[NU Sports] Big Ten today ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

>  My outlook has not changed despite these past two
> incredible victories.
>  The offense is great.

... but has a tendency to get complacent.

>  The defense is not.

... but has a tendency to force turnovers.:)

>  For us to win consistently, the defense has to step
> up. 
>  If it does, we could run the table.
>  If it doesn't, we could lose every one of the next
> five games. 

I agree with that completely.

>  Different subject: for those of you who don't live
> in LA, try to take a moment to appreciate how good
> USC really is. Even if you don't like USC -- and,

Appreciate? Yes. Enjoy? No.:) Though I'm still smiling
thinking how all those Subway Alumni back in
Chicagoland will be moping all week about the ending
of the game (Lou couldn't stop whining on ESPN
Saturday night) ... at least they'll be drowned out by
all the new-found White Sox fans in Chicagoland (hey,
we have a team on the south side? who knew?:) )

> you. This team -- this run over the past three
> seasons -- may end up being talked about for
> generations to come. And this guy Reggie Bush is the

Actually, it could go back about a half season before
that -- USC really picked it up about midway through
the 2002 season and by the time top 10 teams Notre
Dame and Iowa came their way, Carson Palmer shredded
the Irish and #3 Hawkeyes in the Orange Bowl. If
college football had a playoff, Pete Carroll might be
working on a 4th straight title, as impressive as tOSU
and Miami were in 2002.

> No. 1 pick in next year's draft -- ahead of Leinart,
> the Heisman winner. Try to enjoy it ... if you can.

Nah ... I do like Pete Carroll -- he really seems to
"get" the college game in a way few coaches do. Maybe
it's because he was at the pros and sees that the
grass isn't always greener. He has fun, is a heck of a
game planner and isn't even thinking about leaving -
he knows how good he has it. So he makes it an itsy
bitsy bit tougher to hate the Trojans (he's no evil
John Robinson) ... but then you just have to hear that
band again, see the fans flashing the V of arrogance
and it all comes roaring back.:)

Next week should be more fun in the Big Ten ... I
think PSU and OSU should win handily (and should run
the table to possible BCS bids -- but nothing's for
sure in this year's league), but have a sneaking
suspicion that Purdue's due for an upset in Madison.
And the other two games are huge for bowl position.
The  loser of UM/Iowa probably says goodbye to January
1 hopes and the NU/MSU winner could be on their way to
one of the bigger bowls.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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


		
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