Of course, we all knew it was just a marketing gimmick, a nice gesture, and the Predators did, too. Still, when owner Craig Leipold drew national attention last spring with his “Playoff Pledge”—if the team failed to make the NHL playoffs in this, its fifth, season, it would rebate to season-ticket holders the cost increase imposed for 2002-03—many folks thought maybe, possibly, hopefully, the Preds just might arrive this time.

At least it didn’t take long for reality to reimpose itself.

The season is nearly two weeks old, and (as of this writing), the Predators have yet to win a single game. Through Sunday, they were 0-2-1-2, with just one lonesome tie to show for their efforts.

It’s a very long season that so far is only about 6 percent complete. And if you choose to view things rosily, you can note that the Predators are only four points removed from the Central Division lead. Based on the early returns, however, the probable reality is that Leipold will need to whip out his checkbook next April.

Not that the present reality is all that bad. It’s just that the playoff scenario may have been, well, unrealistic.

The Predators’ front office was concerned, naturally enough, that the honeymoon between city and team might be ending. People in Nashville had no experience with expansion teams until the Preds arrived. Many didn’t (and perhaps still don’t) realize how long it takes to build a team that can be a fixture in the playoffs. Except for fans of Vanderbilt football, they expect short learning curves and fast winners. On that score, the Titans did their hockey counterparts no favors by reaching the Super Bowl in only their second season in Nashville.

At least in part, the Playoff Pledge was also a child of necessity. While the number of individual ticket sales has increased, the Predators have witnessed a decline in season ticket purchases (or purchases of smaller ticket packages) by corporate buyers. Besides generating more all-important buzz, the refund pledge, it seemed, might give those buyers more reason to keep buying and deter an erosion in attendance.

At this rate, then again, maybe not.

On the other hand, there are already hopeful signs this year that the Preds are on the right road, even if their intended destination remains in the distance. All of their losses have been close. For what it’s worth—one point in the standings, to be exact—two of those L’s came in overtime. They rallied from two goals down to force an OT at New Jersey, a strong Stanley Cup contender. They tied the high-priced, high-profile New York Rangers. In the Preds’ case, the distance between 0-2-1-2 and 5-0 is a relatively short one.

That’s the good news for the franchise—and suggests a longer-term strategic message in case the Preds don’t make the playoffs (and have to make good on their playoff promise). Fans may have to wait till next year—and repeat as necessary. But they probably won’t have to wait through an endless succession of next years.

If I were Leipold, my slogan would be something like: “Stick around. This is going to get good.” The Predators have the most youth-oriented show this side of an MTV Spring Break special. And, sooner or later, youth inevitably will be served.

The core of this team—guys like David Legwand and Scott Hartnell—is barely old enough to vote or buy a beer at a GEC concession stand. If they stay healthy and together—and if they can continue to rely on goalie Mike Dunham’s play to keep them in games—the Predators’ young guns have a chance to be very good for a very long time to come.

Perhaps they’re not yet ready for prime time. But in the meantime, fans can still enjoy a few previews of the future. They got a good one on Saturday—one that must have been especially gratifying to General Manager David Poile.

In last spring’s draft, Poile made Scottie Upshall his first choice. Against the Rangers in Madison Square Garden, Upshall intercepted a pass in his own end, skated practically the length of the ice, and fired a shot past goalie Mike Richter to tie the game for good. The venerable Richter was in goal for the U.S. team during most of the Olympic matches in Salt Lake City. Upshall, who was playing in only his third NFL game, is just 19.

Arguably, Poile should season the team’s brew with some extra experience. The Preds sorely miss the leadership of Cliff Ronning and original captain Tom Fitzgerald, who were moved aside to make way for still more youth. They don’t have to buy megamillion-dollar superstars, but two or three moderately priced veterans could pay for more handsome dividends than the playoff promise.

Here’s a promise, though, that’s worth making (especially since it’s Leipold’s money and not mine): When the Predators do reach the playoffs, and they will, every fan who supported them enough to buy season tickets or even a 20-game package can attend the team’s home playoff games free for as long as the Stanley Cup run lasts. That pledge would keep fans’ attention properly focused on the road ahead. And it would be a nice present for believing in the future.

How it looks from the La-Z-Boy

Titans 27, Bengals 16

Previously bitten old coaches will tell you that nothing is more dangerous than playing a winless football team at home. But you can make the case that this axiom simply doesn’t apply with the Cincinnati Bengals, who are to the NFL what the New Jersey Generals were to the Harlem Globetrotters.

The Bengals are laughably ineffectual—so bad, in fact, that the Titans committed 21 turnovers (well, maybe it was only seven) against them a couple of years ago and still won. This week, however, that truism runs headlong into another one: These Titans cannot afford to laugh at anyone, nor play at anything less than full intensity.

If Tennessee can make Dallas’ Quincy Carter and Washington’s Patrick Ramsey look like the respective reincarnations of Roger Staubach and Sonny Jurgenson, there’s always the chance that even Jon Kitna or Akili Smith of the Bungles could slap a 300-yard performance on their heads. But the unit that had seemed so porous was nowhere in sight Sunday before last, against Jacksonville. In fact, for the first time all season, the Titans played their signature style of football for four quarters: a strong running game, dominant time of possession, tough defense and an ability to take over the game down the stretch.

The 2-4 team’s play was so improved that some fans, Lord help ’em, began chattering again about playoff prospects. While that talk may be a mite premature, the Titans’ resurgence (and the Bengals’ misery) should continue at least through this weekend.

Colts 31, Redskins 20

Jaguars 20, Texans 10

Saints 27, Falcons 17

Alabama 24, Tennessee 20

Hold the voting for SEC coach of the year right now, and Dennis Franchione might win by acclamation. He’s rallied his Crimson Tide team in the face of NCAA sanctions, and they have not only surpassed expectations but played with more consistency (or at least consistent excellence) than anyone else in the league.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the Vols, who were pushed around by Georgia for most of their game, who stumbled and fumbled against what we now know to be a subpar Florida squad and who appear to lack an on-field leader. Even with an extra week of preparation and a home-field advantage, the Vols look like definite underdogs.

Vandy 24, Connecticut 14

A loss to UConn, a newcomer to Division I football, will represent rock-bottom for Vandy. But, after playing almost well enough to beat Ole Miss and South Carolina, the Vols were disappointing against MTSU and dismal against Georgia. Right now, they’re not that far from the abyss. This one is liable to still be a game when the fourth quarter begins.

Arkansas 27, Ole Miss 21

LSU 21, Auburn 17

Florida St. 24, Notre Dame 14

Georgia 31, Kentucky 26

Ohio St. 24, Penn St. 17

Iowa 17, Michigan 14