It hurts.

Sitting 0-2 after the first week of Pac-10 play, the agony of defeat here at Washington has mysteriously transgressed from the gridiron to the hardwood.

Husky men's basketball was supposed to ease the pains of a frustrating football season, not compound them.

And yet, since fall quarter classes ended, Washington has suffered three losses — two in embarrassing fashion. The vulnerability of inexperience has been devastatingly exposed.

But let me tell you: The pessimistic mindsets and the glass-is-half-empty feelings that seem more contagious around Seattle than a winter flu are completely unfounded.

This year's team is still very good, just not great ... yet.

Yes, a sobering Los Angeles road trip revealed this team is very flawed. Sure, every sloppy turnover stings worse than listening to an Ashlee Simpson song. I urge you, though, to step back from the ledge.

Like Leonardo DiCaprio, this team is just going through growing pains.

Early season struggles are no different than other problems we've had to deal with up here in the Pacific Northwest. We've managed to weather unrelenting wind and rain, persist nights without electricity and patiently pine for athletic success from any local team.

All we can do is wait it out.

In truth, only the most optimistic (Read: borderline crazy) fans expected Husky wins at Gonzaga and at UCLA. A double overtime defeat at USC, with five players and four starters having fouled out, is also not a bad loss.

There is no doubt that this class, the greatest ever at the UW, will usher in the new era of Husky basketball with unique talent and athleticism. It will take time and, maybe more importantly, it will take losses.

There is no education like adversity.

Three years ago, Washington's roster boasted four players currently on contract with NBA teams. Nevertheless, they lost to the Athletes in Action — who? Exactly — in an exhibition game.

That same team lost its first five Pac-10 games.

Three years ago, the Huskies had a young team bursting at the seams with untamed ability and enthusiasm. Sound familiar? People intuitively liken this year's team to the Sweet 16 teams of the past two years, but the 2003-2004 Huskies are a more fair comparison.

But despite the losses, it hasn't been all bad. Remember the LSU game?

You know, the game where Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman established themselves as one of the premier frontcourts in the entire country?

The Dawg Pack was back in form in bringing Hec Ed to life — sporting no less than Burger King crowns in honor of Big Baby's trip to the Northwest.

Not to mention, Ryan Appleby has single-handedly been a silver lining. Shooting lights out, 8-of-14 from beyond the arc on the last road trip, he is as good as we've ever seen him.

Everything, it seems, is in place for success; all we need is a spark. Three years ago it was Nate Robinson's off-balance three-pointer in Corvallis, Ore. What it will be this year remains to be seen.

So to all the Chicken Little fans out there, the Huskies may very well fall to 0-3 tomorrow night against Arizona. But at least for now, the sky remains intact.

Reach columnist Joshua Mayers: joshuamayers@thedaily.washington.edu