Arizona State Sun Devils Football: Make or Break Year for Dennis Erickson

Sports fan are selfish. Not only do they want their favorite team to have everything, but they also want their rival to have nothing.

There is nothing wrong with this selfishness as it is completely natural. However, Arizona State football fans are in the crossroads for the 2011 season, as they have to choose one or the other.

Football, like life, is not fair and this season the Sun Devil fans can not have everything they want.

Dennis Erickson has been on the hot seat for a while in Tempe, but the Sun Devils are the favorite in the Pac-12 South and are expected to have a good season.

Fans have voiced their anti-Erickson sentiments throughout his tenure in Tempe, but 2011 looks like it could be a defining year, except there is a catch.

There is always a catch.

If the Sun Devils produce on the field like the fans seem to want, it is likely Erickson stays.

If Erickson leaves, like the fans also seem to want, it is likely because the team did not meet expectations on the field.

There is the slight possibility the Sun Devils could have a strong season and still decide to part ways with the head coach, but that seems unlikely.

Odds are in 2011 Sun Devil fans are going to have to give and take. One of their desires will come true while one won’t.

The fans would likely prefer to reach a bowl game and retain Erickson rather than to appear lifeless for another year and can him, but either way, a choice will be made.

There isn’t necessarily a right or a wrong answer here and it is certainly an interesting position to be in as it highlights the pendulum of the sports world.

Right now Erickson is on the hot seat, however, a good year in Tempe and this whole column may become useless because sports fans are often forgiving and if the Sun Devils should—dare I say win the Pac South?—fans may elect to hop on board the Erickson bandwagon just as they did during his first, and only successful season, in the desert.