Sorry for the late response.
If you think that hypotheticals aren't a relevant topic of discussion than why did you consiously open the thread, read the posts and then respond? If you don't want to let your imagination run wild or become a bandwagon jumper (really?) than simply dont participate in the speculation. There are threads that specifically related to "preparation for the next game" duscussions. I really don't understand the "vicarious role playing" that some of our fans have, and furthermore, why they deem it necessary to force feed the "one game at a time" BS on the rest of us.
It's as easy as not participating in the conversation.
So if I think that projecting to o far into the future is unwise, that it is just a way to jack one's expectations beyond reason, I should stay out of this thread? Really?
I don't think I am force feeding anything to you. You are expressing your views and I am expressing mine. I happen to think that a good many of the fans who start discussing Fiesta vs. Championship game will turn on the team if neither of those things pan out.
If there is any B.S. going down here it is your claim that you don't understand the vicarious role playing that "some" of our fans have. If you yourself were not in some way apt to putting yourself into the position of coach, player, etc. you wouldn't pay any attention to the game at all. What is it when you or I play coach and critique play calls? What would you call it when you or I scream at the TV to pull the qb? Why do so many of us refer to the team as "we" when we don't strap on the pads? It is because we lose ourselves in the game and allow oursleves to (on some level) believe we are part of it. You do it. I do it. And all it amounts to is a bit of vicarious role playing. We believe we know who should be on the field as if we were coaches. We pump our fist in the air when we scream "BLITZ" and they do blitz, and it works. Our heart rate increases when GA III hits a hole and we can see that he is taking it to the house, I myself stood up on Saturday and did a weird touchdown dance and gave out high fives at that point. You did something similar, I guarantee it. What is all of that if we aren't living vicariously through the players and coaches? Why do we vest ourselves emotionally in a football team? It is a bit of role playing. That is what being a fan is.
Nobody who says we shouldn't look too far down the line is doing it b/c they really believe it will have a direct impact on the mentality of the team. As I said I take that approach b/c I have found that looking too far ahead leads to disappointment. I try (not always successfully) to take one game at a time. I try to put the loss last week out of my head so that I don't become too negative. I try to temper my confidence after a big win so that I can be satisfied with an ugly win the next week. (I am not so stable that a loss ever feels good) That is my view and it is valid and perfectly reasonable to express it in this thread.
and of course I would rather watch ND in the NC game b/c the team would have a legitimate shot of winning if they did well enough to get in the game...win or lose I would rather be in the game
