[NU Sports] No predictions?

[Beamsley, Jeff]

You've been singing this song for a long time.  
 
During the season it was that NU didn't have the athletes to compete in the BT.  Instead of giving up, NU, despite injuries and graduation, went 8-4 with big time wins against Iowa and Wisconsin (who one would assume DO have the sorts of athletes that you think NU needs).
 
Now that we are in the bowl season, it is that cannard that SEC is able to recruit better athletes than the BT - so NU is doubly cursed.  Not only don't we have the athletes necessary to win in the BT, but the BT clearly doesn't have the athletes to compete with the SEC.
 
Team speed may have been a secret ingredient to success in the 80's when Miami changed the college football landscape.  It is no longer a secret.  Everyone recruits for speed.  But speed alone doesn't win football games.  Otherwise, USC would have had an undefeated season.
 
Instead USC lost to a MUCH slower Stanford team because that Stanford team was tough, believed in themselves, and didn't make mistakes.  They proved that you can still win with old time smash-mouth football.
 
The other NU (Nebraska) was one penalty away from beating a much faster and WAY more talented Texas team because they had a game plan that they believed in (Suh helped too).  Nebraska had no passing game.  What trick plays they tried didn't work.  They only had desire and a willingness to play the game until the end.  
 
I think the reason that you aren't seeing many predications is because we have all been enjoying holiday time with our families.
 
NU is going to win this game because they want it more than Auburn.  Auburn is going to believe, like you do, that they have the better athletes and can simply show up.  That will be their undoing.  
 
So here are my predictions.
 
Wooten is going to prove to the country that he is a fully healed big game NFL-bound player.  A healthy Kafka will be able to run as well as pass.  Zeke will get 100 receiving yards but need 25 catches to do it.  McManus will get two picks.  Demos will get a 70 yard punt and a 50 yard field goal; and Phillips will propose to his girl friend.  There will be a lot of offense, but in the end, it will come down to who wants it more.  NU wins.
 
Jeff


The contents of this e-mail are intended for the named addressee only. It contains information that may be confidential. Unless you are the named addressee or an authorized designee, you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you received it in error please notify us immediately and then destroy it.


From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com on behalf of Dennis W. Brandt
Sent: Mon 12/28/2009 5:02 AM
To: nwu-sports at romaine.tssi.com
Subject: [NU Sports] No predictions?



There has been a notable lack of predictions for the game.  I suspect your
hearts won't let your heads admit that we will probably go down and go down
hard.  I suspect we won't get within twenty points of Auburn.  Yes, they
lost five games, but three of them were to highly ranked LSU and Alabama by
seven points or less.  They suffered defeats at the hands of a not-shabby
Arkansas, an always formidable Georgia, and bowl-bound Kentucky.  Meanwhile,
we lost to Syracuse and Minnesota and struggled with the likes of Eastern
Michigan and Miami of Ohio.  The Cats are not in the SEC class of speed and
athleticism.  Maybe Auburn will take us too lightly, and we'll get some
breaks, or maybe the Cats will play the greatest game of their lives and
gain the team's biggest victory since Notre Dame in '95.  I just don't think
it will happen.  Lord!  I hope I am wrong.  If so, I will gorge myself on
crow, deep-fried, feathers and all, top it off with a dessert of humble pie,
and enjoy the whole culinary experience.  However, I suspect I will be
dining on pork and sauerkraut again this New Year's Day.

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