about playing a "positive & attacking" brand of football because you may not be able to win but you can at least try and win by having a go) and so its all about enjoy the rare moments of sporting happiness that Argyle can give you and try to quickly forget the many disappointments.
 
May 16, 2016
7,058
4,684
Zoo Corner":1p4j9qq9 said:
I follow Plymouth Argyle, Plymouth Albion, Plymouth Raiders and will now be following the Plymouth Speedway team. Although Argyle is my main passion, I still religiously support the other teams.

As you can imagine this causes huge issues as bar the raiders, all teams are below par. It was the part of the reason for me moving to London last year, I cannot take much more stress than what most weekends bring. My missus has caught me following my new local team in London and is worried things might go from bad to worse if I develop the same passion for Tooting Bec football club that I have for PAFC.

Like others have alluded to, the key is to put the result into context and realise a loss to Gillingham means nothing, while also finding new passions of course...

Zoo

You moved to London to avoid the 'stress' of living in sleepy ole Plymouth ?

Blimey.
 
Apr 30, 2017
427
0
I am a student, perhaps the youngest poster on this board, and my obvious “pain killer” is studying and revising for my Uni first year. One thing I have always learnt, is that Argyle aren’t the best in the world at anything, and it is not the only thing in life.

Do I over celebrate a times? Yes. Do I smack the Kitchen Table when we conceded vs Blackpool? Yes. Do I mourn all weekend over a result? No.

Argyle aren’t my only thing in life, but I love it too bits. Does it put a smile on my face when we win, absolutely?

I have supported this club for 12 seasons now, and I have had promotions, relegations and admin and I love it more after those administration years. I get extremely irritated when people compare this too then, but its not half as bad.

I am not enjoying it at the moment, and often I question why I like Argyle, but I will continue to love this club until someone/something stops me from doing so.
 

GreenThing

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Ham Green":1x4v8gx7 said:
This won't be a popular one, but honestly the best coping mechanism is to realise just how little it really matters.

I have three or four hobbies at a time. If a weekend passes where I haven't managed to do a couple of them, then I might go into work in a bit of a strop, because ultimately I'm in control of my own time and if I've wasted it on crap, that's a shame. We only get 70*52 weekends and they run out fast. When I was younger, I didn't have these hobbies, so the success of my weekend more or less hinged on Argyle.

I can't control what happens on the pitch. And when I signed up as an Argyle fan, I kind of knew that I was in for an unenviable ride - the odd promotion, the extremely rare cup run, but most weeks it'll just be football ranging from mediocre to unwatchable. So I learned to celebrate the wins, ignore the defeats and enjoy the gallows humour when it's particularly bad. I started taking Argyle seriously in about 1992, so mid-table in League 1 is roughly par.

Learning to accept that you support a poo team is very liberating. It stops the defeats killing your weekend.

Ive just posted on the ‘league 2...’ thread but it also would also fit here.

We’re sh!t at the moment, sometimes we’re good (relative to the league we’re in), but most of the time we’re mediocre. Just like 80ish% of other clubs in professional football.
 

JannerinCardiff

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Jul 16, 2018
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One thing I’ve realised supporting Argyle (and I suppose would ring true for fans of lower league clubs) is when we do have good results it makes it all the sweeter! I’m extremely proud to be an Argyle fan, and show it off wherever I’m able.

When Argyle lose, like they did against Gillingham for instance I generally feel down for a bit, but then I chat to the missus who reminds me that it’s not worth getting emotional about, this helps..like a suppose just talking about feelings to a shrink.. only my missus doesn’t cost!!
 
Sep 6, 2006
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3,962
JannerinCardiff":1y3phg2q said:
One thing I’ve realised supporting Argyle (and I suppose would ring true for fans of lower league clubs) is when we do have good results it makes it all the sweeter! I’m extremely proud to be an Argyle fan, and show it off wherever I’m able.

When Argyle lose, like they did against Gillingham for instance I generally feel down for a bit, but then I chat to the missus who reminds me that it’s not worth getting emotional about, this helps..like a suppose just talking about feelings to a shrink.. only my missus doesn’t cost!!


She doesnt say its only a game does she? :banghead:
 
May 16, 2016
7,058
4,684
You could all try to stop taking yourselves so seriously and not get too far up your own jacksie. That sometimes helps.

There really is so much more to life than 'listening' to yourself on a Football Forum. The long winded puffed up essay writers with their definitive ramblings that most people scroll over need to look at themselves occasionally.

Laughing at online comments is the best coping mechanism.
 
Oct 22, 2018
102
99
Good topic. I have a simple life and when I joined pasoti it added to my lifelong love a fair with Argyle. I was determined to only post positive opinions and of course you will still get it in the ear. So to deal with on pitch frustrations I have 3 other passions, my wife, my dogs and my garden, ( not necessarily in that order) but don't tell the wife.
After 65 years of watching and worrying about Argyle I think I must enjoy the tension. Anyway got my season ticket for next year and will be there as usual, right back to kicking the dogs and the garden. It works !!!! :thumbup:
 

Dreamgreen

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The contrast in my whole weekend from 3 points to 0 points is very stark. I can't wait for the next game on the one hand, I hate football, (any football), on the other.
 

L G

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Feb 25, 2005
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Guiri Green":1m5lxccc said:
You could all try to stop taking yourselves so seriously and not get too far up your own jacksie. That sometimes helps.

There really is so much more to life than 'listening' to yourself on a Football Forum. The long winded puffed up essay writers with their definitive ramblings that most people scroll over need to look at themselves occasionally.

Laughing at online comments is the best coping mechanism.
I'm with you on that last point. Spotting the online trolls and poking them with a shitty stick can be most fun in the aftermath of a defeat. :cool: