There are teams that have challenged themselves out of the gate knowing win or lose it will make them better and more prepared in the long run. Playing a difficult schedule and playing teams that are big, or skilled, or fast, or whatever the case may be will expose your weaknesses and tell you where you need work. And it will give you confidence when you find you can play up to the challenge. It probably won't give you an undefeated schedule but you work and you play the game and you have fun. I do understand on the other hand padding the schedule up front to give a team confidence when necessary (esp when they are young). So I think looking at early wins and loses is futile unless you are really paying attention to each and every game and how it was won or lost.