I'm just not into doom and gloom

[Reborn]

and thinking like a paranoid about all the things that can go wrong, and about "danger lurking around every corner." I also know that the Zags don't think that way nor should they.

I think that they are thinking about the next game, be it Santa Clara or USF. I think that they are as focused, and maybe even more then they have been this year. This IS a team that has taken it one game at a time and has stayed focussed all year. Why should that change?

I believe that the Zags have had team goals all year long and they are slowly moving toward them. I believe they have achieved their first goal which was to win the conference championship. I do not believe that the polls motivated them at all, but rather it was winning the conference title that kept them focussed. I also believe their second goal was to win the conference tournament, and they are set to do that now.

I do believe that by now they know they have a special team, and a special chance to go deep into the tournament in March. I think that this realization will motivate them even more to work harder and stay foucssed rather than to ease up and enjoy all the media and fan hype. And if the guys somehow forget their purpose then I know the coaches will remind them that they will not even win the next game if they do not get prepared for it and work hard for it. I have seen so much improvement in the Zags in the last three weeks; so I know they have been working hard. And I know they know that they need to get even better and will commit to the hard work it takes to get better. Even though the Zags have played quite well this year, they have not played good enough to win the NCAA tournament. I think they know it, and I also believe they will commit to get even better.

Because I believe in their committment to improve by working hard, I really do feel that they will not play with fear but will play with confidence this weekend, and that they will win the conference tournament. The games might be tough, and they could be close. It doesn't matter. In the end, like so many times before they will find a way to win.

Go Zags!!!

[stevet75]

Reborn, some years I think you are a little too positive, but this year I'm buying into what you are selling.
These Zags are talented, focused and know how to win.

[NumberCruncher]

and thinking like a paranoid about all the things that can go wrong, and about "danger lurking around every corner." I also know that the Zags don't think that way nor should they.

I think that they are thinking about the next game, be it Santa Clara or USF. I think that they are as focused, and maybe even more then they have been this year. This IS a team that has taken it one game at a time and has stayed focussed all year. Why should that change?

I believe that the Zags have had team goals all year long and they are slowly moving toward them. I believe they have achieved their first goal which was to win the conference championship. I do not believe that the polls motivated them at all, but rather it was winning the conference title that kept them focussed. I also believe their second goal was to win the conference tournament, and they are set to do that now.

I do believe that by now they know they have a special team, and a special chance to go deep into the tournament in March. I think that this realization will motivate them even more to work harder and stay foucssed rather than to ease up and enjoy all the media and fan hype. And if the guys somehow forget their purpose then I know the coaches will remind them that they will not even win the next game if they do not get prepared for it and work hard for it. I have seen so much improvement in the Zags in the last three weeks; so I know they have been working hard. And I know they know that they need to get even better and will commit to the hard work it takes to get better. Even though the Zags have played quite well this year, they have not played good enough to win the NCAA tournament. I think they know it, and I also believe they will commit to get even better.

Because I believe in their committment to improve by working hard, I really do feel that they will not play with fear but will play with confidence this weekend, and that they will win the conference tournament. The games might be tough, and they could be close. It doesn't matter. In the end, like so many times before they will find a way to win.

Go Zags!!!

Love your posts, Reborn. Always make me want to get out there and compete ( not that I was ever anywhere close to being capable of that ). If I were advising players about the GUBoards, I would advise them to only read Reborn's posts.

[BobZag]

Fish on!

Hahahah. I won a bet.

[Oregonzagnut]

I tend to think the gloom and doom is half humorous reverse psychology and half being tired of not getting past the S16 and prepping ourselves for the letdown. Not much of that now.

Leave the Gloom and Doom to Grambling St. and the other 8 teams in the WCC who are praying to get one last chance to beat the Zags.

[adoptedzag]

[BobZag]

j/k, reborn. The doom brings out the best in you. We all enjoy that. #ZagUp

[Oregonzagnut]

j/k, reborn. The doom brings out the best in you. We all enjoy that. #ZagUp

Reverse psychology! I knew it.

[Reborn]

j/k, reborn. The doom brings out the best in you. We all enjoy that. #ZagUp

We go together like yin and yang, or night and day. We have shared this board together for years now, Bob, and I have no greater respect for anyone on the board then I have for you. I know your game well, and as we know now you know mine. We play on the same team, but we are different players who use our skill and love for our team in different ways.

I feel no more secure before a game then when I see you post your gloom and doom on The Board. And Bob, you've gotten alot more creative with your posts, and I applaud you for that because as we both know it's difficult to keep saying something that we think will help us win, but to say it in a new and different way. Oh, btw, I loved your Sunday night's threads on whether we thought we'd advance in the polls. Hope you keep that up next year.

I'm also glad you won your bet. I hope I helped you win alot.
And keep bringing out the best in me.....thank you, BZ..

ps I also like your signature...."Zagup" Short and sweet kind of like Go Zags!!!

[snebzag]

I'm buying into BZ's theory. Reborn, you are not here in Spokane.
It is mass Hysteria:
-Dogs and Cats living together
-Large giant cakes in the shape of the number one.
-Tee shirts proclaiming our current ranking in AP and USA Today coaches poll.
-You can't go through the corner Market w/o Zag talk from the butcher, checkers, deli, Bakery and produce employees.
-Brand new sweatshirts on people of all ages around every corner.
-People talking about David Harris and Kelly Bell Jr.
I get a little doomsday scared with all the Hype. But I do feel staff will keep this group grounded and focused on the next goal, and the next goal. They are special.

[DZ]

I'm buying into BZ's theory. Reborn, you are not here in Spokane.
It is mass Hysteria:
-Dogs and Cats living together
-Large giant cakes in the shape of the number one.
-Tee shirts proclaiming our current ranking in AP and USA Today coaches poll.
-You can't go through the corner Market w/o Zag talk from the butcher, checkers, deli, Bakery and produce employees.
-Brand new sweatshirts on people of all ages around every corner.
-People talking about David Harris and Kelly Bell Jr.
I get a little doomsday scared with all the Hype. But I do feel staff will keep this group grounded and focused on the next goal, and the next goal. They are special.

Funny post. Good job.

[Reborn]

I'm buying into BZ's theory. Reborn, you are not here in Spokane.
It is mass Hysteria:
-Dogs and Cats living together
-Large giant cakes in the shape of the number one.
-Tee shirts proclaiming our current ranking in AP and USA Today coaches poll.
-You can't go through the corner Market w/o Zag talk from the butcher, checkers, deli, Bakery and produce employees.
-Brand new sweatshirts on people of all ages around every corner.
-People talking about David Harris and Kelly Bell Jr.
I get a little doomsday scared with all the Hype. But I do feel staff will keep this group grounded and focused on the next goal, and the next goal. They are special.

Wow! It sounds awesome to me. I hope it gets crazier. I was living in the Seattle area the year they went to the Super Bowl. Wow! It was totally crazy. That's all anyone talked about. But I loved it. I loved being a player, but I hve to admit I also love being a fan. Being a fan gives me a license to be crazy for short periods of time, which I love. There is so much discipline and focus when your a player or coach. This craziness of which you speak of, I think is part of the fire that burns within the Zags. The fans are as much a part of all this as the players are.

You know all about the love the fans have for the Zags, but believe me that love is equalled by the love the Zags have for their fans. That's the beauty of all of this.

[Bocco]

I'm buying into BZ's theory. Reborn, you are not here in Spokane.
It is mass Hysteria:
-Dogs and Cats living together
-Large giant cakes in the shape of the number one.
-Tee shirts proclaiming our current ranking in AP and USA Today coaches poll.
-You can't go through the corner Market w/o Zag talk from the butcher, checkers, deli, Bakery and produce employees.
-Brand new sweatshirts on people of all ages around every corner.
-People talking about David Harris and Kelly Bell Jr.
I get a little doomsday scared with all the Hype. But I do feel staff will keep this group grounded and focused on the next goal, and the next goal. They are special.

I keep wearing my ratty old sweatshirts to make sure people know I'm not a johnny come lately

[Reborn]

It's Thursday morning now. It feels odd to not have posted a prediction thread yet. We still have two days before we play our first game. It's been kind of a relaxing week for me, really. I've pretty much recovered from the feeling of ecstacy after being named the #1 in America and the #1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament by backetJoe. I hope, and believe, the Zags have recovered too. They are a mature team and know that the success of their season does not lie in the past, nor in the future, but it lies in the present. I'm sure that they've returned to the hard work and focus that has gotten them this far.

I expect to play St. Mary's in the championship game, and feel that USF is the dark horse. I will not be surprised at all if USF upsets Santa Clara. But I am going to root for Santa Clara. They would be one more win for GU in the top 100 teams in the RPI ranking. A couple other teams ranked near Santa Clara also played Duke (Maryland and Davidson) and we know that Mayland uspset them.