It's spring, truly, here in Tejas...South By's over, the weather's on the upswing (cool nights, warm days but still minus AC for the most part--and like back home in N. Fla., that won't last long), and, well, all it took was something small to turn my head to what it all REALLY means: Football. New season, new coach, new offense--hell, whole new outlook all around. I'm feeling it...
See, we were headin' out to this restaurant by Lake Travis, perfect place to eat'n'drink on warm days with long sundowns over water: one of those fresh spring days when "hope springs eternal" and it seems anything is possible. I'm driving over the dam just west of downtown and suddenly become aware that the license plate on the big ol' truck ahead with a bed full o' happy young men and women had one of those specialty Fla. plates with the big Gator-chompin' 'tween the letters and numbers. Honked 'em from behind, gave 'em the arms-extended "Eat 'Em Up/Chomp" sign as they made a left and we passed. They all broke out into cheers and big grins, relieved and happy, if surprised, to get support instead of jeers, deep-in-the-heart of Longhorn Country. One girl even yelled, "Gator Nation!!!"...But what really stuck in my head, last thing that came as we drove off, was someone else calling, "No one's gonna see us comin'!!!"
So I've been considering how I FEEL about all that, against the background of wanting to be fair, "realistic", give this coach, program and TEAM a chance to grow and find itself, knowing that it's only fair and in the long run best to accept the inevitable growing pains that will make this season in particular one that has its share of ups AND downs.
That said, I also figure this is the right and best time to just go with my gut, not worry about how I'm likely mixing what I wish with what I think. Sure, we are thin on the all-important O-line; we've got talent there but little depth. Same at WR, where we've got SOME experienced good ones and SOME promising new faces. The "smart word" is that our D is still our rock, our strength, and an "improved offense" should get us "a few more wins" than last year, a winning record and maybe even a "respectable in the SEC" outlook by the end of the year, "...IF we stay healthy..."
Well, I am gonna pull out all the ol' "hope springs eternal" STOPs here and take this, the right and perfect time, to chuck logic, reason and tempered-expectations out the window:
"I BELIEVE..." that if we DO stay at least somewhat healthy, just the "normal" bumps'n'bruises/"play-thru-the-pain" kind of stuff, this team, under this staff carrying out this Coach's vision, scheme and plan, can pull out a coupla shockers along the way, gather steam and make a real "We're BACK!" statement, maybe even in the mix for one of the post-season Big Ones by late-fall. NOT saying that they're gonna BE in the play-off (we all want that, and again, I BELIEVE we'll get there, and "soon"--but only a blind fool would PREDICT that for this year), but I am saying they could scratch and claw their way back into the national "consciousness" and media sports-talk before its over. As far as MY confidence and wild dreams, that "possibility" will have to suffice for now.
See, we were headin' out to this restaurant by Lake Travis, perfect place to eat'n'drink on warm days with long sundowns over water: one of those fresh spring days when "hope springs eternal" and it seems anything is possible. I'm driving over the dam just west of downtown and suddenly become aware that the license plate on the big ol' truck ahead with a bed full o' happy young men and women had one of those specialty Fla. plates with the big Gator-chompin' 'tween the letters and numbers. Honked 'em from behind, gave 'em the arms-extended "Eat 'Em Up/Chomp" sign as they made a left and we passed. They all broke out into cheers and big grins, relieved and happy, if surprised, to get support instead of jeers, deep-in-the-heart of Longhorn Country. One girl even yelled, "Gator Nation!!!"...But what really stuck in my head, last thing that came as we drove off, was someone else calling, "No one's gonna see us comin'!!!"
So I've been considering how I FEEL about all that, against the background of wanting to be fair, "realistic", give this coach, program and TEAM a chance to grow and find itself, knowing that it's only fair and in the long run best to accept the inevitable growing pains that will make this season in particular one that has its share of ups AND downs.
That said, I also figure this is the right and best time to just go with my gut, not worry about how I'm likely mixing what I wish with what I think. Sure, we are thin on the all-important O-line; we've got talent there but little depth. Same at WR, where we've got SOME experienced good ones and SOME promising new faces. The "smart word" is that our D is still our rock, our strength, and an "improved offense" should get us "a few more wins" than last year, a winning record and maybe even a "respectable in the SEC" outlook by the end of the year, "...IF we stay healthy..."
Well, I am gonna pull out all the ol' "hope springs eternal" STOPs here and take this, the right and perfect time, to chuck logic, reason and tempered-expectations out the window:
"I BELIEVE..." that if we DO stay at least somewhat healthy, just the "normal" bumps'n'bruises/"play-thru-the-pain" kind of stuff, this team, under this staff carrying out this Coach's vision, scheme and plan, can pull out a coupla shockers along the way, gather steam and make a real "We're BACK!" statement, maybe even in the mix for one of the post-season Big Ones by late-fall. NOT saying that they're gonna BE in the play-off (we all want that, and again, I BELIEVE we'll get there, and "soon"--but only a blind fool would PREDICT that for this year), but I am saying they could scratch and claw their way back into the national "consciousness" and media sports-talk before its over. As far as MY confidence and wild dreams, that "possibility" will have to suffice for now.
