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

Tue Nov 13 08:00:48 CST 2007

I'm not ready to write off the game on Saturday like many on this board...
Illinois is a strong team but hardly invincible (ask Iowa), NU needs to play
solid defense and take advantage of the offensive opportunities (which the
'Cats will have plenty of).  Sure, the Duke loss has hurt, and so have the 3
blown 4th quarter leads, but there is still one game left in the 2007
season.  I know many nay-sayers basically gave up on the 'Cats after Sept.
15, but NU has come a long way since then.

Oh, and for reference, the last time NU had a brand new head coach this
young he was 1-21-1 after 23 games, while Fitz is 10-13.  Obviously the
circumstances are a little different, but the fact is that Fitz didn't come
in with a team stocked and ready to win 9 games year in and year out.  We
all want the 'Cats to be successful, me just as much as everyone else, but
the fact is that Northwestern is not another football factory and will never
be.  But what you can do is take pride in every Wildcat victory, and
fortunately we've had 6 chances to do that thus far in 2007.

Jonathan

On Nov 13, 2007 6:58 AM, <DPENDERG at aol.com> wrote:

>
> 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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-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
1237 Emerson St Apt 2
Evanston, IL  60201-3577
(847) 736-2449
jonathanwhodges at gmail.com