[NU Sports] 4th Quarter

[Jeff Beamsley]

Dennis,

I realize that many of these discussions deal primarily with emotion rather
than fact.

So here are a couple of facts that hopefully don't need to be argued about.

>From the latest NCAA graduation report

NU - graduated 93% of all students, 96% of all athletes, and 91% of all
football players
PSU - graduated 83% of all students, 86% of all athletes, and 80% of all
football players

As much as you may admire JoePa, Penn State, and their program - they clearly
don't have the same commitment.  Also if you care to look, even UoM did a
better job than PSU in graduation percentages.

I'm proud of the fact that NU is top ranked academic institution that still
manages to compete effectively in the BT (more success in women's sports than
men) and consistently be at or near the top in terms of graduation
percentages.

NU isn't for everyone.  Suggesting that this is an elitist attitude is just a
weak PC red herring.  If I recall some of your past posts correctly, PC
comments are a little out of character for you anyway.

This is a school that challenges academically smart people to work hard and
become world-class citizens.  We need schools like NU if we want to get the
best out of our brightest.  That's not to say that all other schools and the
people that go there are crap.  It does recognize the reality that some
people are more academically gifted than others, that's all. 

The graduation rates PROVE that the NU admissions counselors know what they
are doing in selecting students (and athletes).  The success of our graduates
in their careers also PROVES that education at NU does make a difference in
their lives.  

The "NU can never win" argument is just loser talk.  There are enough smart
football players in our country for NU to put together competitive teams.  We
just need to find them and recruit them, because at least for them NU's elite
academic status is a recruiting advantage.  

I happen to think that we have the right guy for the job.  He just has to
surround himself with similarly talented people.  Then we will see the
results.

As for this year, as others have mentioned, the turn-around from last week to
this already demonstrates that Fitz can get his team motivated and focused.
Now they and he just have to learn how to win.

Jeff

 

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
Behalf Of Dennis W. Brandt
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 12:12 PM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] 4th Quarter

> What Barnett proved is that you CAN compete without having the best 
> athletes.

No, what Barnett proved is that ON A RARE OCCASION you can win without the
best athletes if you have some talent in key areas, other teams don't take
you seriously, and Jupiter aligns with Mars.  Motivation and innovation will
carry you only so far.  Robert E. Lee used both techniques successfully for a
while, but ultimately Grant's overwhelming power crushed him.  The spread
offense is now as commonplace as a Stonewall Jackson flank march, and
defenses are far better prepared.  Unless we obtain faster, better skilled
athletes to run it (most importantly a speedy quarterback), it will no longer
carry us.  And aren't you weary of watching NU defenses give up yard after
yard?  Defensive lines that can't get near opposing quarterbacks?

> You appear fixated on four star recruits as the route to victory.

Fixated by obtaining talent?  You bet I am!  Four-star recruits might not be
the answer, but Northwestern never has them to find out what they could do
with them!  There is nothing wrong with the NU football team that more speed,
quickness, athleticism, size, and strength would not cure.  And where is it
written that coaches can't motivate good athletes as well as average ones?

> For UoM and OSU. . .[it] means graduating fewer kids, having a lot 
> more leave early for the NFL, and providing some only the appearance 
> of an education rather than the substance of one.

Tell that to Joe Paterno, whose players graduate on a par with Northwestern
and almost always win all their pre-season games.  Would I object to players
leaving early for the NFL?  If we had that "problem," it would mean we would
have quality players and be winning a lot more games.  If you want a purely
academic school, fine.  I understand the argument, but then leave Big 10
athletics behind.  I do not think, however, that athletics and academics are
inconsistent with each other.  Penn State certainly has proven that.

> If you really would like to remake NU in the image of UoM or OSU, I 
> suggest a much easier path.  Just start rooting for them.

I didn't graduate from UoM or OSU and don't care about either one.  You seem
trapped in 1995 with a "Hoosiers" mentality.  Yes, '95 was fabulous.  Yes,
it's great when David slays Goliath.  But it's time to move forward.  Time to
take the next step.  And in all due respect, you're coming off very much like
an elitist who don't want no stinkin', dumb athletes on his team. 


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