That’s when he told them they wouldn’t be hearing any bugles blowing retreat this season.

He looked his Raiders in the eyes and told them, “Guys, we were 2-9 last season and a lot of bad things happened to us.”

Then he added, “Guys, that’s over, and that’s the last time we’re gonna talk about it.”

Norman Vincent Peale would be proud. The power of positive thinking is alive and well in Raiderland. The good news for Vanhoy, the Raider coaching staff, fans and players is that the high hopes are based on 40-yard sprint times and bench-presses, not just pie-in-the-sky optimism.

There are lots of bodies — huge bodies. There is also experience and talent.

“The big thing we’ve got to do is get over the mental aspect of being 2-9 and 2-9 the last two years,” Vanhoy said. “I believe we’ve done that.”

There is an overload of bad memories to overcome. Two years ago, the Raiders were immensely talented, but were victimized by key injuries and a decade’s worth of bad luck.

Last year was even more painful. The team had only eight seniors — only 28 varsity players — and just didn’t have the speed to compete against its brutal schedule.

That was obvious from the first day of practice. The team did its best, but was overmatched. It was outscored 357-79.

If there was any consolation, it was that the 1998 bunch did win the two ballgames it had a realistic chance to win.

But while all that took place just a matter of months ago, in the new Raider mindset the 2-9s are as much a part of ancient history as the fall of Rome. Vanhoy is confident that this year the Raiders can get back to the type of success they enjoyed during his first two years as head coach. South went 6-5 under Vanhoy in both ‘95 and ‘96.

“We have the athletes and the numbers to get the job done this year,’’ said Vanhoy. “Believe me, we are a better football team — right now, on the third of August — than we were on the last day of the season in ‘98.”

His coaches believe him.

“Rick has been super positive the whole summer,” said offensive line coach Larry Deal, who was head coach of the team from 1983-94. “If there’s a kid in the school that could help us that Rick didn’t talk to, I don’t know about him.”

“We didn’t have to go hunting for kids this year,” said Vanhoy, looking around the Raiders’ beautiful expanse of practice field and seeing 104 upbeat, hard-working kids in uniform. “The kids are committed. The coaches are showing they’re committed, and the kids have picked up on it.”

The players believe in Vanhoy, too.