Brief Musings On Success

In the Tallahassee Regional, Tulane won the winner's bracket last night. Yo, Bucknell! I'd just as soon not see Jason Buursma ever again.

I get this feeling about this baseball tournament that the key to success is really just having a good team year after year- that a big part of the success function for a program is to just have a consistent good outfit, get a lot of chances. And a number one starter who can’t lose- to deal with the underdogs best chance to beat you: their best guy going lights out good for two-plus hours.

In MLB, with the three best-of-seven series, you have to load up- put together a great team versus a lucky one- even mortgage the future.

This tournament puts a lot more emphasis on being in the right place at the right time. You can get in trouble real quick- dropped kicked into the losers bracket by one kid having a great game. So a component for success almost has to be get in a lot- and let the breaks even themselves out. Some years you’re gonna run into Bucknell on the first day- some years the other guy is.

Stuff is going right for Tulane right now- and again, while they ain’t about dealing with adversity, they are sort of about using your mistakes and good fortune to feel good about themselves. They’ve been given a break or two- Florida’s bullpen follies and a second round game with Bucknell- and they’ve taken advantage smartly.

It is unfortunate Florida did not take care of business yesterday afternoon. I’m pretty sure we could have beaten that team one game out of two while a pitcher ahead. Florida State put around twenty up there against Florida’s all hands on deck effort- if they hit like that against the pitching we have left, this is going to be a chancy, angst-filled two days.

But I’d rather have to only win one than two!