[NU Sports] Chicago Football

[Peter C. Warner]

>The Tribune has a section on the history of football in Chicago which I
just 
>found.  Sorry if this link has been posted before, some nice CATS  
>highlights, and of course low lights, happy holidays to all
>_http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/broadband/chi-football-htmlsto
ry,
>0,1312443.htmlstory_ 
>(http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/broadband/chi-football->htmlst
ory,0,1312443.htmlstory)

I saw that yesterday.  The description of this season was annoying, at best.
I viewed winning 2 of the last 3 Big Ten games as a big step forward.  The
Trib just described it as an end to a lackluster year.  

Last spring, everyone in the know thought this year's team was going to
stink big time.  Last spring, the Wheeler case had not been finally
terminated (I don't know if it yet has been).  I believe that the NU
administration had decided long ago that they were standing behind Walker
and wanted to keep him as coach as long as he would stay.  But they did not
want to face adverse publicity (or potential jury emotions) that might
result from appearing to reward Walker despite the Wheeler incident.  The
farther they got away from the Wheeler incident (and from a trial) before
they renewed, the better.  Yet, the administration also saw this year's team
coming.  Had Walker not been renewed last spring, he would have had to have
been renewed after this season because his existing contract was close to
being over.  

Again, this year's team was going to stink.  The administration didn't want
to be put in the spot of renewing a contract for a coach whose team could
have gone 2-10, or worse.  So they renewed Walker last spring.

Fitz is to be commended for turning around a team that was going to be a
loser into a winner by the end of the season.  Hopefully, others - including
recruits - will see the fantastic job he did and the great coach - not that
he will be - but that he is.

Happy Holidays.

Peter Warner