Why Does Everybody Have to Love Us So Much?

by Ivory Tower on Apr 8, 2009 11:54 AM EDT Comment 17 comments

Certainly, you read a short story similar to this one in college: Some bloke wakes up with ease on a Monday morning, inexplicably without the usual weekend hang-over. He makes his eggs for breakfast; they're fantastic. Checking his blackberry, he reads that he has been assigned to attend the conference in Perdido with the hot, single, flirtatious marketing director Kim. He lets out the dog. The dog craps in the neighbors yard. He has never liked his neighbors. Stocks are up. Sun is shining. His mother calls and, though she loves him, she has to cancel her visit. She's going antiquing in New England.

Maybe the story ends with a bus. Maybe the eggs were infected with some bacteria, and he is deathly ill on the trip to Perdido. Maybe he never makes it to Perdido. Maybe he makes it to Perdido, and Kim is actually a man, who has been hired to kill our hero. However the story ends, it ends badly. It has to.

You just can't keep getting these sorts of uplifting messages before BAM! A bus.

So, everybody, just stop it. No more SEC Title. No more BCS. No more. Just let me be the pre-season fifth pick in the West. That's where I'm happy. Give me Cutcliffe. Give me expectations of mediocrity. Because all this hype has left me perpetually afraid that all anyone is going to give me is the football equivalent of the stomach virus in paradise.

Please, don't love me anymore.

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Welcome to the world of elevated expectations.

It’s lonely at the top, ain’t it?

by artiger on Apr 8, 2009 12:26 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe it'll take some getting used to...

but in the long run, you want this Ivory. Do Florida, USC, and Ohio State start every season worried because someone ranks ‘em in the Top Ten before the first game is played? No. They’re pissed b/c they aren’t ranked 1st. These teams know just as well as anyone that the odds of going wire-to-wire are basement-low; however, they still want it.

I think if RCR is deadset on changing the culture of Ole Miss Athletics, y’all should go out on a limb every once in a while and say, "You (the reader) have chosen to be an Ole Miss fan. Accept the fact that we had a good season last year and quit your “I get scared of lofty expectations” attitude."

I’m not saying Ole Miss fans are afraid of success, but I do think we should seize this moment of success and run with it.

by Hunter C. on Apr 8, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions

I think you've got a good point here...

but I can count on one finger the number of seasons in a major three sport that have met or exceeded my expectations within the past 5 years.

by Juco All-American on Apr 8, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions

For what it's worth...

I think we’re going to kick the shit out of people next year.

by Whiskey Wednesday on Apr 8, 2009 12:55 PM EDT reply actions

After watching a few practices.....

I’m very concerned about the left side of our OL. That could put a damper on all our hype pretty fast. Here is to hoping Bobby Massie comes in ready to go.

by FinsUp on Apr 8, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Florida, BAMA, SC, UT all either have big spots to fill on O-line or not much depth. Georgia should be nasty on OL if they can stay healthy unlike last year. UGA needs to worry about their defense though. I’m worried about our OL too, but it’s nice to know that other fan bases are saying the same things about their teams. Do you guys think Neely has what it takes to play LT? I wish I had the chance to see him practice, but I haven’t.

I heard some UPig fan say that Massie was playing LT at Hargrave and Oden was playing LT. Does anyone know for certain which is true? I’m pretty sure the video I saw of him was at LT, but I can’t remember if that was high school or PG footage.

by Charles2006 on Apr 8, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

My bad. Meant to say I heard Massie was playing RT and Oden LT.

by Charles2006 on Apr 8, 2009 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes.

Massie was playing RT at Hargrave. Coach Prunty gave some reason that didn’t matter in his system or something like that.

by Juco All-American on Apr 8, 2009 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Think about it.

Massie was a 4-star stud with offers from everywhere coming into Hargrave. Oden was a 2-star with one offer. Oden was suited as a LT, and Massie probably could’ve played either. Prunty’s job is to get his players college scholarships. LT is also the most attractive position on the offensive line. It would only make since to put Oden, a player with plenty of potential, but not much publicity at LT while putting Massie, who had plenty of plubicity at RT.

by drcurly on Apr 8, 2009 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Oden played LT because he had more quickness and agility. Massie played RT because he was more the mauler type.

by Porcine on Apr 8, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I think everyone is concerned about the LT because of the dropoff. We just watched a LT play for 3 years that is going in the 1st round of the Draft. What do we expect besides his replacement not to look up to speed? I bet Alabama fans are saying the same thing despite Smith perhaps falling out of the 1st round.
We need these players to get lots of reps at the left side, and by the end of August practice, hopefully we have an excellent replacement for Oher. While I was never hugely impressed by Oher, obviously our coaches and the NFl scouts are. Expecting anyone to hop in at LT without a talent dropoff is ridiculous.

by monkey11508 on Apr 8, 2009 6:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Nice avatar

Powe with a fin, huh?

Take a picture, trick.

by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on Apr 8, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

Learn to reply

or let Juco All-American make post the comments for you.

by monkey11508 on Apr 8, 2009 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Damn, my inability to edit ruined my effectiveness.

by monkey11508 on Apr 8, 2009 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I hit the right button the first time

Shit got all screwed up. I know what I’m doing.

Take a picture, trick.

by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on Apr 8, 2009 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Feldman has a hard on for us because he spent so much time with these guys as Freshmen and sophomores.

remember that.

I put oooooon. I put on for tennessee.

by -David on Apr 9, 2009 1:32 PM EDT reply actions

Point taken...

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t believe (or at least relish in) the hype a little bit. This is huge for our players even if you don’t believe it. They see this and automatically want to work that much harder. Don’t get me wrong, I doubt our players spend their time on the interwebz “peepin out what dey be sayin bout my vart… vers…. vertik… how highs I be jumpin lolz” But, I’m going to continue to suggest that we, as fans, see this as a turning point in the program. It’s not like we’re Mississippi State and have never been a National contender. Who cares if it was 40 years ago, it happened; and once you’ve gotten over that hill once, the climb isn’t as tough.