[NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowlwinhas to be priority One ...

Wed Dec 7 14:18:04 CST 2011

If "being Notre Dame" means consistently getting invited to better bowl games than our peers in the BT with similar records, I don't see anything wrong with that.  That's because it means that the bowl committees recognize that we are good partners in what is generally an activity intended to benefit the local community.  It means our fans travel in good numbers.  It means they are generous, polite, and respectful while they are in town; and hopefully welcome to return.  It means we have a good AD on the job promoting what is best about NU.

While I would suggest that losing games is about the only attractive thing about the Cubs, it certainly is not the success plan I advocate for NU.  The reality, however, is that we are currently perceived outside the BT as the perennial scrappy underdog.  The "talking heads" perpetuate that narrative because it is easy and resonates with their audiences, and (you're right) frees them from doing their homework.  Again no damage done, particularly if it gets our name mentioned more often than the rest of the 6-6 teams playing in the post season. 

As far as winning, perhaps this helps.  

Winning during the regular season IS important.  You have to WIN at least six games in the regular season in order to qualify for a bowl game.  You get the same amount of post season practice, pre-game visibility, and recruiting benefit from a bowl game whether you win or lose.  The value of that post season practice, visibility, and recruiting boost is realized in the seasons which follow a bowl game.  So those teams who regularly play in bowl games (like NU) have a significant advantage in the regular season over the teams who don't regularly play in bowl games.  Those teams who win bowl games DON'T gain a significant additional advantage in the regular season over those team who lose bowl games. 

Do we all like to win?  Of course.

Does it hurt when we lose?  Of course.

Does Fitz want to win every game he prepares the team for? Of course.

Does a loss in a bowl game hurt the team's chances to win in the regular season? No.

Jeff 

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Eric C West
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 2:29 PM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowlwinhas to be priority One ...

I think I took it seriously, as seriously as it could be taken given the concept. Wanting them to win and thinking it would be a silly format are not mutually exclusive. By the same token, wanting them to beat Texas A&M and being just as happy if they would have beaten UCLA or Western Michigan are not inconsistent feelings either. To put more of a point on it: whether it's a championship game or a "better" bowl, I'd rather we get there because we earned it on the field than because our AD is great at promoting us. I don’t want to be Notre Dame.

I also disagree about the only reason our bowl drought gets mentioned: it's merely an easy thing for "talking heads" to say about the Wildcats so they don't have to do any real research about our team and its situation (unlike how they treated several other teams on their preview show, including Texas A&M). It's a stretch to think that the drought would truly get any non-NU fans to turn in when they wouldn't otherwise, and I certainly don't want to think you're suggesting that we should keep losing bowl games so our ratings will keep going up and up.

The issue of what is "exhibition" and what "matters" (frankly, one could say nothing in college football or even sports in general really "matters") is a huge separate discussion that doesn't really come into play with my opinion here. Certainly, I wouldn’t refuse any bowl bid that was offered, and I also believe we're as capable of beating Texas A&M as we are of losing to Army. But I WANT US TO WIN. The notion of "better" bowls potentially helping recruiting and building the program, etc., etc. -- that's all well and good, but isn't that all in service of, you know, WINNING? Because if we don't eventually win, maybe that theory is flawed.

Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Beamsley, Jeff [mailto:Jeff.Beamsley at covisint.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 12:55 PM
To: Eric C West; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: RE: [NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowl winhas to be priority One ...

The quick summary that I was trying to get to is that only one of these games matter.  That's the BCS championship game.  All the rest of these games are exhibitions to entertain the audience.  That's why nobody remembers who won or lost - just like nobody remembers who won the senior bowl game.

The ONLY reason our bowl drought gets mentioned is because it is an interesting tidbit of news and it might encourage some viewers to tune this game in.  So at the moment, our drought improves our ratings rather than damaging them.  People like to root for underdogs, so why shouldn't we benefit from that?

If you want to take my thought experiment seriously, feel free.  I think it proved my point that the primary value is getting to play in the game and represent our conference - not the final score.  That said, I would love for NU and I'm sure Coach Fitz is using this to motivate the team.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Eric C West
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 1:43 PM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowl winhas to be priority One ...

Actually, Jeff, I think I'd suggest that the format change. That would be a pretty silly way to determine a championship. (Not to mention lots of schools would then work on all sorts of ways to fudge their graduation numbers, further compromising the already-shaky "student athlete" concept in most of the FBS.)

I also take issue with the notion that no one outside NU team/fans "care" about merely winning a bowl game. The only thing that got mentioned about NU in Sunday's two-hour Bowl Selection Special on ESPN was that we haven't won a bowl game since 1949. This statistic is practically the first thing anyone in the media mentions when talking about the Wildcats. If we won a bowl game, that statistic would go away, and no one in the media would mention or even care who the bowl victory was against or how strong they were. I actually think the opposite of your statement is more true: the only people who care about beating a "strong" opponent in a bowl game are [among] us, the players and coaches on this team, and their families.

And Harry, Meineke/Houston ain't the Rose, nor is it more thrilling than Fight Hunger/SF or Little Caesars/Detroit. A bowl is a bowl, and a win is a win.

Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Beamsley, Jeff
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 12:18 PM
To: Eric Kunkel; bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowl win has to be priority One ...

I appreciate the angst.

I certainly share the hope that NU will prevail later this month.

BUT

In the larger scope of what's good for the program, winning bowl games is way down the list.  Getting invited to a bowl game is MUCH more important to both the current team and potential recruits.

The only people who care about winning this bowl game are us, the players and coaches on this team, and their families.

Here's a little thought experiment to hopefully prove my point.

What if the playoff format was changed and the championship game was between the team that had the best ranking and the team that graduated the highest percentage of their athletes.  So NU got to play in the championship game pretty regularly.  Would we turn that down?  Would we suggest that the format change?  Would we stop trying to graduate everyone?  

No

We would proudly represent the BT and do our best to win even though it might be against long odds.

Same story here.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On Behalf Of Eric Kunkel
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 12:44 PM
To: bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowl win has to be priority One ...

  Can't elaborate due to time commitments, but count me on Clark's side on this one.  If , since 1949 had won just one bowl game, this wouldn't be an issue.  I don't want to bring up bad karma, but its the only thread, and I mean the ONLY threaad that connects us to the Dark Ages, and it needs to be cut. Don't tell me some of you haven't thought the same thing.  
   With that said, I appreciate Mr. Phillips efforts as well as the well thought posts in regards to our bowl in Houston. Of course, I will be rooting for our Cats, who once again will be looking up a loaded barrell when they take the field 12/31. 

GO CATS!!          Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: bwdolphin146 <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com>
To: nwu-sports <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Wed, Dec 7, 2011 12:57 am
Subject: [NU Sports] I understand Clark's frustration ... A bowl win has to be priority One ...

...But I wouldn't say NU has no chance to win. The Aggies' pass defense is readful and assuming McCall cranks it up and NU doesn't get conservative on ffense the game should be competitive. 
That said, I agree with Clark that the only thing that matters is a bowl win. 
hat awful streak is an anchor on the NU program and it needs to end. Somehow. 
Brad Wilson
ent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry® ______________________________________________
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