You've hit on a topic very near and dear to my heart-how winners ought to lose. The way I've always looked at it is when I've either personally competed at anything (athletic or otherwise) or just as a fan that when the other guy wins they were better that day in the only way that really matters and that everything else is just sour grapes. I don't believe real winners make excuses. I genuinely believe that excuse makers give away their power by underestimating how much they really did control the results. For example, if a team was really hurt badly by a bad call, there were many other missed opportunities to have changed the outcome. You've got to overcome bad circumstances and long odds as a player or in life. I like to win but when the results are other than I would like I respect those who simply graciously shake hands and congratulate the other guy on being better that day and do so without any caveats. Honor in defeat. As a person who lives in south Florida I can contrast that with the attitude common among Hurricane fans in which they do not truly ever admit to a defeat. Many years ago, for example, the kandy kanes lost to BYU. The common refrain for many years after that game was that "if SCum and BYU played 100 times Miami would've won 99." A similar refrain was voiced more recently after the Washington game. As far as I'm concerned its a loser's chorus and I've always wished I had the opportunity to tell em "well I guess the 100th time sure was a bitch." I was glad I didn't hear to much of that same talk out of Gator fans after a tough loss against Tennessee during their national championship run. The Vols did what ever they had to do that day to win and they deserved it. If the Rebels are good enough to outscore the Gators Saturday, no matter how they do it, I hope that Gator players, coaches, fans graciously shake the hands of Rebs and lose with honor. On the other hand, I'd much prefer to see the Gators run 'em out of their new stadium before the first half is over.