09-15-2015, 02:04 PM
1. Support the team no matter what. This means buying tickets, showing up at training camp or other events throughout the year. Do whatever you can to show the team you are with them in good times and bad.
2. Ignore the national media. They don't like us or they don't care enough about us to do proper research about the team. When we do well, they will gloss over our accomplishments. When we do poorly they will pile on or ignore us completely. Don't expect praise or even decent coverage. The media darlings are easily identified. So are the outcasts.
3. This one is gonna be tough for many of you. EXPECT TO LOSE EVERY SINGLE GAME WE PLAY. This fan base is loyal and they deserve a winner. But we have also proven to be a bunch of crybabies as evidenced by the overwhelming support of blowing up the front office after a week 1 loss. This franchise has been a laughing stock, an afterthought, an abomination for almost a decade. Yet this fragile fan base still cannot handle losing games. You'd think we would be used to it by now. I'm not saying you should like it or accept it, but if we are playing the Orange Park JV high school team, expect to lose the game by double digits. By expecting to lose every single game, you allow yourself the chance to be pleasantly surprised by a victory. And you won't set yourself for disappointment. By expecting to lose, you can be more objective as to whether or not the team is actually getting better and will be able to set realistic expectations on how long it takes for a player to develop instead of assuming a guy will automatically be a stud since he was drafted high for a need position. By expecting to lose, you won't open yourself up to public ridicule for posting silly statements like, "Josh McDaniels can turn this team into a winner." Losing sucks. For the fans, the players, the coaches and the front office. You are not supposed to like it. But we have been a bad team for a long time. Our last GM took Gabbert over JJ Watt and a punter over Russell Wilson. The cupboard was bare when the current regime got here. We are going about a rebuild the right way and have improved the quality of the roster significantly. We really only swung for the fences in free agency this offseason. We should expect improvement by now. But since we have also proven to be so insecure and impatient, it would be better for all of us to expect a winless season. That way we can have an unfiltered perspective on whether or not this team is actually getting better or if they still stink on ice without getting all emotionally butt hurt. Liberate yourself so you can see areas where this team is indeed getting better and more competitive. Because this team IS getting better and the wins will come. LOSING is not acceptable. But freaking out and spouting the nonsense I have seen on this board after one loss is ridiculous. It'd be better for everyone if you just set the expectation we are a bad, but improving team for yourself as a fan. Knowing we have players, coaches and an owner who are sick of losing and working to change the culture in the building. Let them carry the burden of expecting to win every week. As a fan base we have proven to be too immature and fractured to handle that pressure.
2. Ignore the national media. They don't like us or they don't care enough about us to do proper research about the team. When we do well, they will gloss over our accomplishments. When we do poorly they will pile on or ignore us completely. Don't expect praise or even decent coverage. The media darlings are easily identified. So are the outcasts.
3. This one is gonna be tough for many of you. EXPECT TO LOSE EVERY SINGLE GAME WE PLAY. This fan base is loyal and they deserve a winner. But we have also proven to be a bunch of crybabies as evidenced by the overwhelming support of blowing up the front office after a week 1 loss. This franchise has been a laughing stock, an afterthought, an abomination for almost a decade. Yet this fragile fan base still cannot handle losing games. You'd think we would be used to it by now. I'm not saying you should like it or accept it, but if we are playing the Orange Park JV high school team, expect to lose the game by double digits. By expecting to lose every single game, you allow yourself the chance to be pleasantly surprised by a victory. And you won't set yourself for disappointment. By expecting to lose, you can be more objective as to whether or not the team is actually getting better and will be able to set realistic expectations on how long it takes for a player to develop instead of assuming a guy will automatically be a stud since he was drafted high for a need position. By expecting to lose, you won't open yourself up to public ridicule for posting silly statements like, "Josh McDaniels can turn this team into a winner." Losing sucks. For the fans, the players, the coaches and the front office. You are not supposed to like it. But we have been a bad team for a long time. Our last GM took Gabbert over JJ Watt and a punter over Russell Wilson. The cupboard was bare when the current regime got here. We are going about a rebuild the right way and have improved the quality of the roster significantly. We really only swung for the fences in free agency this offseason. We should expect improvement by now. But since we have also proven to be so insecure and impatient, it would be better for all of us to expect a winless season. That way we can have an unfiltered perspective on whether or not this team is actually getting better or if they still stink on ice without getting all emotionally butt hurt. Liberate yourself so you can see areas where this team is indeed getting better and more competitive. Because this team IS getting better and the wins will come. LOSING is not acceptable. But freaking out and spouting the nonsense I have seen on this board after one loss is ridiculous. It'd be better for everyone if you just set the expectation we are a bad, but improving team for yourself as a fan. Knowing we have players, coaches and an owner who are sick of losing and working to change the culture in the building. Let them carry the burden of expecting to win every week. As a fan base we have proven to be too immature and fractured to handle that pressure.