Finished top 10 and returning the white qb everyone likes to see bleed. If we are below 15, we have every right to hate ESPN and AP faces off.
We also got extremely lucky and should have been closer to 7-5 and got destroyed in the Cotton Bowl so we should be grateful just being ranked preseason.
If folks on GPC are 'tarded then you may be so, if only mildly.
I posted this earlier on the GPC board to those who go "meh, could have just as easily been 7-5...blah, blah luck blah"
Since people keep talking about "winning close" games as a worry from last year. I will reiterate once again...it isn't luck and the leadership ties into it. The 2011 team has more leadership than any KSU team I can recall...we'll have it again in 2012.
Many of these games came down to the wire. Well, how does leadership play into that? It's simple.
1) Character
2) Decision-making
3) Resolve
4) Effort
People with strong character do NOT get rattled by exterior things such as the crowd or the opponent. They remain on task in everything they do. They do not let internal influences (exhaustion, doubt, etc) steer them from their duties or tasks. What is it people say about character when it comes to just about anything? Character is more defined by when things are NOT going your way. Character reveals itself when you're tired (in basketball it is little things like attention to detail by not making silly turnovers) such as "grabbing grass" as a DL so you don't play too high. The little things truly make the difference and character is a part of it.
Decision-Making speaks for itself. PREPARATION aids with the decision-making because LEADERS take it upon themselves to prepare. It doesn't matter if we're talking about being in the type of physical shape or approaching the game mentally (film study, knowledge of your offense or defense)...preparation is not something risked by LEADERS.
Resolve? Leaders and winners never given in. You're only as good as your last play. If you weren't that good on your last play do you give in or strive to do better?
Effort. There are a lot of teams out there who do not play with the same passion or effort when the team they're tired or things are not going as well as they'd wished. Teams with strong leadership play to the whistle and the final gun.
I honestly can't stand any of the "yeah, but we were lucky to win some of those games"....no, we were not. EVERYTHING we did in those crunch times or at important stretches of the game or specific situations was built from leadership. Remember, it takes 11 guys on your side to make plays successfully. Sure, some teams have better players but that doesn't mean all 11 on the other side are better on every play, or they're better prepared on every play, or make better decisions on every play.
We won for a reason and it wasn't "luck".
We will win close games again next year although I tend to think we'll have more blowout victories than a year ago.
