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By Jim Caltagirone
For the Mirror
That crashing sound you heard at the beginning of September was the shattered dreams of Dallas Cowboys and Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans.
Once again, it's apparent that the branding of those football teams possesses more clout than the on-field product.
Decades have passed since the Cowboys and Fighting Irish last claimed a championship, but their fan bases have adopted the tendency to view each new season as the one that will fulfill their championship aspirations.
Powerhouses tend to generate a feeling of entitlement among their loyalists and a more widespread perception of sustained excellence.
The Toronto Maple Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers certainly bask in an aura of past glory.
It is 55 years and counting since the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, but Forbes ranks Toronto as the second-most valuable NHL franchise at $1.8 billion.
The Colorado Avalanche, the defending Stanley Cup champions, are only ranked 22nd at $630 million. For years after the Flyers won their last Cup in 1975, cars in the Philly area could be spotted with bumper stickers that read, "Stanley Come Home."
The Flyers have advanced to the Cup finals six times since they won their last title. Six defeats in those appearances have only fueled the battle cry for another championship.
Branding is the thread that connects the dynasties to the droughts and the relevant to the also-rans.
In an article on branding and pro sports, Michael Geczi noted that academic studies have identified eleven considerations that shape a team's brand: Success, history, stadium, team characteristics, logo, concessions, socialization, rivalry, commitment, organizational attribute and non-player personnel.
That reads like a checklist for a certain program from South Bend.
Athletics at the University of Notre Dame has been described as "one of the most recognizable, popular and powerful brands found anywhere in sports."
That description flows forth from the university itself and explains why Notre Dame sits at the poker table of conference realignment holding a royal flush.
Like the certainty of the sun rising in the East, speculation rages during each training camp whether the most traditionally successful NFL and college teams will be championship contenders, regardless of objective assessments of team depth, talent and position strengths.
The Cowboys have been ranked as the most valuable team in the NFL since 2016. Their current worth is $8 billion. Dispiriting for their fans, Dallas has won one playoff game over the last six seasons. The Cowboys are 3-1 so far this year so we'll see if there's a playoff run looming.
Notre Dame's last national title was in 1988.
Several years ago, a study concluded that NFL fans and reporters are susceptible to a psychological phenomenon known as optimism bias, which can create unrealistic expectations.
"Fans and experts alike can get focused on improvements or changes for the team that they follow and don't realize that it's an arms race with other teams who are also improving," said the study's lead author.
No matter a team's prospects, the injection of humor can add perspective to the serious business of fandom.
"It's like that sign that restaurants and bars love to hang on their walls which reads: Free Beer Tomorrow," one Cubs fan wrote. "Most patrons understand the joke. Tomorrow never comes. Don't forget your wallet. The Cubs have a similar sign that reads: Wait 'Til Next Year."
Even the Yankees can have an off-decade. The big difference is that they always look like winners in those branded pinstripes.
Jim Caltagirone resides in Altoona. He is a regular contributor to Voice of the Fan.