Nothing tries our patience at this time of year more than the congestion caused by last-minute Christmas shoppers.

Except maybe our beloved sports teams, players, coaches, executives and owners (though that’s really more of a year-round battle, if we’re being honest).

There can be a reward in demonstrating patience, even in the sped-up world of 2023.

Ask fans of the Denver Nuggets, who finally got over the championship hump by sticking with their 1-2 punch of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Or Philadelphia Eagles fans wearing “In Howie We Trust” T-shirts after once-demoted, much-maligned general manager Howie Roseman built a second NFC championship roster in five years. Or fans of the Boston Bruins, who retained head coach Jim Montgomery after a historic playoff choke and have the fewest regulation losses in the NHL this season.