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Hope versus Expectations -- Another Poll


"Do not expect too much from me, and you will not be let down."  I love typing, saying, humming and singing that Gin Blossoms lyric. 

I'm looking around and seeing posts about Earl Clark and rivalries and Skywalker/Yoda allusions to the Lakers.  I had been thinking about this and it was about time to chime in.

What would you rather have?

Star-divide

The Suns' fans have hope.  It was a dismal (well, relatively dismal) 2008-2009 campaign and no one's expectations were buoyed by the off-season moves. 

Things are fun again.  Kind of like D'Antoni's first two years.  The sell-outs are coming back, traffic to this site in increasing and Phoenicians are once again talking about the Suns around the water coolers in the month of November.  Just as the Cardinals were posed to become relevant happy hour conversation, that other No. 13 has pushed the Suns back into beer-induced delusions of granduer on Friday afternoons.

If the 2006-2007 Suns were 11-3, we'd be talking about how they don't have the fortitude to close-out inferior teams like New Orleans.  We'd be saying (which we were saying) that the Suns failed to come up big against the elite (being 1-2 against the best 3 teams they have faced).  Success leads to expectations, expectations leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.  Of course, if you're just happy to be there, you'll likely get zapped by blue lightning.

Now, however ... well, you're paying attention.

Poll
What would you rather have? Hope or expectations?
Hope
209 votes
Expectations
82 votes

291 votes | Poll has closed

Comment 10 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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Definitely rather have hope.

As you said, expectations just lead to disappointment and suffering. If you expect the worst and hope for the best, your mind will be much more at ease. I always say I’d rather watch a team that maybe didn’t have as much talent as others, but tried its hardest all the time, than one who had a ton of talent, but often underutilized it. I’d rather be a Rockets fan than a Wizards fan.

by jburning on Nov 25, 2009 2:08 PM MST reply actions  

I have to go with expectations

We have to hold ourselves to some sort of standard. We’re a good team and need to have that confidence. If you say you’re not a title contender then what are you playing for? Every team should start each season off with the mentality that its their year.

Now I may hope that the Suns beat the Lakers in a one-off mid-season match up, but I expect them to win if its a best-of series.

by KnowGood on Nov 25, 2009 2:42 PM MST reply actions  

this thinking is the reason I almost voted for expectations

good point and well taken, but I’m not there this year

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Nov 26, 2009 8:35 AM MST up reply actions  

how can you have expectations without hope

Crashing the [message] boards from the heart of Spurs Nation, San Antonio, Texas. GO SUNS!

by PHXgp on Nov 25, 2009 3:25 PM MST reply actions  

Hope floats, right?

Hope will rise above emotions such as hatred, jealousy, bitterness, and anger, that are created by false or unmet expectations.

It’s the safe way to go, the way to follow the Suns and not be hurt by them.

But I think to win, you have to take chances. You have to “expect” instead of simply relying on hope’s “luck.” Nash can’t just hope to hit the game winning shot, he’s got to know he will every single time. I don’t hope the Suns win their first title, I know they can if they work hard enough and want it bad enough.

Fanaticism is not logical

by SunDolphin on Nov 25, 2009 3:34 PM MST reply actions  

Good question

I wanted to say “expectations” because that implied some kind of established quality of play in the context of the Suns. But I had to go with “hope.” It’s much more enjoyable rooting for a team in which every outcome is theoretically in doubt because I’m not quite sure what they’re capable of. Every game’s a mystery (more so after the New Orleans debacle) and that’s fine with me.

Contributor: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @MikeLisboa

by Mike Lisboa on Nov 25, 2009 9:50 PM MST reply actions  

Hope

The minute I start having expectations I can be disappointed, although is hard not to expect this team to win every game.

"Basketball doesn't build character. It reveals it"

by PanamaSun on Nov 26, 2009 7:00 AM MST reply actions  

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