What Was I Saying?

I think I was talking about how excited I was for football season. Cut to the last two weeks and that excitement has, shall we say, fizzled.

My poor Hogs. I am trying to find the balance between grieving unmet expectations and being a die-hard fan. It seems there is a war within the Razorback nation. On one side you have what I'm calling The Faithful. The Faithful seem to believe that it is utterly treacherous to lament over a loss; any loss. They have committed to see the season through, no matter what happens, and are apparently thrilled to get kicked in the teeth each week. On the other side you have The Enforcers. Those who want heads to roll with each and every loss because they had much higher expectations. It's an age-old war for Razorback fans, to be sure. I fall somewhere in the middle, trying to take a balanced approach to being a Hog fan. However, as my husband and friends will tell you, my behavior during the games is less than rational.

I can't excuse these losses like The Faithful when we're trying to run out the clock and our second string QB calls for the ball with 21 seconds left on the play clock. TWENTY-ONE. That ONE play could have been a difference maker in the ULM game. I can't accept that an entire offensive staff would choose to pass the ball all.three.downs. when clock management could have won that game. I won't accept winnable losses with a smile and that appears to be the difference between me and The Faithful. But I also won't call for firings and lynchings like The Enforcers.

I am a Hog fan through and through. Have they left me crying softly into my pillow for the last two weeks? Yes, because I want the Hogs to win. And I think I can have it both ways. Someday. And isn't someday what keeps us all cheering at the next game...and through the off-season...and the next season? It is for me. So I will be upset about our losses while continuing to have perpetual hope that someday we will win. I can be on both sides of the fence. Mostly because I don't think there should be a fence at all.