You remember the Holiday Bowl? You know that little game the Devils played at the end of last season? Well, sorry Texas, but the Arizona Republic today writes that Rudy and the Devils were just happy to be there, and weren't actually out to prove they belonged somewhere better like those Texas boys.
Rudy Carpenter meant no disrespect to the Holiday Bowl, but the Arizona State quarterback made it clear Sunday that the Sun Devils have to raise expectations, and if need be, change their attitude.
"I think we went to San Diego just happy to be there," Carpenter said of last season's 52-34 loss to Texas. "We were on vacation. We went there thinking, 'Oh, we finished with 10 wins. We're good, we're great.' (Texas was) disappointed to be in that game. I think the expectation level is different, and for us to compete with those teams we have to set loftier goals."
So...let me see if I understand this correctly...you were just happy to be there? But what about all those quotes at the time that suggested our Sun Devils were disappointed for not getting a BCS bowl bid? Like this one from the North County Times which includes this lovely tidbit.
"Missing a BCS bowl kind of sucks," admitted Sun Devils linebacker Travis Goethel, a Vista High alumnus.
Hmm... so how did the coach feel?
On Wednesday, the Sun Devils' Erickson was asked how long his team dwelled on the snub.
"About two seconds," he said. "I've said many times that Missouri is the team that got snubbed. We didn't deserve to be in a BCS bowl, to be honest with you. We had two chances to get ourselves in (losses to Oregon and USC) and we didn't take advantage of them."
So, wouldn't that mean your team would go out there to try and prove you were better than the pundits thought? That you DESERVED to be in a BCS game?
The point is that lets stop trying to change what happened Rudy. This is why people do not like you.