Monday morning. Time to quarterback the week ahead, dissect plays from the football-filled weekend and wonder why we keep showing up for this madness we call fandom. If you’ve ever bled Honolulu Blue for the Detroit Lions or bundled up only to be frozen at the edge of Lake Erie to watch the Buffalo Bills, you know the drill. Year after year, hope springs eternal during the NFL Draft only to get stomped by December. But I would argue that soul-crushing loyalty to teams like this isn’t just masochism — it teaches us fans a bit about business resilience. Stick with me, folks; I’ll even throw in a fairy-tale ending courtesy of Indiana University football to prove patience can be profitable.

Let’s start with the Lions, Detroit’s finest feline failures. I’ve lived in Michigan most of my life, with a good chunk of time in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth, certainly long enough to understand the Motor City vibe: tough as nails, with a side of eternal optimism. Remember the 0-16 season in 2008? As a season ticket holder, I do. It was a pigskin disaster, like a startup launching a product nobody wants — think beanbag chairs in a world of ergonomics. Fans like me didn’t bail; we doubled down, buying tickets, jerseys and enough antacids to stock a pharmacy. Why? Because quitting isn’t in the playbook. In business, it’s the same. Your big client ghosts you, a supplier hikes prices mid-contract or the economy decides to play spike your revenue. Do you fold? Nah. You huddle up and adjust the strategy. My lifelong Lions fandom taught me resilience is about surviving the sacks and still believing in the comeback.

It’s even harder having had a small taste of success in Detroit. It has me questioning whether we will ever make it to the Super Bowl, much less win it.

Now, pivot to the Buffalo Bills, the team of one of my work colleagues. Those poor souls in Orchard Park, enduring blizzards and heartbreak like it’s their job. Four straight Super Bowl losses in the ‘90s. Wide right, anyone? It’s like pitching a killer office design to a corporate giant, only for them to go with the cheap knockoff from overseas. Ouch. But Bills fans? They tailgate harder, chant louder and come back swinging. In the world of commercial furnishings, where trends shift faster than Josh Allen scrambles, that Bills-style grit is gold. The resilient exec innovates. They don’t whine. The Bills have been knocking on the door for years. Business lesson: Keep drafting talent, refine your scheme, and one day, that elusive ring (or contract) will land in your lap.

And don’t get me started on other perennial underdogs. Take the Cleveland Browns, who seem to be in eternal rebuild mode, like a company that’s always “restructuring.” Or the Jets, cursed since Namath. Fandom here builds character (or maybe calluses on your soul). We fans laugh through the tears. In business, when a deal tanks, learn the lesson and move on. It keeps the team motivated, prevents burnout and reminds everyone that failure is fertilizer for growth.

But enough doom and gloom. Let’s talk payoff, because patience demands betting on the long game. Enter Indiana University football, the Hoosiers, proof that even the most hapless can hoist the trophy with time and tenacity. For decades, IU was the Big Ten’s doormat. From 1968 to 2019, they had more losing seasons than winning ones. Fans like my wife’s Uncle Ed, a 50+ year season ticket holder to IU football, showed up anyway, braving Memorial Stadium’s echoes of defeat. Then, Curt Cignetti arrives in 2024, sparks a turnaround. And in 2025? Magic. A perfect 16-0 season, Big Ten champs, national title over Miami. They beat powerhouses like Ohio State not once, but twice. Fernando Mendoza fired passes like a wizard and the defense turned opponents into ghosts. It was like watching a startup go from garage tinkering to IPO unicorn.

How’d it happen? Patience, pure and simple (and a healthy dose of money). IU invested in coaching, recruited smart, built culture without panicking over its history of losing. In business, it’s identical. You don’t scrap a strategy after one bad quarter. Nurture it—refine processes, empower your people and weather the storms. I’ve seen it in the furnishings world: Companies like HNI and MillerKnoll didn’t dominate overnight. They endured market slumps, adapted to remote work shifts and emerged stronger.

So, next time your business hits a rough patch, channel your inner Lions or Bills diehard. Laugh at the absurdity, rally the troops and remember IU’s epic flip. Patience means working through the wait. In the end, whether it’s a Super Bowl or a soaring stock price, the resilient win. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to prep for another Lions season. Hope springs eternal…at least until Week 1.