The mascot is the source of much public ridicule, yet he helps us better understand what it means to be part of a unique fanbase.

Oftentimes, the year after losing in a championship, a team can suffer a post-defeat hangover of sorts. This idea has been on display over the last few years in baseball, as the 2007 Houston Astros, 2008 St. Louis Cardinals (sorry, folks) and the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays all missed the playoffs a year after falling in the World Series.