A
poster on the board took it upon him to pity the optimistic fans that wander
this site. Pity? No. That’s not something the so-called ‘optimists’ need.
Some of you so called 'negative' posters state you're nothing more then a
realist. A realist looks at the present and states what they think is
happening, their interpretation of current events. A negative poster looks at
the present, and the future, and sees nothing good ahead. An optimist sees the
present, and the future, and sees light at the end of the tunnel.
Actually, I would like to strengthen that word optimism by attaching a word to
it. We are the Optimist Faction. Usually, by adding a word to something you
can make it stand out, and give it a stronger presence. I mean, what is the
zone without being red? What is factor without the X? What is beat without
down? From, from here forward, we are no longer the optimists. It almost
sounds like we’re being called tree-hugging hippies. Not that there is anything
wrong with being a tree-hugging hippy, but it’s just not my bag.
But I
digress.
Do you
know what the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over and
expecting different results. As Lions fans, when Matt Millen took over, and
hired Marty Mornhinwheg, we could be classified as legally insane, when we
watched the Lions those first two years and believed that they were better then
they were playing, and every Sunday expected a different result other then a
loss. Over time, expectations have been downgraded. You’ll no longer find
someone saying the Lions will make the playoffs, or even pick up double-digit
wins, without a sense of sarcasm or a major case of the ‘buts’ entering the
statement. We could go 10-6, but these are the reasons we may not. However,
there are still members of the Optimist Faction. I don’t know how many people
this applies to in the Optimist Faction, but we don’t go in expecting to win
every game and be some kind of contender. We do expect the team to play better
then it did today against the 49ers. We do expect this team to be competitive
against certain teams. And we also expect, when the schedule comes out, to beat
certain teams who are on the same level as us. We do not blindly follow the
Lions, and believe every Sunday will be a blowout win for us. When the Lions
lose, we do not get gut checked when the clock hits zero. We get frustrated,
like other fans. Being part of the Optimist Faction, however, we look at one
key thing, which makes us card carrying members of the Optimist Faction.
It will
get better.
It
hasn’t happened yet, but it has been a long time coming. The Optimist Faction
takes the losses, and sees the negatives. Jon Kitna is not reliable when we
need to win the game. It has been shown numerous times this year, and it once
again appeared against the 49ers. While Kevin Jones and Roy Williams have
looked good this year, we do realize there are some things holding them back.
Kevin Jones, in particular, a better offensive line. Roy Williams needs a
quarterback who can get him the ball more consistently. Yes, Jon Kitna has
provided a spark for the offense, Jones is marching towards 1,000 yards, and Roy
Williams is also approaching 1,000 yards. Roy Williams also has the most
130-yard games this year. Now imagine where each player would be if the
quarterback play was more consistent? Or the offensive line could open up holes
for Kevin Jones. Or provide better protection for whoever the quarterback
happens to be? We see the negatives, but we see the positives. How about Ernie
Sims and Daniel Bullocks? As rookies, they have met the expectations laid at
their feet. The Lions are building a foundation on the defense. While there
are still holes to fill, there are bright spots.
The
Optimist Faction sees these bright spots and continues to preserver while
yelling out our motto; it will get better. It’s not like the team has no
talent, and no stars, and nothing to build around. The glass for the Optimist
Faction is half full.
Yes,
the Lions suck, and we know it. However, we also know there’s enough light
coming from this team to expect the team to get better. Maybe not this year, but
it is coming, and that is why the membership of the Optimist Faction is growing.
