FanPost

2010 Expectations: Kool Aid Immersion or Intangible-based Perfect Storm?

Okay, we've been warned. Expectations and goals are (or certainly should be) completely different animals. We have learned here and elsewhere how to apply (statistical) expectation to our difficult 2010 schedule and, any way you slice it, we know that we ought to reasonably expect to win 7, 8, or 9 games. Vegas agrees. Heck, I agree. But something keeps nagging at me; a voice that whispers (unreasonably), "we're going to do better." You may now be hearing the same message despite your reasonable nature. I admit it; my naggingly hopeful and optimistic voice does not offend or concern me. I can live with whatever happens, right or wrong, because I KNOW that processes (there's that Saban-Fisher word again) are in place that guarantee huge improvement in the team I root for over time. But I have had to ask myself, why does that voice persist so brazenly. I think I know the answer; FSU's fame, fortune and future sit atop a magnificent crest of intangibles--a perfect storm of good news for FSU--that seems to scream at reasoned expectation, "Shut up and sit down." So a question for you guys, has there ever been another NCAA football team that has had so many intangibles (see list below) working in concert to shock the reasoning world? (None of the listed symptoms are the product of my insight, my purpose is to recite them to explain (not justify) many of our seemingly "unreasonable" expectations.

  1. It's the defense that was broken, not the offense, and defenses are easier to fix.
  2. Lack of talent cannot nearly account for last year's dismal numbers, so coaching was overwhelmingly responsible for our standing in the NCAA stats. (Unprecedented in degree.)
  3. All those bad coaches are gone! (Rare.)
  4. The new coaches have brought with them a new, modern scheme. (Unprecedented in degree-- you have to be way out of date to change so radically to the plus side.)
  5. We were woefully small on the defensive side last year, suddenly, thanks to better nutrition and conditioning we are good-sized. (Relatively unprecedented.)
  6. Considering 2, 3 and 4 above, we have the rare scenario of a bunch of good athletes who are physically bigger and stronger who have been deeply embarrassed and want desperately to show the world. (Unprecedented. How often are really good collections of jocks absolutely humiliated then given the tools for redemption?)
  7. Because the D was sooo bad, our offense was actually undervalued--a decent D will give the O more chances, etc.

I cannot recall a program being so blessed with intangibles to juice up a turnaround. Can you? Have I misstated something? Missed something? I would not bet on our winning ten games, but because of the perfect storm of intangibles in Tallahassee I would also not bet against it. TN warned us last year that the D would be bad and I did not believe it. Turns out, TN was right and yet wrong, our D wasn't bad, it was abominable. The staff here saw it coming and so I am very respectful of the intelligence and wisdom at this site. Nonetheless, I am thoroughly convinced that we are going to see the best FSU football since 1999. Whether or not that shows up as wins beyond reasonable expectations is another matter. I don;t care. The anticipated improved product, fueled by excellent coaching and phenomenal intangibles, will be good enough for me.

We are back on the path.

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