The 2015/16 Premier League season will go down in history. People will never forget the fairytale. They will never forget how unlikely it was.
5000/1 shots Leicester City won the Premier League.
But you know that already. Even if you have been living under a rock; you'd know this. Because it's been mentioned by everyone and their dog. It's a wonderful story, and watching Claudio Ranieri throughout it all made it that much sweeter.
But the reaction of everyone - fans, media, me included - afterwards is soul-destroying. There is no need to compare every underdog story to Leicester City. It takes away from each wonderful story.
There's a reason why Leicester was the first single-bet to come in at odds that high - this sort of thing doesn't happen very often. The story of Leicester is one that was totally unexpected, and it wasn't a once-off. They beat Man City. They beat Chelsea. They kept winning, until their lead was unassailable.
But Connacht Rugby they aren't. Connacht's growth under Pat Lam before this year had been tangible. There was an expectation that they would be in the higher reaches of mid-table, perhaps scrapping a Champions Cup spot. No one expected them to be in the playoffs obviously, but that jump of just a few places in the table is hardly Leicester City worth. Sure, there are some similarities - but that doesn't need to be pointed out at every available opportunity.
Westmeath U21 hurling is also nothing like Leicester's fairytale. Granted, that was a magical and totally unforeseen result - but it was one game. It was one 70 minute performance that defied odds, and should say plays written about the performance. But it wasn't the logic defying marathon of Claudio Ranieri's boys. There was no dodgy scandal in Asia to start the season.
Why ruin three wonderful stories by bringing them all together, and not just enjoy each of them on their own merits?
You have to take each game on it's merits there.
See Also: The Ironic Turning Point That Set Connacht Rugby On The Road To Better Days
Photo by Sportsfile
