[NU Sports] JoePa Comedy Tour

[cherron604 at aol.com]

The JoePa comedy tour continues, with a stop this week in Chicago:

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=rivals-331761&prov=rivals&type=lgns

Whether the confusion is real or made up, these press conferences are generally entertaining.  JoePa has also become one of Fitz' greatest fans - the transcript is full of praise.  An example:

"Your last trip to Northwestern, you had the big drive at the end with Smolko on fourth down and the touchdown to Derrick Williams. That was early in that season. How much of a turning point do you think winning the game the way you did late helped turn around that season and maybe, even larger perspective, the 2005 season?
I don’t even know what you’re talking about.

I don’t even know what you’re talking about.
You had fourth down and Michael Robinson hit Smolko.
Was that at Northwestern?

Was that at Northwestern?
Yes, then you had the late touchdown.
I’m glad Smolko caught it. I probably didn’t know he was in the game.

I’m glad Smolko caught it. I probably didn’t know he was in the game.
It was early in the season.
Geez, you guys, when I write my book I’ll put all that stuff in it. I don’t know. That’s 100 years ago to me. I don’t go to bed thinking about what we did 20 years ago. I go to bed thinking what we’ve got to do this Saturday. All right. Hope it doesn’t come down to the fourth. But it might. It might come down we’re just trying to hang on for our lives.

Geez, you guys, when I write my book I’ll put all that stuff in it. I don’t know. That’s 100 years ago to me. I don’t go to bed thinking about what we did 20 years ago. I go to bed thinking what we’ve got to do this Saturday. All right. Hope it doesn’t come down to the fourth. But it might. It might come down we’re just trying to hang on for our lives.
Indiana had that game all wrapped up, they thought, at halftime. I think it was 28-3. Am I right? 28-3. They came out; and Northwestern, I’m a little prejudice, but Northwestern’s got a bunch of kids I really like, and I really like Fitzgerald. I think he’s a heck of a coach. I don’t know a lot of his staff, but their kids play college football the way you like to see it played. They play every down. And they’re tough and smart and they adjust well, and we’re going to have a tough football game on our hands."

I fear sometimes that if he heard some of our complaining, he'd start berating us.  I have not heard him say these kind of things about say, Ron Zook.  I appreciate the man's honesty as well - if somebody asks me about events from four years ago, I am not going to remember very much either.

Oh well, hopefully JoePa's awe  of being in Fitz' presence will give us a little help on Saturday (joke).

Chuck Herron   Tech '85