#1 ·
I don't know if it's just me, but every year around this time, the hype cycle feels absolutely exhausting. You see these names popping up everywhere on every sports blog, being hailed as the "next big thing" or the absolute savior of a franchise, and it feels like we're all just being sold a dream before the real season even starts.
I remember back in the day, a kid would dominate a few exhibition games and suddenly they were on every magazine cover. Then the actual season rolls around, the intensity shifts, and half those "sure things" disappear into the rotation or end up fighting for a roster spot. It's hard to tell who actually has that killer instinct and who is just playing against unseasoned lineups in a flashy setting.
I've learned to take these "breakout" lists with a massive grain of salt. It's easy to look like a superstar when the defense is loose and the stakes are low. Once the real grinders show up and the physicality ramps up, the pretenders usually get found out pretty quickly.
Do you guys actually buy into the summer hype, or do you wait until the regular season starts before you take anyone seriously?
I remember back in the day, a kid would dominate a few exhibition games and suddenly they were on every magazine cover. Then the actual season rolls around, the intensity shifts, and half those "sure things" disappear into the rotation or end up fighting for a roster spot. It's hard to tell who actually has that killer instinct and who is just playing against unseasoned lineups in a flashy setting.
I've learned to take these "breakout" lists with a massive grain of salt. It's easy to look like a superstar when the defense is loose and the stakes are low. Once the real grinders show up and the physicality ramps up, the pretenders usually get found out pretty quickly.
Do you guys actually buy into the summer hype, or do you wait until the regular season starts before you take anyone seriously?