[NU Sports] Bad day for the Big Ten ... (fwd)

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> > I always find this an interesting debate.  I
> ALWAYS cheer against OSU and
> > Michigan unless they are playing USC or Notre
> Dame. 

Well, at least there's a limit.:) And a sensible one
at that. But it is an interesting discussion ... I
really dislike Texas and last year's theft of the Rose
Bowl berth from Cal (forget what happened in the bowls
- that was downright shady and Mack's whining paid
off) just increased that.

I guess when it comes down to it - I want NU to win
the Big Ten ... and that accomplishment is made
greater the better the league does well outside of
league play. Just look a couple years back for the
benefit - when we get an extra BCS berth as OSU did in
2004, not only is there more money to share, but we
got into the bowl picture as well. With conferences
realigning and bowl bids shaking up, it's important
for the Big Ten to continue its reputation not only of
delivering fans and TV ratings, but quality teams to
bowl destinations.

That said, I won't be brokenhearted when they lose
from time to time ... just not to the Evil Empire and
those friggin' eyes of Texas that feel entitled to
everything. If the MAC teams had upset both last year,
I'd have been thrilled - but not the losses yesterday.

> I wonder if the folks in Columbus are re-thinking
> the wisdom of that
> Texas contract now?  They were widely quoted a few
> years as saying they
> had no interest in scheduling Nebraska because they
> didn't want to get 
> knocked out of the BCS in September.  I wonder if

:) - well, I don't think anyone foresaw Nebraska's
utter self-implosion a few years back when the
contracts were signed (and if improvement from game 1
to 2 is any indication, the Huskers' dismissal of
Solich after nothing but winning seasons looks even
worse now with the job he did at Ohio last week).

I'd like to see more non-conference games like the one
in Columbus last night, but the way things are just
doesn't encourage or reward taking the risk.

And don't count those Bucks out of things yet ... with
the other losses yesterday, they didn't even drop out
of the top 10, and a lot of those other teams ahead of
them face each other in the coming weeks.

Looks like I jinxed the Sun Devils last night when I
posted that message about them being ahead heading
into the fourth:) ... wild finish and a great game
there. The Devils are a quick team and will pick apart
poor secondaries, so we'll need to be at our best next
week to pull the upset. On the plus side, it appears
as if our monsoon in taking a break so pleasant
weather is forecast for the game.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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

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