Why two losses aren't the same

Today on Mike & Mike in the Morning, Mike Greenberg and Chris Carter debated what Tom Watson should be feeling after finishing second in The British Open. Greenberg took the side of the non-jock -- saying Watson should simply be happy that his 59-year old body held up for four days and allowed him to be within eight feet of his ninth major. Carter, on the other hand, wasn't as optimistic. As a former athlete, Carter said if he was in Watson's shoes, he would feel zero satisfaction. The fact is, he didn't win, which means he isn't a champion.

I've heard this topic debated between the two before and Carter is all about winning, no matter the circumstance. I agree with the former Minnesota Viking that there is no moral victory by finishing second, or third, or fourth. However, I lean toward Greenberg's perspective on certain occasions.

There are moments in sports when the probability of something happening is so slim that if it does happen, it seems almost sureal. I'm not talking about the Arizona Cardinals surprising some people and making it all the way to the Super Bowl. If I'm Larry Fitzgerald, there isn't an ounce of me that is satisfied with merely exceeding expectations. Arizona could of, and some would say, should have, won the Super Bowl. If you make the playoffs in the NFL, anything short of the Super Bowl is unacceptable.

But every once in a while there comes a moment when not finishing on top shouldn't elicit the same feeling of failure as what the Cardinals felt. For instance, when George Mason made its Cinderella run to the Final Four, it was absolutely ridiculous. No one thought the No. 11 seed would upset No. 6 Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. And when they topped No. 1 seed Connecticut in overtime to reach the Final Four, everyone adopted the Patriots as their team. At this point, they could lose by 100 to Florida and it wouldn't matter -- they had more than exceeded expectations, they had done the impossible and silenced every critic. When George Mason returned home and reflected on their season, they didn't feel the same as the Cardinals. There was massive disappointment, of course, but that disappointment was outweighed by the amazing run. The Patriots could take solace for knowing they forever put George Mason on the map and changed the school forever. It's the same feeling Tom Watson had yesterday. Of course he's furious he missed a short putt to win his first major in 26 years, but he also know the odds of him getting to that point were astronomical. I doubt he'll feel the same anger a week from now as he would have 30 years ago.

There are different degrees or losing, and although Watson and the Patriots are all as competitive as they come, their loses are more than just loses.

Ladies and Gentlemen...Brandon Inge!

A few notes from tonight:

Poor Brandon Inge. Really. I feel for him.

I'm pretty sure I found my calling tonight -- be the guy whose primary job is to wipe the sweat off of Albert Pujols' head after he swings. If I can't get that spot, I'll be the kid that gets to stand behind the wall in center field and catch homeruns.

You could tell Pujols was pissed. After his second round swings, he didn't even say anything to the little kids handing him his fresh Gatorade! You can't blame the guy, he's the best thing St. Louis has had Mark McGwire -- who wasn't in the pregame slideshow of Cardinal great (like he said, "I'm not here to talk about the past").

I expect to never hear anything positive about Nelson Cruz again.

In the past month, Pujols' legacy has skyrocketed. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian surveyed 10 current major leaguers and one former about the best batter-pitcher matchups, and every player picked Pujols. Then he became the first player to hit 30 homeruns in his first nine seasons. Kurkjian also wrote another article titled "The Perfect Player." Add in the All-Star Game being player in St. Louis, and Pujols has become the ultimate savior to the game of baseball. Poor A-Rod.