If you don't care what people say, what earthly reason is there to play competitive sports at all?
Spoken like a true competitor. Good grief. Yes, the essence of competition is what other people you don't know might say about you on the internet. Just like Michael Jordan always said.
I would counter the original poster's premise with the following: there is, in fact, a "win" in his scenario. It's winning.
If they lose along the way it sucks, like it does for every other team in the field except one. Does it suck maybe a little bit more knowing that something historic is in reach? Sure. But if you think "immense ridicule" is on the other end of a loss that leaves them at something like 45-4 in their last 49 games, or you're worried about what clowns like Jeff Goodman or some random Canadian idiot on syracusefan.com might say then I don't know how to help you.
Add this thread to the million reasons I'm glad these kids are playing and not anyone on this board.
Whether you play like you're scared to lose and you lose or you play balls to the wall and lose, either way it's a loss. Might as well get after it. Who gives a what people think?