Why I Don't Think The Mocs Should "Dream Big"

Over the last decade, four mid-major teams have been to the Final Four. Butler advanced twice to the national championship game out of the Horizon League. George Mason and VCU got to the Final Four out of the CAA. Wichita State advanced to the Final Four this past season out of the Missouri Valley Conference.

It seems that many years teams advance to the Elite Eight from mid-major conferences. Even Davidson out of the SoCon advanced that far a few years back.

Florida Gulf Coast advanced to the Sweet Sixteen as a 15 seed just this past season.

If anything, the mid-majors have proven recently that it is not only possible, but doable for a team to advance far in the NCAA Tournament, no matter what seed they have.

The Mocs last advanced in the NCAA Tournament back in 1997, when they got to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to Providence, in a game they could have easily won.

Everyone talks about "dreaming big" and hoping that one day the Mocs will advance to the Final Four, championship game, or (wow) even win the national title. It would be a miracle and many Mocs fans over the years have woken up from a nice dream where something like that happened, or have daydreamed about the possibility. They've thought about it. They've dreamed about it.

Thinking big. Dreaming Big.

I'm sick of it.

You know- when I was ten years old I had a dream. I dreamed that I was Batman....and flying. This didn't make any sense, because Batman can't fly. Also, I'm not Batman. This is a shocker. I know everyone is stunned by this.

When I woke up, I knew the dream wasn't real. I knew there was no chance I was going to be able to fly. I knew there was no chance that I was going to be Batman.

It's time to stop dreaming, because dreams aren't real.

It's time to start believing. Belief is something that people really feel from within. When people believe in something, they know that it is true with every fiber of their being. There are times of doubt and struggles to believe at time. But in the end, generally people come back to believing.

From this point forward, I want everyone to start Believing Big. The players, the coaches, the fans, everyone. Give up on dreaming. Believing is what needs to be done.

From this point forward, I am going to believe that the Mocs are going to do great things. This program is destined for greatness. If VCU can do it, if George Mason can do it, why not Chattanooga? No- really. Why not the Mocs?

The recruiting will have to be superb. The player development will have to be great. The effort from the players will have to be spectacular. The gameplan will have to be perfect. The fan support will need to grow, be loud and be proud.

That's asking a lot. But it can happen. It can happen here. I'm going to Believe Big from now on. I plan on posting on a lot of my Twitter posts #BelieveBig from now on.

It's my mantra to remind me that the Mocs can get there. We can do it. We just have to put the perfect effort in from the top to the bottom of the program. It's time to get there.

With a new coach in Will Wade and new enthusiasm filling up the program, it just feels like this program is ready to explode again.

Yes, my optimism may wind up killing me here. But I am tired of just having expectations of showing up and winning some games, and getting to the NCAA Tournament sometimes. I want to believe that bigger things are possible.

Join me. I think you Mocs fans want to believe that too.

It's time to believe big.

GO MOCS!