Why does Texas A&M's Mike Elko want his team to feel joy, not relief, after winning a game?

COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M coach Mike Elko doesn't want to feel relief after winning a football game.

"The day I feel relief for winning is the day I quit," Elko said Saturday after his Aggies beat Arkansas . "We have joy when we win. That's the word that we use when we win football games."

But why joy? Why is that the emotion he wants his team to feel?

"Because that means we're not listening to you guys, if I'm being honest," Elko said Monday during his weekly media availability. "And when I say you guys, I just mean the noise."

In Elko's mind, relief is an emotion that comes as a result of listening to the outside noise. He doesn't want his team listening to anybody not in the locker room, so feeling relief after a win would mean the team is paying mind to the detractors - whether it's in the traditional media, on social media or anywhere else people are expressing their opinions.

Relief would also be the result of anticipating positivity from outsiders, something Elko doesn't care enough to worry about.

"When you start talking about words like relief, the relief would come because we're not going to hear bad things from you. That's what relief would be from," Elko explained, again using you as a catch-all term. "Joy would be because together we collectively accomplished something that we set out to do, and so we're going to celebrate that with joy with each other because that's all that matters is each other."

The outside noise has been loud this season, although that's par for the course at a school like Texas A&M with passionate fans, a large alumni base and high expectations. Two straight losses to start conference play, a home loss to unranked Kentucky and a blowout road defeat to LSU, crescendoed the noise like a conductor directing an orchestra during a symphony.

The Aggies often talk about isolating themselves from the noise, Elko said. Social media has changed how they approach doing so, but teams have always been fighting against the noise.

"It's just how you have to manage the modern athlete, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it," Elko said. "I don't think it's good, bad, whatever. It's just part of society today. It's just a part of mentally preparing your kids to go out and play at the level they're capable of. There's always been a motivational, mental side of the game. I think social media is just a big piece of that nowadays."

Texas A&M has another chance to celebrate with joy Saturday in Columbia, Mo., with its matchup against No. 14 Missouri. The Tigers are entering on a high after a major upset victory over Florida, who were ranked at No. 8. It would be the Aggies' first win against a ranked opponent and on the road this season.

Coming off the 34-7 win over the Razorbacks, Elko said the team has increased confidence.

"When you win, things are better," Elko said. "I don't think there's any dispute behind that. I don't know that we ever stopped working, but you definitely feel mojo. You feel confidence. You feel more positive vibes in and around it when you win."