We've seen the predictions, and very few so far have Rice more than one place out of the cellar in CUSA West. But we've got several players on pre-season All-CUSA teams, better depth, a second year with a single system, and our intrepid beat reporter tells us that most aspects of team performance will be better. Further, several of our opponents have LOST key players. So what gives? Are we at fault because we love our team? Or are the "expert" predictions biased by last year's performance and a lack of research? Even without reports from MK or PTH, in our logical Rice-brains, we see a team that finished with 3 wins last year and lots of key starters returning and we think that the team would win AT LEAST as many as last year. But even with that it seems that most predictions have us actually WORSE than last year.
No doubt I'm at least a little bugged over my perception of a "lack of respect" but I'm not generally a big fan of that kind of thinking and I try not to let it cloud my judgment too much. So I end up worrying. Why is it that so many experts think we're going to perform so poorly?
Please let me be clear here: I'm on board with those who think Rice will do well this year. Yes, I'm optimistic, but also (I believe) realistic when I write this. Still, I have to admit to at least a little creeping doubt that we're looking through our blue and gray colored glasses. I guess I'm left with a couple of options: Shut up and deal with it and/or stop reading predictions.
Thank goodness the season's about to start.
If they're right, they look smart... if they're wrong, it's a once in a lifetime feel-good story that will sell more papers. there's really no risk for a publication to pick us last,.... how many subscribers are they going to lose??
Most sportswriters just want to get the piece published, they don't care about accuracy since nobody is going to check back at the end of the season to see how they did, and no bonuses ride on the accuracy, so they tend to do it as quickly as possible. Tulsa won 10 games last year, so pick them #1, Rice "never does well", pick them last. Fill in the rest, done. Now the outstanding players. Who's the top returning QB? The kid from Rice, pencil him him. The top receiver? Must be the one with the most yards, write him in. Get three more names, write them in, done, let's go get a beer. Start to finish, 10 minutes.
We fans on the other hand, we KNOW a lot about our team and something about the other teams. We follow who is doing well, who isn't. We KNOW that Tulsa lost a Smith and UCF lost a Smith, and that Rice is getting a Smith back. Most of those writers would have zero idea of what those Smiths mean. I think a consensus of the fans is worth more than a consensus of the writers. Where can we find this consensus? Las Vegas, for one - the consensus of the fans is that Rice is better than SMU, so they have to give the Ponies 3.5 points to get enough people to bet on them. BTW, I have my vote in - I mean, my bet down.
The optimists among us fans think/hope that most, repeat, most, of the good things that can/should happen for our team will, the pessimists expect most of them won't. So if we optimists are disappointed in the way things ultimately work out, we are pollyannas, but only in hindsight - we "should have known" that X was not going to play as well as hoped, that Y would be injured, that Z would get the marginal call. The pessimists can point and say "we told you so", but that is cold comfort. Pessimists have a win/win situation - either they are right or they have a winner. But I would still rather be an optimist - it's no fun anticipating a bad season.
I definitely hear you, Brookes. If you're a gambler, this is the time to make hay - we are going to stomp SMU.
If we get the kicking game, defense, and rushing attack fixed, we'll be a pretty good football team.
If we don't, we won't.
One or two of the three, and we'll be somewhere around .500. Defense and kicking game probably mean more than rushing attack.
The question was ... "Are we Pollyannas"?
Pollyanna is typically defined as someone who finds something to be glad about in every situation.
I don't think the Parliament consensus is Pollyanic.
I hear you. I think about the same stuff sometimes, then realize that a lot of those writers likely have never been to a Rice game or did their research right anyway. Still, it seems to me like the local journals seem to give us more credibility than all of those national publications.
Overall, while the lack of respect is definitely baffling to me, I'd rather be the perceived underdog in every single game we go into rather than start off overrated and come crashing down. That said, I am optimistic we have a chance to win every single game we play this season other than the UT game (even so, I hope UT chokes big time).
The question was ... "Are we Pollyannas"?
Pollyanna is typically defined as someone who finds something to be glad about in every situation.
I don't think the Parliament consensus is Pollyanic.
OK, a definition is a good idea. I was thinking more that a Pollyanna ignores the negative to see only the positive.
I figured by now that I'd have a more pessimistic response (hey Talon!) and I'm glad to see that hasn't happened so far.
I have given up on the respect issue and have come to realize there is a knowledge issue. Not many have an in depth knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes and which teams are making the most silent improvements.
That being said until we show we can play any kind of D and STs it makes us an easy pick for last, plus there are too few of us who buy their magazines.
Whatever respect we earned two years ago eroded in a dreadful season last year and we are again at square one.
I suspect being a Rice fan is much like being a Cub fan, just not as popular. The time has come for the boys to win back that respect. They know what it takes - they have done it before - I know they will do it again.
Our climb will come, but it won't be easy. SMU is going to be good as they have virtually dropped their academic standards and will bring in athletes. They have a great stadium and word is they will soon be building an all-weather practice facility. Tulsa will continue to bring in JUCOs and has built a very nice facility, plus they have a recent winning streak. UTEP has state funds that have built a super athletic complex and they take anyone academically - and morally. This league is getting better. We have to get better - much, much, better.
I think we have made giant strides in recruiting, now we have to show something on the field.
To quote my "Curmudgeon's Calendar":
An optomist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds.
A pessimist knows it is.
As the one who predicted SMU would win. Yes, I think you are all a bunch of pollyannas.
