[NU Sports] I see an 8th Bowl spot slipping away...

[DPENDERG at aol.com]

Even before Saturday's game in Champaign -- and I sense most think the  Cats 
will probably lose against a very fast, highly skilled Illini team  
(regardless of their recruiting origins) -- we see the beginnings of the "well,  6-6 is 
not so bad" mantra that reinforces Northwestern second-tier program  status.  
For some of us, however, we reject low expectations and will not  neglect the 
glaring fact that an absolutely indefensible loss to Duke prevented  both a 
7-5 record and a bowl game.  That horrific loss had absolutely  nothing to do 
with the loss of Randy Walker, Sutton or  Brewer.  Continued absence of a bowl 
game should not be  underestimated in terms of both recruiting impact and 
additional team  preparation for the following season.  Duke was more than just a  
passing nightmare.  We will shoulder the consequences of that loss for  months.
 
I hope in fact the Duke loss will be an  instructive, motivating lesson for 
2008 season.  With so much talent  returning, the Cats open with four 
non-conference games (three at home):   Syracuse, Duke, Southern Illinois and Ohio U.  
All winnable games.   Starting on Sunday, the Cat coaches and teams should be 
working to start the  season at 4-0 and then move into the Big Ten season with 
confidence and  momentum.  None of this low-expectations sickness about NU  
"inevitably" losing easy non-conference games.  If NU wants to graduate  into 
the top tier of Big Ten and D-IA programs, we must put aside modest  
expectations, under-performing displays, and squandered leads and opportunities  in the 
fourth quarter.  No, I am not satisfied with 6-6 and hope the Cat  coaches and 
players aren't either. 
 
 
In a message dated 11/12/2007 6:10:31 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
mlinhardt at netzero.net writes:

Great  post.

Football regardless of the results next week was a decent  season.  Not what 
I wanted(8-4), but not 4-8 either.  To lose your  best defender(Smith) and 
most exciting "offensive surprise" weapon(Brewer)  before the season and your 
most proflic offensive threat(Sutton) for 5 games  and still manage to have AT 
LEAST a .500 season is  impressive.

Basketball on the other hand could be really, really  sad.  We are going to 
the Stanford game on Wednesday.  What I am  most excited about in regards to 
the game is the Fast Break Club reception  before the game, because Fitz is 
speaking.  Other than that I am more  pessimistic about bball than any time since 
I arrived at Northwestern in  '89.  Anything other than 0-18 in conference and 
Carmody will have done a  masterful coaching job.  Btw I am not bashing the 
players as they are all  well-spoken and good representatives of the 
university, but as basketball  players...

Sweet Sioux Stays!
-- NEONRye at aol.com wrote:
Boy,  between John and Chuck, I'm so depressed about NU football and hoops I  
 
think I may find a new alma mater to root for.:-)

Seriously, I was  as upset as anyone about losing to Duke, which was an  
unfathomable  result. 

On the other hand, this constant litany of complaints is  getting very "old"  
and monotonous--it's a funeral dirge at this  point.   This certainly  isn't 
the worse year we ever had,  and we have to still remember that the tragic  
loss 
of Coach Walker  set back the program in ways that will resound for at least  
another  couple of years.

So can we lighten up please--at least a  little?

Paul  Levinson



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