Check it out, the sun rose. I got out of bed. Had my family time and came to work. Ate some breakfast. Did my usual routine. See? Life goes on. Time to move on from this game and enjoy life a bit.
That being said, being a well known Dayton fan at work and working with a bunch of Flyer fans, I had to do some cheering up of them and myself. I asked them if this would be easier to digest if you took the X of that team's chest, and most said yes. It's forced me to reflect on the game last night and what it means to the program and me as a fan going forward this season. I'm here to tell you there's more long term positive to this loss than in the short term.
The coaches and players know this, and as fans we should too. I'm looking forward to seeing them learn. It will be fun to watch. I'm behind this team, no matter how much the short term pain hurts, I'm in it for the long term. Go Flyers!
That being said, being a well known Dayton fan at work and working with a bunch of Flyer fans, I had to do some cheering up of them and myself. I asked them if this would be easier to digest if you took the X of that team's chest, and most said yes. It's forced me to reflect on the game last night and what it means to the program and me as a fan going forward this season. I'm here to tell you there's more long term positive to this loss than in the short term.
- Short term is the raw feeling of it being Xavier. Short term is how their fans are reacting. They feel an inherent need to be classless and validate everything about their program. For as much as they like to say they don't care about UD, just take a glance at their sites. For them to say it is our 'superbowl' is misleading. For a team that is supposedly above us in the 'vaunted' Big East, they're acting like petulant children who finally go their way. I mean some of their fans put that Sam Miller stillshot as their avatars. Strange behavior for people who claim to care nothing for UD. For me, that's short term hurt, that the team couldn't shut those people up.
- Short term is people jumping off the ledge regarding the game. It's one game people. It's marathon, not a sprint.
- Growth. Outside of Vanderbilt, and quite possibly URI/GW, that was our toughest game of the year. X is a bigger team with more upper classmen. All our subs are underclassmen. if this is the worst performance by the team this year (as I expect it to be), so be it.
- Timing. It's early in the season. If this had happened later, there'd be cause for concern. It's 6 games in, we've got what, 24 more to go? This team will be better in the future, Archie keeps hammering that point home. I agree.
- Opportunity. Dayton has a nice window of opportunity for improvement. Take a day off. Clear the heads. Use the recovery boots. Go for a mind clearing jog or do whatever it is you do. Come back stronger. Show the nation this was a fluke loss like we all know it was.
The coaches and players know this, and as fans we should too. I'm looking forward to seeing them learn. It will be fun to watch. I'm behind this team, no matter how much the short term pain hurts, I'm in it for the long term. Go Flyers!
