[NU Sports] RE: nwu-sports Digest, Vol 4, Issue 340

[CHerron604 at aol.com]

For each of the four groups -
 
- The players, a bowl trip would be nice, they have contributed admirably  to 
the program.  
 
- The fans, a trip someplace warm would be nice, but almost all of us  can 
venture to Arizona, or Southern California, or Florida for a few days.   In 
fact, we can catch a game, if we like, without suffering the wild highs and  
heart-rending lows of watching a Cats game.  Alternatively, we can sit  around the 
pool or lounge and concentrate on things more pleasant than false  starts and 
busted coverages.
 
- The coaches.  Underperformed this season.  Starting out with a  schedule 
featuring 5 byes (Northeastern, Nevada, Duke, Eastern Michigan and  Minnesota), 
they won 6 games,  Not acceptable.
 
- The athletic department.  Zero marketing, a microscopic  presence in the 
Chicago sports media, miserable game day services (traffic  control, parking, 
concessions).  This group has failed miserably.  I  will predict, however, that 
they will excel at getting out the season ticket  renewal forms quickly, and 
they will cash each of our renewal checks faster than  Tyrell Sutton hits a 
hole.
 
The only fair reward would be to take some of our share of the Big Ten bowl  
windfall, and treat the seniors and their parents to a Rose Bowl trip, dinner 
at  Lawrey's and a day at Disneyland or something (of course, rewarding the 
players  with anything will always be against NCAA rules).
 
I hate to say it, but for the athletic staff and coaches, it seems to take  a 
'stomach punch' like missed revenue, missed practices, and paying for their  
own holiday trip to wake these people up and make them do what needs to be 
done  to make this program a regular bowl participant. 
 
Chuck Herron   Tech '85



**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
products.
(http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)