Sue me, I care

I wasn't devastated when El Dorado lost to Lake Hamilton 42-28 Friday in the Class 6A football state championship game. I watched the Wildcats lose at Lake Hamilton 38-21 in the first meeting and pretty much tabbed the Wolves as the better team the first time I saw them.
I thought El Dorado had a chance but it needed a little bit of luck.
The better team won and, like I said, I was far from surprised. Still, my emotions got the better of me after I made my way to the field at War Memorial Stadium for the post-game interviews.
The players were not just crying, they were blubbering, uncontrollably. I guess I'm just a sensitive guy because that kind of stuff gets to me. Before I knew it, tears were rolling down my shivering face, too.
I tried wiping them away before I got spotted. I don't know if anyone saw me. I hope not. Don't tell anybody.
It's something about the state championship game that brings out these raw emotions. This was the first time I actually shed a tear, however.
When Strong's girls won their first state championship, I felt relief. To have the kind of season they had not end with a ring would've felt like a waste of a year.
When Strong's girls won their second title, it was almost a ho-hum feeling. The Lady Bulldogs' big game was the semifinal win over Carlisle. The state final was almost an after-thought. There were never a doubt in my mind Strong would beat East Poinsett.
When Union's girls lost in the state finals to Poyen, I felt numb and disappointed. I invested a lot of emotion in that team and really wanted to see them pull off the championship. Not only did it not happen, the Lady Cyclones got bum-rushed in the second half. I was sad they didn't win but really disappointed they didn't play better.
When El Dorado lost to Bentonville in the football finals in 2001, I felt proud. The Wildcats were picked to lose in every one of their playoff games. Getting to the finals was an incredible accomplishment. They stayed with a much-better team until the very end, which made me feel good.
The emotion Friday was a little pride, laced with a touch of disappointment. I liked this team, which worked as hard and was as together as any team I've ever followed. It would've been a classic story book season if the Wildcats could've won the title. My disappointment is for the coaches and players, who poured their heart into this season.
I guess that's why they were so emotional after the loss. I guess that's why it got to me a little bit, too.
I know I'm not supposed to care. But, for me, caring makes it fun.