EXERT & EXHALE
Jackson roams in and out of the lineup as a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens , you would then have to believe that the expectation he is setting is , at the very least , one additional win to last year ’ s 8-win regular season total – so , 9 wins in 2018 .
What is there to gain from such public confidence ? What is there to gain from keeping the expectation level high . Let ’ s investigate .
MEETING OR EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS
If Louisville ends up meeting or exceeding last season ’ s results ( that were akin to kissing your sister ), that will easily include wins over teams that the Cardinals weren ’ t able to beat last season .
If that were to happen , it would be a tip of the cap to Petrino , his coaching staff and his players . It would also be an annoying reminder of the season that could have been in 2017 – some would call it “ wasted ” – when the best quarterback in program history was finishing up his final season in a college uniform before heading to the National Football League .
FAILING TO MEET EXPECTATIONS
If the Cards fail to meet these relatively-lofty expectations set by Petrino , the seat gets hotter . And , I can promise you , the seat warmer was already tested to see if it was working last year . Add the wildcard of a new athletic director who hasn ’ t been afraid to tear up old contracts and write new ones in the infancy stages of his tenure . Vince Tyra has done many things to make sure his fingerprints are all over this revamped image of University of Louisville Athletics .
And who is to say Tyra wouldn ’ t want “ his guy ,” whomever that may be , at the helm of Louisville football ? A 2018 season that fails to meet the expectations set by Petrino might jumpstart that , especially for a coach whose base pay ( almost $ 4 million for 2018 ) was less than only Florida State ’ s Jimbo Fisher and Clemson ’ s Dabo Swinney when he signed his latest contract in 2016 and runs through 2023 .
But here we are . Petrino expects “ better ” in 2018 .
IF LOUISVILLE ENDS UP MEETING OR EXCEEDING LAST SEASON ’ S RESULTS ( THAT WERE AKIN TO KISSING YOUR SISTER ), THAT WILL EASILY INCLUDE WINS OVER TEAMS THAT THE CARDINALS WEREN ’ T ABLE TO BEAT LAST SEASON .
FANS ARE CATCHING THE EXPECTATION BUG
And if Petrino expects good things , so do his program ’ s fans , some of which are throwing out eight- , nine- , and ten-win seasons as a 2018 benchmark . And , by gawd , those may be right . It might be one hell of a year for the Cardinals . It won ’ t be the first time that Petrino has worked some magic with the right group . Count me in the group of people that have seen the “ Bobby Magic ” and wouldn ’ t be surprised if it returns .
But I ’ m going to need more evidence than what I got right now .
Fans with high expectations are going through the Cardinal schedule like the menu at Jeff Ruby ’ s – mouths watering at the victories they are sure to enjoy soon .
Even the staunchest of supporters have UofL dropping their opener to defending national champion Alabama . But , somehow , they believe that the Cards bounce back from last year ’ s debacles and turn 2017 losses to teams like Boston College and Wake Forest – neither of which have had a winning ACC season in seven years – into 2018 wins .
Why ? Because Petrino says you ’ re better ? Is that all it takes ?
How much have you seen of new quarterback Jawon “ Puma ” Pass ? Twenty-three career completions and a spring game ?
How do you know the opponents you lost to last season will be the same or worse , from a talent and coaching standpoint , this season ?
The answer to most of these questions is this : None of us fans know . All we really got are Petrino ’ s expectations for this bunch . And he erred in how he delivered those expectations to his fans after Lamar Jackson went to the NFL .
The correct course of action should have been to underpromise on expectations . And then overdeliver .
Because life is all about expectations .
THE WEDDING ISSUE : EXTOL 35