There's such a fine line when it comes to winning and losing in sports.

Many NFL games are decided by a touchdown or less. If you're on the plus side of those games more often than not, you're in the playoffs.

The Steelers are a prime example of that.

Their final three games of the regular season were victories by the margin of one point over Green Bay, three points over Baltimore and six points over Miami.

But their previous five games were losses by seven points to Cleveland, three points to Oakland, Baltimore and Kansas City, and six points to Cleveland.

Check out nearly any team's run to the Super Bowl. They win games like that. Look no further than the Steelers' Super Bowl win of last season.

The common theory in Major League Baseball is that every team wins 50 and loses 50. It's what you do with the other 50 that determines your success or failure.

What you do in one-run games determines whether you make the playoffs. One-goal decisions in hockey work the same way.

A look at the playoff status of a few Butler County basketball teams further illustrates that fine line.

• The Slippery Rock University men's basketball team is 2-7 in the PSAC West, three games out of a conference tournament berth. The Rock has suffered losses of 82-80 to Edinboro, 76-73 to Clarion and 54-53 to Gannon.

Had it won those games, SRU would be 5-4 in the league and on solid playoff ground.

• Seneca Valley's boys basketball team reached the WPIAL semifinals last year. This year, the Raiders are on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff party.

Their 2-7 section record includes losses of 46-45 to Shaler, 52-50 to Butler, 66-64 to North Allegheny and 63-58 to Central Catholic.

Central, NA and Butler are the top three teams in the section. Turn around those close losses and SV is 6-3 and battling for the section title.

• Knoch's boys began this weekend half a game out of a playoff berth in its section. The Knights lost 58-51 to Deer Lakes in a game that wasn't decided until the final moments and 46-45 to Valley.

• Freeport's girls are 3-7 in section play with losses of 56-50 to West Shamokin, 45-41 to Deer Lakes and 28-23 to Ford City.

Win those and the Yellowjackets are 6-4 and making postseason plans.

The keys to winning close basketball games have been well-documented. Take care of the ball, make free throws and don't allow offensive rebounds.

Teams that do those things in the final two minutes of close games win them.

Those that don't, lose them.

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat wasn't just some catch phrase made up by the old "Wide World of Sports" TV program for posterity's sake.

It exists.

Compete in sports long enough and your heart will be broken.

You also build lifelong memories along the way.

It's worth the trade-off.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.