The whole "this team needs to lose a game" argument

[Marsh01]

Drives me crazy. I had a meeting this morning at 7:30 (I still sounded like Peter Brady because of all the screaming I did last night) and the one guy said to me that he was actually hoping we got beat now so the "pressure would be off". I almost punched him. argument. Win every freaking game.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Hopefully, if and when the shots/plays that we've made in the last few minutes of the game aren't made, it's not in late March

 

[llandz]

I was with the lose one game camp. I've since changed my mind. This team could go all the way. They have NO FEAR!! Coolest group I have ever seem. Ennis is a pure ice in his veins player.

 

[CorduroyG]

jb disagrees too. francesa asked him about that, jb said the more pressure you have now the better youll be able to handle it in the tournament. so the pressure of being undefeated will only help us in march.

 

[BludOrange]

Do boxers lose a fight to get prepared for their next bout?
Does Tiger think he should lose the week before the master's?
Let's lose game 6, it will help us win game 7.

You should have...

, WIN EM" ALL!!!

 

[mike32768]

I was with the lose one game camp. I've since changed my mind. This team could go all the way.

I think that misses the point. The "lose one game" theory - as I understand it - is that by losing a game, the pressure's off - NOT that it was ever impossible to go all the way.


I was for it (the "lose a game" theory) before I was against it.
My thought now is - what purpose would losing a game serve?

Would it "teach them a lesson"? What lesson - to play better all game rather than be nearly perfect in the last 5 mins?

I think they are doing just fine as is.

LGO

 

[tee1222]

Agree, Marsh. Winning makes us stronger, not the "I really hope we lose so we know what it's like, pressures off, etc". That's just loser talk!
Just win, baby.

 

[orangefan13]

Lose a game this team already knows what it has to do better, do you think they said during the game last night we will wait to the last 4 minutes to finally go on a 12-2 run? I am sure they didn't.

Its a stupid argument. People think losing one makes a difference. If id did we would have been number one over arizona for blowing people out the last 2 months and finally had one bad game, instead of winning 4-5 close games instead.

 

[jordoo]

The problem with that theory is its a losers mentality. Our team is made up of a bunch of winners we may lose but they want to win everyone they want the pressure and they can handle it.

 

[NKR1978]

At this point the team is playing for history. I don't see any good a loss would do.

 

[ROCuse]

It'd be different if we were blowing opponents out and never getting behind in games. Maybe the point of the "needs to lose a game" argument is that it gets the players a taste of what it's like to play from behind and try and spark a comeback.

We are plenty comfortable doing that it seems.

 

[BludOrange]

SU is re-writing the ACC record books in it's first year in the conference. This is huge for the program now and for years to come. The attention we are getting is at a peak and will stay there as long as we keep winning. Other than ESPN possibly sending Schwartz on a witch hunt again, the attention is great for recruiting and growing our fan base.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

Just keep winning. This team is locked in!!

 

[BonaCuse]

jb disagrees too. francesa asked him about that, jb said the more pressure you have now the better youll be able to handle it in the tournament. so the pressure of being undefeated will only help us in march.

Said the same thing with TK and MW on PTI last week.

it-Lets win out.

Pitt.

 

[newmexicuse]

I actually think a loss would increase the pressure on this team because the margin of error to win the ACc and get a #1 seed will be diminished.

 

[realorange]

The Wichita State coached was asked the same question and he said you can learn from winning what you need to improve on. JB has made similar comments.
The whole lose one might only have some traction if you had a cocky bunch of players who needed to learn they could lose if they didn't put forth the right effort.

 

[RF2044]

I understand the conventional wisdom--losing a game takes some pressure off, you're not chasing perfection in addition to having to focus on elimination games, etc.

But I don't think conventional wisdom applies to this team. They eat pressure's soul. They are poised as hell. They won't get tight or frantic or erratic when the game's on the line. They don't panic. Losing a game wouldn't help this team one bit.

So I guess there's only one thing left to do [for all of you Major League fans out there]: win the whole !@#$ thing.

 

[jncuse]

Its a good spin to use after a loss to feel better.

But it makes no sense to actually want the loss. NONE.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah I don't get it at all.

I can't see it adding any pressure in the tournament. So the teams who aren't undefeated don't have as much pressure on them in the tournament? I don't buy that for a second.

 

[jncuse]

31-3, 32-2, 34-0... you feel the same pressure, and the opponents are gunning for your just as hard.

We are not 1991 UNLV who destroyed teams all year. We have faced plenty of pressure situations already.

 

[orangenirvana]

Drives me crazy. I had a meeting this morning at 7:30 (I still sounded like Peter Brady because of all the screaming I did last night) and the one guy said to me that he was actually hoping we got beat now so the "pressure would be off". I almost punched him. argument. Win every freaking game.

This guy sounds punchable. If I were there I would have punched you for not punching him.

 

[Cusefan0307]

It's the same argument people had that they wanted Duke to beat Pitt because if they didn't beat Pitt they would be that more fired up to beat us. Some people are way to superstitious. Each game is its own entity, and has no affect on the other.