There was this weird vibe out there Wednesday for some Syracuse fans in preparation for today's showdown against Indiana State. The consensus seemed to be, "Hey Syracuse fans, you're don't seem scared enough of the Sycamores. Get scared right now."
Which is weird, because anyone who knows Syracuse fans knows that we're already terrified.
Regardless of what you've seen written or heard said, every single Syracuse fans is going to be sweating, biting their fingernails and yelping in fear for the hour leading up to tonight's game. It's hard-wired into the DNA of Orange fans to assume the worst and fear the unpredictable.
And when it comes to the NCAA Tournament, we live in abject fear of the next Richmond or the next Vermont every single time we walk into the tournament as a high-seed. Just look at last year. We were a one-seed and there was still a piece of each and every single one of us that was scared of 16-seed Vermont.
So don't worry, half-glass empty Cuse fans, we're all just as scared as you are. And we have no preconceived notions that the Cleveland games are a foregone conclusion. But what are we supposed to do? Sit here and assume we'll share the same fate as Louisville? I'd rather believe in my Orange that they're the capable basketball team that can do what we all know they're able to do, which is win basketball games over inferior opponents. Most of the time they do that, every once in a while they don't. Here's to hoping for the former.
There's no such thing as a gimme in the NCAA Tournament. Not anymore. Every game is easily losable. But I choose to trust in our guys that they are the team we've watched grow and mature all season long. I choose to trust that Boeheim has it under control. And I choose to trust that the Orange watched what happened yesterday to Louisville and Vanderbilt and received that little extra kick in the pants needed to make sure 1979 remains the only year of note in the history of Indiana State basketball.