@Rellyrell You're the man Rell. You know I mean that but I'm going to have to disagree with you here a bit. Now I agree that the dynamic you described above is something that does exist. There are guys on this board who fit that profile but where I disagree is in your assertion that the majority of the posters who thought we could be a 10 win team and thought that making the ACCCG was a very reachable goal fit that profile.
You know that fandom can be a very slippery slope in terms of maintaining objectivity. I would venture to say that a whole heck of a lot of posters here who had those expectations are genuine fans who mean well but got caught up in the high that comes with a coaching change. Not just any coaching change mind you but a change in AD and a sea change in the way the program is run. We decided to spend money. No just money but Clemson, Bama Ohio St type money and we brought in arguably the best staff we have ever had here(on paper anyway).
Fans see a team who went 7-5 last year with a young yet elite QB under a total clown of a coach under a clown AD . They see these changes in the program and are understandably excited. They figure with the portal additions, nearly the entire team coming back, TVD and the hiring of Mario coming off the success he had at Oregon and the star studded staff he put together that we definetely improve. Add in the schedule seeming soft and it's very easy to understand how myopia could set in.
I'll even admit that all the hype had me for awhile. There was a time during the off-season when I had actually allowed myself to believe that we had a 9-3/10-2 type ceiling for the regular season. I think we all know from personal experience how easy it is to get sucked into an orange and green echo chamber and let your imagination get away from you. Fandom is a serious drug. Its alluring it's seductive it's addicting but worst of all it's insidious in the way it gradually pushes you away from rationality and objectivity without you realizing it until reality slaps you down cold and hard.
Yep I admit I too drank the Kool aid but something I read here snapped me out of it and back to my senses. What I read was a post/thread by you. I can't recall the title and I haven't tried to search for it but I'm sure you know the one I mean. You posted it before the season began and you made some very good arguments for why the fan base shouldn't expect so much in year 1. You went into into from several angles. It was cogent, well reasoned, logical, articulate and informative.
Mario was not my first choice but I didn't have a problem with the hire as I knew that regardless of my opinion of his game day coaching ability, Cristobal possessed the necessary gravitas required to get the money flowing and to in essence completely rebuild the program from infrastructure on up at every level. In my view this was not only necessary but crucial in the process of getting this program back up to a nationally elite level.
Like many, I don't like what I have seen so far and despite the obvious rebuild going on here, Mario has made his share of mistakes. However, I will give Mario the same respect and amount of time to get this thing going as I have with every coach who preceded him and that's 3 years. Not 3 years to win the National Title but 3 years to build a rock solid foundation and start looking like a team that other teams want no part of.