[NU Sports] This is silly

[Ben Adler]

At the risk of over-simplifying, I think it's time to put things in perspective.

It all boils down to this: What's more important, sports or classes?  What do we want Northwestern to be known for the most?  What should Northwestern stand for?  When past, present and future students think of Northwestern, what's the first thing that comes to mind -- you know, word association?

I think it's incredibly clear.  Do you know anyone (who's not an athlete) who chose NU solely for football or basketball, let alone any of our other sports?

Northwestern is about academics - about Kellogg and Medill, Kresge and Tech.  That's what we're known for.  It should be what we're known for.  The rest is a bonus - an added reason that NU is great.  It is NOT the end-all, be-all.

Sure, there's room for both - but the point is, what should our priority be?  What comes first?  Seems clear to me.
 
I'm a huge sports fan, I love watching the Cats play, and I had a helluva time in 2000, my sophomore year.  I worked the sidelines for WNUR at the Michigan game.  I was in the booth for the Illinois game that clinched a tie for the Big Ten championship.  I enjoyed a great trip to San Antonio (if not the game itself).  I'll always remember all that.  But when I think back on my four years of college, sporting events just don't top my list of memories.

With a crappy football team, Northwestern is still Northwestern.  With crappy academics, we are most definitely not.

OK, I'm stepping off the soapbox now.  Who's next?

-- Ben


----- Original Message ----
From: Eric West <e-west at northwestern.edu>
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 2, 2007 4:10:54 PM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] 4th Quarter


At 08:23 AM 10/2/2007, SjT (Stephen J. Truog) wrote:

>Look, we have this conversation every few months and
>it seems even more pointless to have it in the middle
>of the season ...

I'm with Stephen. The past few weeks have been discouraging, but let's get 
a little perspective, please?

Northwestern football, 1990-1994: 13-41-1, 8-32 Big Ten
Northwestern football, 2002-2006: 26-35, 17-23 Big Ten

Not to mention...
Michigan State football, 2002-2006: 26-34, 14-26 Big Ten
Indiana football, 2002-2006: 17-41, 7-33 Big Ten
Illinois football, 2002-2006: 13-45, 6-34 Big Ten

While we're obviously not world-beaters, the notion that we're somehow back 
in the pre-Rose Bowl days -- or that we are hopelessly outclassed by Big 
Ten rivals with their allegedly enormous recruiting bases -- is 
demonstrably ludicrous. Oh, and if every school that got blown out by Ohio 
State recently had to leave the Big Ten, it would be something like the Big 
Four.

Look, we've got an unexpectedly inexperienced head coach and an injured 
would-be MVP. Let's all take a deep breath, shall we? I'd at least prefer 
to see what happens with the rest of this season (if not the next few 
seasons) before even entertaining some of the...interesting notions that 
have popped up lately. Automatic insta-panic does no one any good.


---
Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu 


_______________________________________________
nwu-sports site list
nwu-sports at tssi.com
http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/nwu-sports


       
____________________________________________________________________________________
Got a little couch potato? 
Check out fun summer activities for kids.
http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&cs=bz