I knew I would be disappointed, but I had no idea how much so until seeing the Seattle Mariners defeat the Detroit Tigers in the decisive Game 5 of their American League Division Series (ALDS).

It was weird. But, as I was watching the final game of that series, all I could think about is please let it be Detroit. And I have some good, er, maybe not good, but I have reasons!

Not because they would be an easier out for the Toronto Blue Jays (the Jays are the better than both the Tigers and the Mariners), but because it would feel like a real playoff rivalry series.

Jays-Tigers has a nice ring to it and would take a lot of us back to the 1980s when both teams were awesome and battling it out for division titles. Don’t forget the Maple Leafs-Red Wings rivalry when they used to play in the NHL’s Norris Division, plenty of good playoff battles there.

Heck, even the Raptors and Pistons duked it out once in the NBA Playoffs in 2002 with the home team winning every game in the best of five first round tilt (Detroit won the series 3-2). There is a history there. It would have been a real playoff series with the full aura of October baseball on display.

Alas, it was not to be and we’re stuck with the Mariners.

One of the reasons I was dissatisfied with the result was because Seattle-Toronto doesn’t feel like a true rivalry in any sport. Even when Toronto FC-Seattle Sounders were battling in three straight Major League Soccer MLS Cup finals (Seattle won two of the three), it never felt like a rivalry was brewing.

I’m mean it’s Seattle. It’s meh or mid or whatever non-consequential word you want to use to describe that place and its fans. It’s all the way on the Pacific coast, which means there are no geographical or natural rivalries able to take hold.

I don’t know why I don’t like Seattle sports teams or the fans . . . I guess they’re just kind of . . . there.

It’s not even that I don’t like them – not in the adversarial way I feel about Boston or New York or Montreal fans – but in a “they’re west coast cringey and annoying” kind of way.

From their forced cheers and props and chants to October baseball that needs placards which read “seize the moment,” fans in Seattle don’t match-up to those on this side of the continent.

Plus, a Game 5 crowd that really wasn’t as loud as they should have been for a series decider, kids wearing good luck shoes and sandals on their heads, and some of the weirdest looking costumes this side of Comic Con. No wonder one guy was yawning during extra innings – it lacked the true energy of a real sports crowd.

Seriously, they couldn’t even get a proper MVP chant going for the phenomenal Cal Raleigh. And then there’s this classic from their MLS “supporters” group . . . watch and then compare to the songs, chants, and rhythm at BMO Field in Toronto – that sums it up perfectly.

To paraphrase my teenagers – “that dude is cringey AF twin.”

Toronto fans may be annoying to some, but it’s because we’re so into our teams that the passion we tend to come off as arrogant at times.

New York, Boston, and Montreal fans are true rivals. We love and respect their downright balls-to-the-wall passion for their teams. It’s the difference between living in North American sports Meccas and just having some pro teams show up because there is money to be made.

Ed Note: Also, props to Chicago and Minnesota and Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Unfortunately, the Seattle folks just can’t match the passion that exist in other parts of North America. It doesn’t make them bad people, just uninteresting sports fans. It must be something in the air or the water out there.

There are also actual on field/on court results that annoy me as well. See the above two-of-three MLS Cups (Seattle only deserved to win one – the third one).

Three years ago, the Mariners swept the Jays 2-0 in the Wild Card Round – winning both games at the SkyDome, including a 10-9 come from behind win in Game 2 after trailing 8-1. It didn’t feel right. Like it was some form of aberration in the sporting world.

But, it spills over to the NFL too. I’m a Minnesota Vikings guy. The 2016 Wild Card loss to an inferior Seattle Seahawks team – by a 10-9 score – was ridiculous. It was the kind of annoying win Seattle teams excel on.

That 10-9 score thing bothers me way more than it should.

Other things about Seattle that annoy me include wasting opportunities with some of the greatest athletes ever, such as the Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. (never even played in a World Series), the Supersonics Shawn Kemp (one finals appearance, zero titles), and almost doing the same to the Supersonics Gary Payton (thank you Miami for getting The Glove a ring).

And how about throwing the ball against the New England Patriots from the one-yard line when handing the ball off to the beast Marshall Lynch to run it down their throats was the right call. Of course the throw was intercepted and Tom Brady has an extra ring because the Seahawks couldn’t play call properly. A straight up annoying move – perfect for a team from Seattle.

There are other annoying instances, but those are just a few that really stand out.

The worst part is that despite the above, I don’t really hate Seattle or their fans. No, that type of passion is reserved for cities and teams that matter. It’s more like I’m annoyed they’re in the same leagues as real sports cities.

On that note, Game 1 of the American League Championship Series goes Sunday, October 12 at 8 p.m. The Jays will have a huge advantage after dismissing the Yankees in four games and protecting their starters as much as possible.

The Mariners are coming across the country and had a 15 inning marathon at home against Detroit that started Friday and finished Saturday.

Let’s hope the Jays take advantage, spank them at home both games and then finish the job in four or five. But, seeing as Seattle tends to be super annoying, this series is probably going six and I’m fairly certain at least one of those games is going to be 10-9 for Seattle.