[NU Sports] Beat Penn State? Really?

[Jonathan Hodges]

Regarding my statement: "Fitz has certainly got NU into plenty of close
games in which it had no business being, too"

Northwestern has been an underdog in 37 games under Fitz (55.2% of NU's
games).  In those games, NU has covered the spread 22 times (59.5%) and won
outright 14 times (37.8%).

Also, NU has been tied or had the lead in the second half of 53 games under
Fitz (79.1% of games) - and NU had a 2nd half lead in 51 of those, including
a streak of 26 such games between 2008 and 2010.

Given that Fitz has an overall win rate of 53.7% this means he's given up a
second half lead in 22.4% of games.  My argument, though, is that it's
impressive that he had NU ahead in the second half of over 76% of his
games.  (For a related comparison point, Fitz has been tied or had the lead
in the 4th quarter in 20% more games than his predecessor, Walker).

Jonathan

--
Jonathan Hodges
Contributor, HailToPurple
Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
Twitter: @hailtopurple
Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu



On Sun, Oct 2, 2011 at 2:49 PM, Brad Wilson <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Really? Which of those games did NU have no business being in? Which?  None
> of those 4 losses were to overwhelmingly powerful squads. You could make a
> case for MSU last season  but the other three nowhere near. NU was as good
> as MSU '06, Illinois '11 and PSU '10 and should have won all three going
> away.
>
> The two bowl games -- Auburn and Mizzou -- maybe those games. Even then
> though ...
>
> bw
>
>
>
>
> "Stupidity is infinitely more fascinating than intelligence. Intelligence
> has its limits while stupidity has none. To observe a profoundly stupid
> individual can be very enriching, and that's why we should never feel
> contempt for them." -- Claude Chabrol (1930-2010)
>
> "But to provoke -- in the good sense -- is the performer's role. It's not
> just to give one more concert. That's not culture. That"s marketing." --
> Pierre Boulez
>
>
> "Quis ipsos custodes custodiet?" -- Juvenal
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Jonathan Hodges <j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu>
> *To:* "Weinbaum, Willie" <Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com>
> *Cc:* "bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com" <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com>; "
> nwu-sports at tssi.com" <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, October 2, 2011 2:35 PM
>
> *Subject:* Re: [NU Sports] Beat Penn State? Really?
>
> Actually, that should be 1-4 (1 win: 2008 v Purdue, 4 loses: 06 v MSU - up
> 38-3, 10 v MSU - up 17-0, 10 @ PSU - up 21-0, 11 @ Ill - up 28-10).
>
> While those collapses are disappointing, Fitz has certainly got NU into
> plenty of close games in which it had no business being, too.
>
> --
> Jonathan Hodges
> Contributor, HailToPurple
> Web: http://www.hailtopurple.com/jhodges/
> Twitter: @hailtopurple
> Email: j-hodges at alumni.northwestern.edu
>
>
>
> On Sun, Oct 2, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Weinbaum, Willie <Willie.Weinbaum at espn.com
> > wrote:
>
> One of more bizarre stats I read @ Lake the Posts, which did a thorough
> recap of y-day's Orange-crushing defeat of the Cats:  Fitz is 1-3 in Big Ten
> games in which Cats have led by 17.
>
> Optimistic Cats will improve in this vital area.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brad Wilson [mailto:bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 1:30 PM
> To: Weinbaum, Willie; nwu-sports at tssi.com
> Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Beat Penn State? Really?
>
> Touche!! We should be down by two TDs mid 4Q in best case, right, for a
> rally?
>
> Brad Wilson
> ------Original Message------
> From: Weinbaum, Willie
> To: bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com
> Subject: RE: [NU Sports] Beat Penn State? Really?
> Sent: Oct 2, 2011 13:19
>
> As long as Cats don't spot 'em a big lead, should be OK. :)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
> Behalf Of Brad Wilson
> Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 1:18 PM
> To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
> Subject: [NU Sports] Beat Penn State? Really?
>
> Nits have owned NU except when they are horrible and this year they are
> only half-horrible (offense). I would not think PSU can be thought of as a
> win.
>
> Brad Wilson
> Sent on the Sprint(r) Now Network from my BlackBerry(r)
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