When a student, I was a member of the collegiate basketball team. It was mainly composed of bookish students. Only one could be counted as natural athlete, another half-qualified. That's why we were defeated nine out of ten games. Our spirits, however, had never dampened, for we were a cheerful team. None would strive to get into the spotlight when we were gaining the upper hand nor would we blame each other when we were losing. Thus a cordial relationship between members prevailed in our team. Most recommendable of all was our morale which never lowered. Our sportsmanship also remained good. We persisted in carrying on to the last when suffering great loss. We knew we had done our best, showing no regret at failure. To the rest of the students our team was a good one though it lost the game. They kept encouraging us and none of them was disappointed. Recently I have avoided watching games, not even at a TV live coverage, still less to the match in person. That's because I know I couldn't control myself. When watching a match, I'll inevitably take sides and be emotionally involved, strongly wishing for the triumph of the side over its opponent. As I often side with the 'weaker' in a match, watching it will only spell worry and misery for me. Not long ago when I accompanied my wife to a super world tennis match my horizons broadened as regards sports competition. It seemed to me that wins and losses were relative and transient. What mattered was the ever-higher level achieved through contest. Victory was a result of all the efforts made by both sides. As one of the audience, I should applaud the energetic performance of both to the neglect of the result. Why should I regard the contest as a life-and-death struggle, the winner as survival and the loser as dead? The basketball team was often defeated because ______.