[NU Sports] Classic, thy name is Northwestern ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> There have to be some fans out there who appreciate
> a defensive masterpiece  
> more than a shootout (at least, I hope there are). 
> Unfortunately, ESPN has  
> been popularizing the notion that a 49-48 shootout

Well, to be fair, I don't think we can blame it on
ESPN.:) Remember, as the saying goes, defense may win
championships but offense puts people in the seats.

Plus, it's not like ESPN has had a lot of defensive
slugfests to choose from lately. We're clearly in an
offense-dominated era of football right now with the
spread attacks and all.

Look at the top 25 right now - I hear about USC's
great defense, but they have allowed their share of
points. LSU's probably as close to a dominant
defensive team as we see right now and not many others
in the top 25 are playing much D.

But no need to begrudge the instant classics either -
they're entertaining and have plenty more storylines
than just an offensive show. The defenses in
NU-Michigan 2000 may have been taking the day off, but
there was still some great offensive execution that
day. And the comeback at NU-Minnesota wasn't something
you see every day either.

And you want D? The other Big Ten classic game this
week was 2002 OSU-Purdue -- a great defensive chess
match with that gutsy 4th and 1 call to go deep for
the win instead of run it up the gut. Though even that
great OSU defense had to win their title in a 31-24
shootout.:)

> There was a time when the 1966 Michigan State-Notre
> Dame game  (10-10 tie) 
> was considered 'The Game of the Century'.  I fear we

I dunno, I'm of the opinion that a tie game - by
definition - can not be the game of the century.:) I
may not have been alive at the time of the game, but
from the replays, there seem to have been better 1 vs.
2 matchups in the last couple decades.

> PS - If we don't show 1995 Wisconsin-NU on the Big
> Ten Network, can we at  
> least strap Colby and Brown into chairs and make

Hah! With Bucky off our schedule, it's unlikely we'll
get a Badger-Cats game on the slate. And if we do, the
1996 or 2000 wins in Madison or our last game in
Evanston probably take precedence. Though I will
admit, that 35-0 stompin' still brings a mighty wide
grin to my face.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


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