[NU Sports] big ten day

[Michael Vance]

My wife said the same thing, only she had the perspective from the 
opposite side of the decision.

She was in her senior year at MSU in '87 when they qualified for the '88 
Rose Bowl game.  She thought about going and then said to herself, "Nah, 
they'll go back again soon."  Even though it had only been eight years 
between then and when NU went in '95, she already felt the sting of 
regret for that decision.  So it was an easy decision for us to make the 
trip to California.

(For those keeping count, the Spartans still have not been back to 
Pasadena after 18 years.  Only Indiana, Minnesota, and Illinois have 
longer droughts, and Illinois would have gone in 2002 were it not for 
the BCS.)

-Michael

Mark Ament wrote:
> I have to add one comment.  My former next door neighbor was an avid IU 
> fan who attended IU many years ago (he is now in his 80s).  He went to 
> that Rose Bowl and was one of the reasons I went to the Rose Bowl when 
> we made it.  He convinced me that I couldn't miss the experience.  He 
> said it was the best sporting event he had ever attended and, of course, 
> he was right.  He also told me that based on his experience, you just 
> never knew when you were going to get the chance to get back to Pasadena 
> - he is still waiting.
> Mark
> SportsBiz <http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com>
> 
> Abrahamson, Alan wrote:
> 
>> Lamely, I didn't turn on the TV until 9:45-ish Pacific. By then, 
>> apparently, Pat Fitzgerald had been at the mike. Anyone have a report?
>> Also, for those of us who have endured the "Northwestern doesn't 
>> belong" nonsense for far too many years, this post at Deadspin 
>> (www.deadspin.com) is entertaining: "... Hoosiers Still Working Out 
>> the Buggs: How long will Indiana last in this conference? The Hoosiers 
>> (1-7, 4-7 last season) haven't had a winning season since 1994, have 
>> not been to a bowl game since 1993 and have not won a bowl game since 
>> the Copper Bowl in 1991. But it wasn't always so bleak for Indiana. 
>> Trent Green went there, and before him, in 1967, the Hoosiers won the 
>> Big Ten and made it to the Rose Bowl. Fun Indiana fact: Junior long 
>> snapper Tim Bugg is backed up by his brother, freshman Brandon Bugg."
>> The 1967 reference, of course, conjures up visions of John Pont. I 
>> refrain from further commentary.
>> Warm regards to all of you, Alan