[NU Sports] Walker's Future

Thu Sep 29 13:13:38 CDT 2005

Roy,

Since Walker is likely to finish out at least this year as NU's football
coach, I've agreed with Stephen to let the "Coaching Changes Damage
Programs" experiment run before calling for a coaching change.  I've also
offered my vote for lifetime NU employment if RW can coach the team to a
winning record this season.  So I won't chime in yet on speculation
regarding RW's future.  

But in the interest of complete disclosure you have to add at least one more
item to your RW bio.

6. Whether his fault or not, had an asthmatic kid who was taking a dangerous
performance enhancing substance die during a questionable pre-season
workout.  That death damaged the institution's reputation, set the football
program back at least a year and maybe two, resulted in the suicide of one
university employee, and will cost the university (or at least the
University's insurance carrier) $16M plus legal costs.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
Behalf Of Roy Lamberton
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2005 7:52 AM
To: BSchooler at aol.com; jleonard518 at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at romaine.tssi.com
Subject: RE: [NU Sports] Walker's Future

Since I've been mentioned by name here I will take time from my busy
professional day...

I'm not sure what Murphy's comments mean in regards to Randy Walker's
future, but I know that unless your kid has been "run off" by the Walker
regime, or imagines that he's been "run off" by Walker, most NU players of
this era players think they've had a pretty decent time under Randy Walker.

Let's look at the record:
Quoting Walker's Bio on NU sports [easier to cut and paste]:
1. He's maintained NU high academics - what made Trevor Rees such a
disappointment was that he's the first NU starter to be academically
ineligible in his 6 years here.

2. On the academic front, his recruiting class of 1998-99 all graduated
[100%] winning NU the 2005 AFCA Academic Achievement Award, tying Duke. 

3. In 2003, Northwestern earned a trip to the Motor City Bowl by winning
four of its last six Big Ten games. That was Walker's second bowl season
after his magical 2000 season when Northwestern went from last to first in
the Big Ten in just his second season at the Wildcat helm. For his 2000
achievements, Walker was named the Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year
and the Region 3 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches
Association (AFCA).

4. Since the modern era began for college football in 1947, Northwestern has
won six or more games in back-to-back seasons just twice -- in 1970-71 and
1995-96.
Walker became the third Wildcat coach to accomplish the modern-era feat this
past year following NU's 6-6 season. Should the Wildcats get another six-win
season in 2005, it will mean a third bowl appearance under Walker, making
him the first NU mentor to guide three different teams to the postseason.

5. Since arriving in Evanston, Walker also has a number of firsts and
significant accomplishments under his belt:

. first NU football coach to own victories over all 10 Big Ten Conference
foes . first NU coach since Pappy Waldorf (1935-46) to record three
six-or-more-win seasons . first NU coach to beat Ohio State in Evanston
since 1958, and the first to beat the Buckeyes since 1971 . first NU coach
to beat Penn State at Beaver Stadium

Anyway, those who don't like RW's style, etc, seem to hang on any and every
excuse to get rid of him. I happen to like the concept of the same coach for
more than 4 years. NU as a way station to a better coaching job led to 30
years of defeats. Even St. Gary saw the handwriting on the wall after the
Rose Bowl year, and started looking around.

Gee Bob, weren't you the guy who report on the NU Assistants all checking
out homes in Austin when he was rumored to be getting the Texas job?

rsl  

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Roy S. Lamberton - Senior Associate
Computer Applications & Support Associates and Publisher of Purple Reign,
The Scout.com Northwestern University Site
(http://www.purplewildcats.com)
AIM Handle: CoachRoy74

=============== Go Cats ==================== Every time I think I've got
this Computer Biz handled 
            -- There's another upgrade.
============ Beat 'em All ================== 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com
> [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of BSchooler at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 12:11 AM
> To: jleonard518 at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at romaine.tssi.com
> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Walker's Future
> 
> 
> Regarding Walker's future, I think it's important to remember what 
> Mark Murphy said in his first interview after being hired as 
> Northwestern's AD. He said something like our student athletes having 
> a positive experience is just as important as wins and losses. I 
> applauded these sentiments; some thought it was settling for 
> mediocrity.
> 
> In any case, I don't think Mark Murphy's rather progressive criteria 
> for evaluating success bodes well for Randy Walker's future. That and 
> the continuing shortcomings with recruiting, special teams and the 
> defense.
> I know Roy
> Lamberton and others will disagree, but that's my opinion based on 
> what I know.
> 
> Bob Schooler
> _______________________________________________
> nwu-sports site list
> nwu-sports at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports
> 

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