[NU Sports] Sun Bowl = Season in a nutshell

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> In many ways, today's game was very reflective of
> the entire season:

Pretty spot-on assessment, Mike.
> 
> Special teams were a problem, the offense alternated
> between great and

Ugh - I had managed to block out the punting game (I
guess I just expect kickoffs at the 35 and was more
concerned on the PAT/FG misses) ... just a horrible
day all around there.

> To the seniors I say: THANK YOU for the thrills you
> gave us.  For those

Definitely! Baz & Co. put together three straight
seasons full of memories. It may not be the magical
run to Pasadena we all enjoyed a decade ago, but
moments like the win over OSU last year, the Iowa
comeback this year, etc. were special.

> To the underclassmen I say: KEEP IT GOING, you're
> part of some of the

That's the big part - I was really hoping Sutton would
step up in the Sun Bowl ... we'll need Tyrell, Roach,
Bacher, Lane, the O-Line and the rest to fill some big
shoes next year.

> To ESPN/ABC I say:  Keep us on ESPN2 for every game
> next year!

Hah!:) Amen to that!

> To the Big 10 Conference I say:  If you're wondering
> why the Big 10 is 
> sucking pond water in ESPN's Bowl Cup standings,
> look no further than your
> bowl committments.  How about making some agreements
> that provide more 
> even matchups?

That's been a complaint of mine for awhile -
especially the Sun Bowl, where Pac 10 #3 and Big Ten
#5 (usually #6) is a tough draw. 

But this year I actually thought we had some good
draws going in to the bowls. Michigan had slipped
(inexplicably) off the January bowl map and should
have been a favorite vs. Nebraska. Minny had a UVa
team with new coordinators and should have won. We
were an underdog - but a lot of people liked NU as a
trendy pick with UCLA's poor finish. But all three led
leads slip away and we're 0-3.

Now Iowa and PSU face Florida schools in their home
state, Wisky plays the best team not in the BCS and
OSU has to contend with that darn luck of the Irish.
Oh well.

It'll be interesting to see how this changes next year
-- is Phoenix and the Insight Bowl (now at Sun Devil
Stadium vs. the Big XII) ahead or behind of the Motor
City on the Big Ten ladder? 

Fun side note - Big Ten (and Big XII) teams will have
three shots to make it out to the Valley of the Sun
next year, as the Phoenix area hosts the Insight Bowl,
Fiesta Bowl and the new BCS Title Bowl all in a 2-week
span!

Oh well, it's been a fun season. This loss still
hurts, but as Mike said, I guess it's typical
Northwestern this year. It was a fun ride while it
lasted, and one of these years, we WILL get to end the
year on a happy note in bowl season!

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


		
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