that the Rebels have a really good year, win conference and make the tournament? Of course we'd all be happy about it, that's what we want.
But with the unstable nature of the season, which players are going to get it, which aren't, which teams get hammered by it, this strange back to back home game schedule in conference, school is much different... that's not even talking about the unpredictable nature of injuries.
I said this about all sports - every year the foundation for every sport is the same for every team. 162 games, 81 home and 81 away ... a 12 game season with a couple of bye weeks sprinkled in ... normal playoff formatting, normal days off, etc. And when we do comparisons, it's more apples to apples because the uncertainty of society will make this a season like no other. We will NEVER be able to compare this season to any other.
Gonzaga can go 17-0 and win the national championship and win their games by an average of 36.8 points and win every NCAA tournament by 20. They won't be the "last undefeated team", they won't be "the best ever", they won't be the most dominant team in the tournament ... any records .... any success ... even failure ... to me, it's asterisk stuff. All sports. At least in a historical perspective sort of way, which is how we all look back on teams.
From a competition standpoint, I'm fine with it. You play to win. Doesn't matter what's thrown in front of you. Rainy football game, suck it up, compete. No sleep at the hotel because of a couple of fire alarms in the middle of the night ... suck it up, compete. I love competition, love when it's pure and love when it's a battle to the end. So I'm looking forward to that part of it. Alot.
I actually think things will come together for the Rebels this year a little bit more (if no important extended injuries). I'm not sold on the Rebels or anything, though I think among conference peers, the Rebels will be pretty good. But no, I'm not sold on SDSU or Boise at all. If SDSU is the best in conference this season, I suspect they'll be tabbed 40-50 (?), no reason UNLV can't compete for league.
But, given the f'd up nature of 2020, it would be so UNLV to finally "win" conference, wouldn't it? I'll take it, but it's .... different.
But with the unstable nature of the season, which players are going to get it, which aren't, which teams get hammered by it, this strange back to back home game schedule in conference, school is much different... that's not even talking about the unpredictable nature of injuries.
I said this about all sports - every year the foundation for every sport is the same for every team. 162 games, 81 home and 81 away ... a 12 game season with a couple of bye weeks sprinkled in ... normal playoff formatting, normal days off, etc. And when we do comparisons, it's more apples to apples because the uncertainty of society will make this a season like no other. We will NEVER be able to compare this season to any other.
Gonzaga can go 17-0 and win the national championship and win their games by an average of 36.8 points and win every NCAA tournament by 20. They won't be the "last undefeated team", they won't be "the best ever", they won't be the most dominant team in the tournament ... any records .... any success ... even failure ... to me, it's asterisk stuff. All sports. At least in a historical perspective sort of way, which is how we all look back on teams.
From a competition standpoint, I'm fine with it. You play to win. Doesn't matter what's thrown in front of you. Rainy football game, suck it up, compete. No sleep at the hotel because of a couple of fire alarms in the middle of the night ... suck it up, compete. I love competition, love when it's pure and love when it's a battle to the end. So I'm looking forward to that part of it. Alot.
I actually think things will come together for the Rebels this year a little bit more (if no important extended injuries). I'm not sold on the Rebels or anything, though I think among conference peers, the Rebels will be pretty good. But no, I'm not sold on SDSU or Boise at all. If SDSU is the best in conference this season, I suspect they'll be tabbed 40-50 (?), no reason UNLV can't compete for league.
But, given the f'd up nature of 2020, it would be so UNLV to finally "win" conference, wouldn't it? I'll take it, but it's .... different.
