A recent ESPN.COM article examines Butler and its coach Brad Stevens a year after its national final loss to Duke - Butler and Cindrella, a season later.
The article makes two main observations: (1) Stevens is well-adjusted and extraordinarily grounded, more so than just about any other Division I coach you'll ever meet, let alone one in just his third year on the job; and (2) this 2010-11 season -- the season after -- could've turned into a joyless, six-month slog if Stevens wasn't as sane and smart as he is.
Perhaps the most relevant part of the article is how Butler has become every opponent's biggest game. They now have a "target on their back" that comes with the responsibility of being good. All of their losses get magnified because of the expectations for the program. The advice for coaches dealing with expectations is that our teams must learn how "enjoy the process." As Stevens says 'Look, you've gotta enjoy this process and enjoy the fight to win. And when you do win? Never take it for granted. You've gotta enjoy that, too. I'm not saying jump on the scorer's table and wave towels and yell. But hug each other. Enjoy each other. Enjoy all of it. Never "expect" it.'"
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