Ahh, late August, what a great time of the year. It is pennant race time in baseball, students are back in school (okay this one isn’t great) and football predictions are coming out of the woodwork, from anyone and everyone who thinks that he or she has the slightest idea about the sport. And it seems that the common pick this year is for the Wolfpack to finish toward the bottom of the ACC this year.
I’ll admit it, I am one of those people who thinks they know something about sports. And I have made my prediction for the Wolfpack this season, one I won’t share in detail, but unlike many, it is a positive prediction. I believe this team will be bowling in January if it can stay healthy.
But I feel as though I am in the minority with this hope. All I hear, whether it is from the media or the Wolfpack faithful, is that this team does not have a chance for a bowl game based on its schedule and they way the defense played last year.
But I have faith, and I am going to try and give the fans some as well, but not in the way you might think. I am not going to sit here and talk X’s and O’s, but instead I will give you some examples of other sports teams that have played the underdog role and showed once again why predictions are , as Merriam Webster defines, “to declare or indicate in advance; especially : foretell on the basis of observation, experience, or scientific reason.”
Let’s go back to just four seasons ago. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons were coming off of a 4-7 (3-5 in ACC) season. The team had just lost its starting quarterback to a season ending injury and had been picked to finish 11th in the 12 team ACC. But the team rallied together and turned out an 11-3 season, winning the Atlantic Division and the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech en route to the BCS Orange Bowl game.
I’m not saying this is going to happen, I’m just suggesting fans not have a doom and gloom attitude before the season starts. Anything can happen in a football game and for that matter, a season. Any year could be the year where your team catches a break, comes together and goes on a run.
Another example of an underdog that defied expectations is the MLB’s 2008 Tampa Bay Rays. After finishing in dead last or second to last in the unbelievably tough American League East for 10 straight years, the former Tampa Bay Devil Rays dropped ‘Devil’ from their team name and went on to be the biggest surprise in baseball. The team went from worst to first, not only winning the AL East division crown, but going on to represent the American League in the World Series.
This shows another example of how preseason predictions are completely absurd and meaningless. I know for a fact coach Tom O’Brien does not care about them or let them affect him, but I can’t say that for all the players on the team.
They have been busting their butts off since they arrived on campus and the last thing they need to hear are whispers around campus about the lack of the faith the students have in them. Instead, they need to hear all about how the students support and have full confidence in the team and expect big things this season.
After talking to the players, they seem to be expecting big things for this season, implying that we should as well. So next time your friend or classmate asks you how you think the team will be this season, why not tell him some of the good things you expect from the squad this year and not harp on the bad things that have already been harped on enough over the past few years?
