The essence of tragedy is that ultimately people die. The hero in tragedy exalts the human spirit by struggling against the boundaries of the world. Ultimately the world, with its swords and germs and brain embolisms, defeats the hero, but in continuing to struggle, in resisting the pull of mediocrity, he gives us all hope. It may seem odd to us that the same people who patronised Aeschylus and Sophocles and Euripides were also crazy about athletic competition, but to them it did not seem strange. Human skill, strength, and courage are valuable but fleeting.
Muscles tear, bones break, cells wear out.
We quickly forget the team we thought we would always remember. It was good to watch and enjoy and cheer. But life, as the Greeks knew, is a matter of limits. Even if you have sent the ball soaring over the crossbar between the uprights perfectly all season long, the time will come when the ball will go just slightly to one side. Such is life.