Your Greatest Expectation v. Reality as a Sports Fan

[tower912]

Darko Milicic instead of Dwyane Wade.

[MU82]

Darko Milicic instead of Dwyane Wade.

The Bulls also could have had Wade but Paxson refused to throw Donyell Marshall into a trade package.

[The Sultan]

The Bulls also could have had Wade but Paxson refused to throw Donyell Marshall into a trade package.

Paxson has been around that long?  Jeez, he's been in the front office for 17 years?

Under his "management" the Bulls have won less playoff series than Jerry Krause did championships.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I'm an "ageist" by asking about the age of Doc's kids? Go Doc!

That is what wiki is for.  Scoop is for passively aggressively inferring bias via questions/statements.

While I am half joking, in many cultures this is perfectly acceptable... including the US during agricultural times where women would die in childbirth.  If two adults are happy, who really cares? Demi and Ashton. Doc and his date?  This country would be better off if we care less about what goes on in people's bedrooms other than their own.

[MU82]

Paxson has been around that long?  Jeez, he's been in the front office for 17 years?

Under his "management" the Bulls have won less playoff series than Jerry Krause did championships.

Yep. Reinsdorf unceremoniously dumped Krause the day of the 2003 NCAA title game; I was in New Orleans covering the game but had to write about Krause instead. (The Bulls' only statement was that Krause had retired for health reasons, but he was dumped.)

Later that month, Reinsdorf hired Paxson, about 2 months before the draft. Pax loved Wade, and he wanted to make a splash ... but apparently not badly enough. Toronto was willing to trade the No. 4 pick, which Pax wanted so he could move ahead of Riley, who also loved Wade. But the Raptors wanted Donyell Marshall.

The first of many wonderful calls by Paxson as an NBA executive.

[brewcity77]

I'm not sure I was ever more excited for the future than after the 2007 U-20 World Cup. Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore were the forward pairing of our dreams, Danny Szetela and Sal Zizzo were blazing wings, Michael Bradley was the young rock in the midfield, I was convinced they would join up with established stars like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to lead us to glory in 2010, 2014, and beyond. We did okay, but never matched that hype, largely due to guys like Adu, Szetela, and Zizzo never coming close to recapturing that Summer 2007 form.

As a Bulls fan, I thought the Baby Bulls (Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler) were going to usher in a new, dominant frontcourt that would lead them back to the glory days sooner rather than later. Not so much.

Many Marquette fans probably hold this, but I was soooooo excited for the 2013-14 season, to the point that I was looking forward to it from the moment Jamil Wilson arrived. I had visions of Gardner, Wilson, and (once committed) McKay in the frontcourt. Blue and Mayo were there to anchor a solid backcourt. And we had a massive recruiting class coming in. That was the year I penciled in for the return to the Final Four, even before we won a Big East title and went to an Elite 8 in 2013. Then Vander left, McKay left, and it never came together.

As a Reading FC fan, it was this year. Club splashed tons of money in the transfer window, brought in a combination of proven players and promising young stars, had an exciting manager in Jose Gomes, and proceeded to tank right to the relegation zone. They have somehow recovered, but don't look like they have any real shot of the EPL promotion I was dreaming of a few months ago.

[Lennys Tap]

I saw that too.  34, isn't that younger than at least one of his kids?

In violation of the half plus 7 rule!

[Benny B]

This country would be better off if we care less about what goes on in people's bedrooms other than their own.

[Insert joke about JayBee caring less than nothing.]

[Billy Hoyle]

Darko Milicic instead of Dwyane Wade.

it would have been Carmelo or Bosh. Rip was established at the 2.

[Cheeks]

That is what wiki is for.  Scoop is for passively aggressively inferring bias via questions/statements.

While I am half joking, in many cultures this is perfectly acceptable... including the US during agricultural times where women would die in childbirth.  If two adults are happy, who really cares? Demi and Ashton. Doc and his date?  This country would be better off if we care less about what goes on in people's bedrooms other than their own.

As long as they are legal age of consent, I agree.

[keefe]

Not much, OBLS.  (Old balls, loose sack)

Pronounced Obliss.

Swimmers gonna swim, Zig

[dgies9156]

I'm going to be an old fart (get off my lawn) but my greatest expectation was for a second national championship in 1978.

Bo was gone but we had a dynamite, senior-laden team. Our coach was someone who had been with us throughout the Al era and understood what he had.

Reality came crashing down on a cold March afternoon in Indianapolis. Was at a wedding in Iowa with my girlfriend that day (has been Ms. Dgies since 1980) and thought the sportscaster read the score incorrectly.

Little did I realize that was the end of an era.

Wojo, get us back!!!!!           

[keefe]

I'm going to be an old fart (get off my lawn) but my greatest expectation was for a second national championship in 1978.

Bo was gone but we had a dynamite, senior-laden team. Our coach was someone who had been with us throughout the Al era and understood what he had.

Reality came crashing down on a cold March afternoon in Indianapolis. Was at a wedding in Iowa with my girlfriend that day (has been Ms. Dgies since 1980) and thought the sportscaster read the score incorrectly.

Little did I realize that was the end of an era.

Wojo, get us back!!!!!           

Peter F#cking Pavia

Actually, I think that outcome telegraphed what we all feared: Hank was a bad choice.

Denny Crum and Digger were openly begging for the job.

Imagine if Crum got the job. The legacy of excellence would still be alive.