In the modern age of sports, when statistics are easily accessible from just about every conceivable media outlet, there is a certain class of individuals who can look past the numbers.
Players like Tim Duncan of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs and coaches like Rex Ryan of the NFL’s New York Jets are praised for their consistency of method.
They have devised systems of play and coaching that lead to success, and they don’t deviate from them, no matter the short-term results.
In the number-loving society that is the Penn Economics department, this would make Duncan and Ryan rational agents.
Like the economy, sports leagues generally operate in cycles, meaning that one can’t reasonably expect any fluctuation — positive or negative — to last forever.
So, keeping a withdrawn, educated perspective on any triumphs or failures is extremely advantageous to long-term success.
Penn head football coach Al Bagnoli demonstrated that he understands this concept during training camp media day. When asked about the significance of Penn football’s quest for an 800th victory, Bagnoli seemed nonplussed.
“I haven’t even thought about [the record],” the 18-year head man admitted. “When you’re in preseason, you’re oblivious to everything. I had trouble remembering what day it was today, to be honest with you.” It was a Monday.
To Bagnoli, 800 is just a number. One that has little significance in helping the Quakers defend their 2009 outright Ivy title.
Bagnoli’s approach has spread to his players. Despite being in position to break a myriad of both Penn and Ivy League kicking records, senior Andrew Samson also tries to keep his head in the game and out of the stat sheet.
“It’s funny ’cause a lot of the media attention gets placed on [the records], but it’s not something I really try to think about,” Samson said. “Hopefully if those records come they’ll also come with a lot of wins and another Ivy League championship.”
One number that Bagnoli’s squad won’t soon forget is 40, the jersey number of co-captain Owen Thomas, who tragically took his own life last April.
Thomas, along with sideline staple Dan “Coach Lake” Staffieri, who died of cancer last year at age 85, will serve as greater motivation than some tally in a dusty record book.
“Hopefully in the long run we dedicate the season to Owen, we dedicate the season to Coach Lake,” Bagnoli said.
Bagnoli and the Quakers are hoping that they can honor the two by earning the most important distinction of all: No. 1.
Despite returning the majority of starters from last year, the Quakers enter the season a close second behind Harvard in preseason polls.
“When you’re the defending champion and you beat [the Crimson] at their place, you’ve got 15 starters back, which is the most, and you’re still picked second, obviously there’s something wrong here.”
Right or wrong, Bagnoli still emphasizes his team’s ability to look past what the sporting press thinks and concentrate on championship-level football.
After all, the ranking is just another number.
“[The media] picked us third last year, so we’ll see how this thing unfolds,” Bagnoli said. “It’ll be useful billboard information at some point.”
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