For the first time in a number of years my BBS (Battered Bruins Syndrome) is flaring up. This bye week has been great. Moving into the Top 10 without playing a game. All the positive national media. Talk of two players potentially being in the conference POW race and one or two in the Heisman race. Being an outside candidate for the CFP. It's just been great! It's been awesome to talk trash to all my friends from other Pac 12 schools. Even my Notre Dame friends have reached out to talk about how great our season has been so far. This is especially surprising because they tend to live in their own shamrock-shaped bubble.
But now that we are in game week, reality is starting to set in. What if we've been built up for a tragic fall? What if we get embarrassed on national tv...again? What if it was all a mirage?
Now my head looks at the stats. We are a top offense in the country and a decent defense with some positive key metrics. We do have some good college players although I don't think we have many NFL draft picks. This feels more "real" than 97-98 and the Mora years. Our offense compliments our defense. Our special teams have been pretty strong after the first game debacle. Our defense has created turnovers and gotten pressure on the QB. We are passing the "eye test". I predicted we would be 5-1 at this point so we are one win better. I also predicted a win this week. I have watched the Ducks and I STILL feel we will win based on the "eye test".
But, then my heart kicks in. And the memories of the Miami game. The beatdown in Arizona in 2005. The Stanford losses. I could go on but why bother? You get the point. We've been here before. Right on the verge of doing something historic and then....BAM! The rug gets pulled from under us. I feel like Lucy is waiting to pull the football from Charlie Brown (UCLA). The crowd at Autzen is going to be electric. They are saying this is the biggest game at Autzen since the Andrew Luck/Stanford years. And then of course the rain and cold is coming on Saturday. Even though it has been unseasonably warm all fall NOW, THIS WEEK, the weather changes. It was 86 degrees in Portland yesterday! Why does the weather have to change NOW of all weeks?! Is it a sign?
No, no. I can't allow myself to succumb to negativity and past failures. This is our time and our year...finally! We will run into Autzen, play our butts off, quiet their crowd and come out greater than we started. I'm going to BELIEVE! This is it! Eight Claps all week.👏 Go Bruins!!!
Thanks for helping me in self guided therapy of BBS.
