[NU Sports] A Champaign boast

[Jeff Beamsley]

Neil wrote (snip)

Most importantly, we are graduating our kids and doing this the right way.
7-4 for us is always way sweeter than the curse of high expecations where
7-4 is a disaster.

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I've always told my kids a couple of things about high expectations:

To whom much is given, much is expected.

AND

High expectations are the sincerest form of flattery.


I agree that this is a wonderful season and that there is much to celebrate.
These kids have earned a bowl trip and RW has earned the right to prove that
he can do it again next year.  It is a very exciting time of year.  I'm
grateful for the chance to enjoy it and look forward to our first bowl game
victory of this millennium as another important step forward.

But as Roy mentioned, as far as he knows every NU team starts every season
with an expectation of becoming national champs.  Through the season, they
have the opportunity to celebrate their wins and learn from their loses.
That hardly sounds like a curse to me.  In fact the real curse would be to
expect anything less of yourself.  Also there is no shame in falling short
of your goal if you honestly gave your best effort, because few of us are as
good as we would aspire to be.  And giving your best effort even in a losing
cause is how you learn what your best effort can be.  The only shame is
refusing to make the commitment for fear of loss.  REAL winning is
overcoming that fear.  

Jeff