[NU Sports] OSU game highlighted Randy Walker's shortcomings

[BSchooler at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/16/2005 2:34:56 PM Central Standard Time, 
Hakirsch at aol.com writes:

> Again all I am saying is that look at other football programs with similar 
> academic standards have not been consistent top 10 teams--why should we 
> expect 
> us to be any different ?
> 

Because Northwestern expects "excellence" in everything it does, including 
football. A Northwestern education should be an asset during the recruiting 
process; not a liability. The average SAT for our football team is still probably 
a little under 1,100; second only to Stanford's. That means our pool of 
qualified student athletes is plenty big enough to get the athletes, not 
overachivers, who can comprise "consistent top 10 teams".

Duke has a basketball program that fields "consistent top 10 teams". Stanford 
wins the Sears Cup annually; an award that goes to the best overall Division 
1A athletic program. Certainly Stanford fields "consistent top 10 teams". 
Northwestern won the women's Lacrosse National Championship. So Amonte-Hiller has 
fielded "consistent top 10 teams". And Northwestern football was a top ten 
team in 1995; so why can't that happen consistently? It's a matter of 
expectations. And Northwestern expects excellence in everything it does. Football should 
be no different. It can be done. It has been done. I agree with Alan 
Abrahamson. "Wildcat fans ought to reasonably expect eight or nine wins a year and a 
bowl game without compromising the consistent excellence in academics the 
university has always stood for and must always stand for."

Bob Schooler