Expecting to Win vs. Hoping to Win

[Ghost]

Please do not feed the trolls.

Great post, Norman. That is one road trip and game I will never forget. We were seated right in front of the band, too.

[/media]

MOAR!!!! that is not the band that plays at RJS.

[deters-]

These are the games I relished under Leavitt. I always thought we would come out on top and was never nervous before hand. Under Holtz, not so much.

[NewBullBacker]

As I student I read this and was extremely motivated. I showed it to my girlfriend and when she was done she was LITERALLY crying... Perfect way to set up before Saturday. Someone should pass this along to Skip for his pregame speech.

[CousinRicky]

On one of the Ball State blogs (Over the Pylon), one of the articles described the author's realization that, for the first time he could remember, he felt like Ball State expected to beat Indiana instead of hoping to beat Indiana. The article was well-written with plenty of inside information on Ball State's past.

Sadly, we have reversed. In these past few seasons, our fans hoped to win instead of expected to win. To some extent, I believe our players are there as well. They hope to fill the gaps on defense and hope that their offense makes mistakes. They hope their defense misses tackles and makes penalties. They hope their special teams miss blocks and fumble the ball or lose their concentration.

I've written before how the team doesn't seem inspired -- how we seem to be missing that spark, that Leader on the field. I am one of those "over 40" year-olds who went to USF before a football team begun. I know how it feels to not have a team to root for and have to settle on one of the "Big Three." But now, I have a team I can believe in and cheer raucously when we pull off the unbelievable (Nevada) and mope and yell at the TV when we lose (Ball State).

I love being a USF Bull.

I loved it last week when Daniels pushed the defender down by his helmet as he ran up the sideline. I loved it when Murray ran over people in the first drive. I loved it when Freakshow jumped over the defenders and took away the ball.

In 2009, I was in the stands with tickets bought by an FSU fan (my wife's uncle, a HUGE FSU fan, bought two tickets for us for the game) and I loved it when Nate Allen punished wide receivers coming over the middle and outside the first down marker. I loved it when Lamar out-juked FSU safeties enroute to a long gain. I loved it when Daniels saw the entire field and made great decisions. I loved it when our offensive line kept their D-line frustrated all day by making them run in place. I loved it that the coaching staff used the talents of the players and made FSU chase us all day.

We expected to beat FSU that day.

I was never more proud to be a Bull than that day (and that includes beating #5 WVU which I was in the stands for as well).

For this game, and for the first time in a long time, I expect Lejiste to lay another smack on a running back just bursting through the hole. I expect Giddens to be in the backfield harrassing Manuel. I expect Popek to manhandle their DE. I expect Murray, Lamar and Shaw to hit the holes with power and attitude. I expect Cosh, Fitch, Holtz and crew to take this game personally and wipe out any doubts about their abilities.

I expect there to be a packed house of green and gold shouting loud enough to be in FSU's ear all night long, even after the game.

I expect a win Saturday night.

Great post.

Why don't you volunteer to go into the locker room before this game on Saturday and give them a speech on the order of your post. My guess it would do more good than whatever the coaches have been saying to them.

[usfbullrider]

^{Here's something I read in the comments section of Auman's blog and I thought I'd pass it along here as well,}

usf_football43 2 days ago

I'm at a loss for words right now. Not even sure where to start with the current team and the noticeable lack of effort from multiple players. Mr. Lanaris can talk about accountability, but accountability is not the issue. The culture of the program has shifted dramatically, failing to incorporate what made USF successful from day one.

Mr. Giddens, you mentioned how 'swag' is lacking among this current group of players. When you came to the program as the most heralded recruit in our history four years ago and said 'Why not?' after snubbing the University of Florida, I never envisioned our program would take such a significant step backwards under your leadership.

Do you want to know what swag is Mr. Giddens? How about DeAndrew Rubin's 53-yard slant that buried Pittsburgh in 2001. What about Mike Jenkins stepping in front of a pass headed for the the hands of an Auburn receiver in 2007, silencing 80,000 Auburn faithful. Or maybe Jon Lejiste destroying a Florida State running back who dared to slip past our linebackers in 2009. Not to be outdone, Nate Allen annihilated a Florida State receiver who thought he could come across the middle on our safeties in the same game. That is what swag is predicated on. These players didn't talk about swag. Their actions on the field did.

There is no inherent fear among this group of players. The fear of failing drove the program from day one - the fear of failing the coaches, the fan base, the university, each teammate, themselves. Now, as we head into the biggest game in our history at home on a national stage against the highest ranked team to step on OUR field, the players are taking an introspective look at themselves. Unfortunately, I don't know if they get it. They lack the fear.

Mr. Lanaris... I insist that you can have my ticket in the stands this weekend. Let me suit up in your place. After I decapitate Chief Osceola before the game and pierce his head with his own flaming spear, I will treat every play as if it was my last play. And when there is no energy left in my body and they have to cart me off the field, one of my brothers will pick me up, take your jersey and will finish what I couldn't. You see Mr. Lanaris, that fire still burns in me on a daily basis as it does in the hundreds of players that stepped on the field before you. The green and gold blood that runs through our veins will go with us to our grave.

This program was built on a blue collar work ethic established in 1996. I don't want to believe that the foundation that was laid 16 years ago has been lost upon this current group of players. I challenge you Mr. Lanaris and your teammates to find the blue collar work ethic that has long been entrenched in the composition of the players that preceded this team.

Swarm to the ball. Punish the opposition. Pick each other up after every play. It's a blue collar recipe for success. I believe in you guys. Believe in yourselves. Get that 'swag' back.

Respectfully,

A South Florida Gridiron Alum

Edited September 26, 2012 by usfbullrider

[Ghost]

^{Here's something I read in the comments section of Auman's blog and I thought I'd pass it along here as well,}

usf_football432 days ago

I'm at a loss for words right now. Not even sure where to start with the current team and the noticeable lack of effort from multiple players. Mr. Lanaris can talk about accountability, but accountability is not the issue. The culture of the program has shifted dramatically, failing to incorporate what made USF successful from day one.

Mr. Giddens, you mentioned how 'swag' is lacking among this current group of players. When you came to the program as the most heralded recruit in our history four years ago and said 'Why not?' after snubbing the University of Florida, I never envisioned our program would take such a significant step backwards under your leadership.

Do you want to know what swag is Mr. Giddens? How about DeAndrew Rubin's 53-yard slant that buried Pittsburgh in 2001. What about Mike Jenkins stepping in front of a pass headed for the the hands of an Auburn receiver in 2007, silencing 80,000 Auburn faithful. Or maybe Jon Lejiste destroying a Florida State running back who dared to slip past our linebackers in 2009. Not to be outdone, Nate Allen annihilated a Florida State receiver who thought he could come across the middle on our safeties in the same game. That is what swag is predicated on. These players didn't talk about swag. Their actions on the field did.

There is no inherent fear among this group of players. The fear of failing drove the program from day one - the fear of failing the coaches, the fan base, the university, each teammate, themselves. Now, as we head into the biggest game in our history at home on a national stage against the highest ranked team to step on OUR field, the players are taking an introspective look at themselves. Unfortunately, I don't know if they get it. They lack the fear.

Mr. Lanaris... I insist that you can have my ticket in the stands this weekend. Let me suit up in your place. After I decapitate Chief Osceola before the game and pierce his head with his own flaming spear, I will treat every play as if it was my last play. And when there is no energy left in my body and they have to cart me off the field, one of my brothers will pick me up, take your jersey and will finish what I couldn't. You see Mr. Lanaris, that fire still burns in me on a daily basis as it does in the hundreds of players that stepped on the field before you. The green and gold blood that runs through our veins will go with us to our grave.

This program was built on a blue collar work ethic established in 1996. I don't want to believe that the foundation that was laid 16 years ago has been lost upon this current group of players. I challenge you Mr. Lanaris and your teammates to find the blue collar work ethic that has long been entrenched in the composition of the players that preceded this team.

Swarm to the ball. Punish the opposition. Pick each other up after every play. It's a blue collar recipe for success. I believe in you guys. Believe in yourselves. Get that 'swag' back.

Respectfully,

A South Florida Gridiron Alum

motherofgod.jpg

[Brad]

It has its own thread. The Sheriff is the author.

[mikebeau]

Please do not feed the trolls.

Great post, Norman. That is one road trip and game I will never forget. We were seated right in front of the band, too.

[/media]

MOAR!!!! that is not the band that plays at RJS.

must have lost their SWAG