A couple of thoughts:
1. Talk is cheap. Bill Parcells often said, "you are what your record says you are." Until proven otherwise, our record says we're a losing team for the first time in a quarter century.
2. We always get everyone's best effort because of our historical success. This year, we'll face jihad effort levels from our opponents so they can claim eternal scoreboard as we're on our way out the door.
3. As others have said, the conference will do everything it can to crap on us as we leave. We will get no calls, close or otherwise, during the upcoming year of conference play. More than a couple games will be determined by that.
All that said, I'm optimistic as we watch our young team develop and we watch this one horse conference fade into our rearview mirror.