Hey Chappy, I got your book last night and am not even 20% through. Let me just say it's absolutely fantastic. Gocatsgo and anyone else who underappreciates what Barnett did and what made our team great needs to read this.
Massive insight into what made this team come together. I mean High Hopes and the other book that was written (forget the name) talked to some of it, but this has a lot more color and a lot more detail from a lot more perspectives. Really incredible work.
Already some huge questions or things that made me think:
1) No idea that Vandy was going to be given the job if Barnett flipped to UCLA or others. Kind of wish that that would have happened, and wonder if we wouldn't have been better off.
2) Really get the sense of the attitude of the team in this book - moreso than in High Hopes likely because there were a lot more player (and assistant) perspectives here, not just Gary's. Feels like we lost it during the Walker years. Hope and sense that we have it back now, but not sure. Would love to get a sense from players in the program today (or perhaps Fitz or Genryk) to read this and reflect as to whether what they had then is there today.
3) What happened with Larry Lilja anyways? Always wondered what the backstory was, but didn't fully appreciate what he did for the NU program until now, and don't really know what happened to cause his separation. Now he's doing his thing with Lake Forest. Feels like a loss for the program to me.
4) I had pointed this out before any there were many who didn't believe it, but your book affirms that at least one of Barnett's earliest classes was ranked in the top 25. And he did not recruit with the track record and facilities that we have today. Amazing. The other takeaway - our 95 and 96 teams had top talent. Wasn't just the 2000 title that was won with top 25 talent. The common thread for our 3 B1G titles in 6 years - was that they were won with talent from top 25 recruiting classes. We won't win championships until we are able to bring in top talent like Barnett did - we're not there yet, but we do appear to be clawing our way back and hopefully we will get back there soon.
5 ) Didn't know Marcel Price was that gifted - sounds like we lost a born leader and a future NFL draft pick with his tragic passing
Still a lot more to read so I'm sure more will come up, but incredible job here. Wonder if you (and perhaps Matt Rice) would be willing to do a zoom or thread to answer questions or additional reflections.
Amazing job! Thank you so much for this.
