Dr.FSBA: Or how being cynical leads to bliss

When you get your hopes up, you just set yourself up for disappointment.

It’s about time someone said this. I’m optimistic about the future of this team, but I’m not ready to proclaim this as the best draft ever because it is absolutely impossible to know at this point.

A cautious fan is still a good fan. Did you get the MJD Madden10 pics?

but i go into every year knowing that this could be the year……i am very optimistic and every move i think is a major move excites me. it gets me all hyped up. but I wont go around tellin everybody, " hey we are goin to the super bowl this year….". at the same time i know that this could be a year just like last year and hopefully not worse. but i do believe in this team fellas…. we have to. not only do the players have to surround themselves with positivity, the fans owe their share as well. we have to be there to cheer through thick and thin. you know how many people i have heard in this city say, “o, the jags suck……im not a jaguar”…. dude that hurts, but u know what……..im still a jaguar. we got to be there full blast and if we get our feelings hurt……………….so what?

Dillard will not be a starter if Walker, Northcutt, and Holt don’t all get hurt(or at least any 2 of them, and maybe even Thomas too).

then you die.

Is no fun. Who wants to be around that? There’s nothing wrong with being optimistic. What if I’m let down? You suck it up. It’s part of life. I start every year the same: “This the year!”, “I can’t wait to see how awesome my Jags are!”. When it doesn’t work out, and it has yet to work out, I look to the new day. I will die bright and idealistic. Why? Because in my experience, the sun rises everyday. Here it is again, burning through the fog. Go Jags!

This is the year. I’m optimistic I will learn to type accurately.

last year, I predicted that the Jags would finish last in the division and not make the playoffs. I made this prediction after the final preseason game. There were glaring weaknesses on that team and the Miami pre-season game really shined the light on them. But nobody wanted to hear and I was absolutely blasted on this board. I was wrong about the record – I didn’t think they would suck as bad at a 5-11 record (O-line injuries were not foreseen). I was very critical of some personnel moves. I feel vendicted on most (especailly Porter) and others we’’ll have to see.

Now we enter to 2009 season. I’m not ready to cannonize Gene just yet – but I have liked his personnel moves so far. He’s gotten rid of a lot of “rotting wood” so to speak. Overall, I liked his draft but question his 3rd round selections – especially giving up next years 2nd round pick for a thrid rounder rthis year. You make an excellent point about underwear ptractices. We had the same thing last year if you recall (especailly with Williamson -who incidently just plain can’t catch in real games, but he looks great in preactice).

My optimistic view would be an 8-8 record this season. There are still holes to fill and a lot of ?‘s to be answered. For example – MJD. I love tbis guy, BUT has anyoine considered the fact that he IS a small back and is extremely physical. CAN he withstand all the pounding for an entire season? DO we have a proven and viable releif back (this has become a 2 back league)? WILL the WR’s improve? WILL we EVER get A QB rush? How will our O-line perform? Can our LB’s improve their blitzing? Will Gerrard learn when to dump off the ball and not hold it too long and take sacks (bad O-line and WR’s who couldn’t get open were primary cause last year in my view)?

These are just some of the buring questions coming into the 2009 season. Practices will only tell us so much. We’ll get a better gauge when 1’s vs 1’s in preseaon starts. I DO expect this team to improve however.

GO JAGS!!!!

It’s nice to have a passionate debate of oposing viewpoints while being respectful of each other and openminded. I enjoyed the “banter”

Without those diehards, ticket sales would be compelling enough for higher ups to consider moving that teams to a different city, Pittsburgh has a diehard base and have had it since the steel curtain, its that spirit that keeps a fanbase alive. Our fanbase needs to be energized instead of the fanbase that allows blackouts, if you handle he odds that you are 1 team in a 32 team league and still think you got a chance, more power to you. This doesnt apply to consistantly mediocre teams like oakland and the 49ers.

“If I have learned one thing in life, it is to never get your hopes up.”

What a miserable existence. I hope that’s your outlook only on the Jags and not on everything in life. Maybe that’s the Detroit Lions’ philosophy, but that won’t work for the true Jag fans.

Now there’s such a thing as Unrealistic Expectations. No one should be screaming Super Bowl yet (like we did last year), but there’s no need to go to the other extreme and expect the Jags to suck, either. Even Stevie Wonder could see that if we can overcome all the injuries from last year, then we can get back to our winning ways of 2007.

And what’s with everyone trying so hard to temper the excitement over this year’s draft? Every year the Jags have had average drafts – we FINALLY drafted strong from top to bottom, WHY NOT GET EXCITED???

Eugene Monroe will be a better 1st rounder than Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, or Reggie Nelson. So will Eben Britton and the rest of the guys drafted. Does this mean the Jags will be 12-4 this year? Who knows!

I repeat, a true Jags fan will not be negative until you see the team start winning. Anybody can do that. Part of the fun of sports is that you enjoy the ride b/c none of us know what will happen. Who knew the Falcons & Dolphins would have the seasons they did? The Cardinals have been horrible as long as I can remember, but they almost won the Super Bowl.

Relax guys, stop trying to predict this future of doom and gloom, and Man Up! If we suck this year, we suck.

I am so glad to see that there are fans out there, just like me. Although an 8-8 record would be an improvement, I just cant settle for that. I know that this team has what it takes to go all the way. Am I going to declare that we will? Definitely not. But I know that we CAN. Every Sunday I strap up in my uniform just like the guys on the field, with my heart on my sleeve, literally. Was I upset we fell to the bottom of the division last year? Hell yes, of course. But I know with one or two less injuries and a little extra effort, we could have made the playoffs. So every year I set the bar high for my team. Do my feelings get hurt because we failed like we did?? Hell no, I enjoy every minute of every game, win or lose. This is what makes a die-hard fan. Im not saying some of you guys aren’t, but its not gonna hurt to believe that we CAN be an elite force in the league this year, and we very well could be.

I will be here for many years to come……

It’s all good…

I have to say this is one of the most entertaining to read articles I’ve read from you. It’s defnitely my flavor of article. Full of sarcasm and dry humor. I know that’s your style of writing, but this one hits on some very good points.

I think my stance is: When is the last time we saw a draft that had five potential starters? I think that’s my optimism. I’m not saying we’re going to do great this season. I think at best we’ll challenge for a playoff spot, but you hit dead on. I agree with everything you said. Your article brought me down to earth a little bit, but I still like to hold onto my optimism.

Ittersagen biography gone? Can someone put it back up, so we can discuss about him some more?

I am just making the case that doubt can get in the way of momentum. If we don’t believe, then who will? Think about it……..

Dont say “Ra Ra Fans”………..we are’nt cheerleaders………..

Thank you for your welcome……….I am elated for your support on my view. Keep it real and stay black and teal no matter what……..