What I dislike about Dienhart

[phatcat]

is that he sucks.

'"But fast starts don’t often equal long-term success. NU started 4-0 two times in the last three seasons"

Yeah, Tom and in one of those two seasons, we won 10 games.

 

[iskaboo]

I really hope he is not highly paid.

 

[DarthCat]

About the last two seasons.........

I know we were all highly disappointed that we didn't go bowling either of the last two seasons, and consider it a major step back for the program. But reconsider 2013. In any season, a winning team can point to a couple of games that could have gone either way that had they come up short in, the season would have been a failure.

In 2013, we took Ohio State to the limit, with OSU needing 20 fourth quarter points to come back. In reality, it was a four point loss in a game we started the forth quarter with a three point lead. Not saying to count that game as a 'win' at all. But, in that same season, a 'loss' to Michigan was not. With almost no time on the clock, their right guard clearly moved before the field goal attempt that tied that game. That should have ended the game right there with an NU victory. The refs were all caught off guard by the quick attempt and lost their flags in their pocket.

The Nebraska game was a loss, but there needed a last second hail mary to avoid an NU victory on the road.

Those two 'highly unlikely' events turned a 7-5 season and another bowl berth and a chance to finish 8-5 in what we'd today call a very successful season, if we won that bowl game, into a failure that has people still thinking of that season as evidence of an NU decline.

In 2014, after an embarrassingly poor start, it took us having what, 35 dressed scholarship athletes against one of the worse defenses in the Big Ten to lose at home and not go bowling again. Not to mention in that year we still rebounded to beat Wisconsin, and Notre Dame on the road.

I am NOT saying we should be proud of those years, nor looking for posters who are 30 pounds overweight to spout how they "refuse to accept failure for any reason" from behind their computer screens as if their 'dedication' in putting forth no effort whatsoever beyond rooting for the team is the kind of 'never say die' attitude our 18-22 year old Division 1 athletes need to adopt.

But the last two years are as clear evidence of being 'snakebit' as anything I've seen for two NU teams, and I kind of which we'd recognize it as such.

 

[villox]

Let's also not forget how close many of our wins in 2012 were, the year that was supposedly our best in years. We could easily have lost to Syracuse and Michigan State at a minimum, been 7-5, and lost a bowl game to an outsized opponent to end 7-6. And don't get me started in 1996 or 2000.

We're always living on the edge. Which is why it's fun.

 

[shakes3858]

I am NOT saying we should be proud of those years, nor looking for posters who are 30 pounds overweight to spout how they "refuse to accept failure for any reason" from behind their computer screens as if their 'dedication' in putting forth no effort whatsoever beyond rooting for the team is the kind of 'never say die' attitude our 18-22 year old Division 1 athletes need to adopt.

Best comment ever.... except you should probably add a few pounds... but seriously awesome comment.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

About the last two seasons.........

I know we were all highly disappointed that we didn't go bowling either of the last two seasons, and consider it a major step back for the program. But reconsider 2013. In any season, a winning team can point to a couple of games that could have gone either way that had they come up short in, the season would have been a failure.

In 2013, we took Ohio State to the limit, with OSU needing 20 fourth quarter points to come back. In reality, it was a four point loss in a game we started the forth quarter with a three point lead. Not saying to count that game as a 'win' at all. But, in that same season, a 'loss' to Michigan was not. With almost no time on the clock, their right guard clearly moved before the field goal attempt that tied that game. That should have ended the game right there with an NU victory. The refs were all caught off guard by the quick attempt and lost their flags in their pocket.

The Nebraska game was a loss, but there needed a last second hail mary to avoid an NU victory on the road.

Those two 'highly unlikely' events turned a 7-5 season and another bowl berth and a chance to finish 8-5 in what we'd today call a very successful season, if we won that bowl game, into a failure that has people still thinking of that season as evidence of an NU decline.

In 2014, after an embarrassingly poor start, it took us having what, 35 dressed scholarship athletes against one of the worse defenses in the Big Ten to lose at home and not go bowling again. Not to mention in that year we still rebounded to beat Wisconsin, and Notre Dame on the road.

I am NOT saying we should be proud of those years, nor looking for posters who are 30 pounds overweight to spout how they "refuse to accept failure for any reason" from behind their computer screens as if their 'dedication' in putting forth no effort whatsoever beyond rooting for the team is the kind of 'never say die' attitude our 18-22 year old Division 1 athletes need to adopt.

But the last two years are as clear evidence of being 'snakebit' as anything I've seen for two NU teams, and I kind of which we'd recognize it as such.

Agree 100% and there is one other factoid that we have now forgotten regarding how the playing field was tilted against Northwestern in those two seasons. We had a record number of our opponents blessed with a bye week before playing the Wildcats.

 

[ThatkidfromHolland]

A thing about being a northwestern fan is we have amazing wins and losses where you're like how'd that happen. I remember where I was and my whole day of the Notre dame game that's one of my favorite sports moments. (That and tre demps multiple clutch shots)

 

[Katatonic]

Even w/ all the dropped passes, penalties, conservative playcalling (continually trying to use the power set on 3rd and short), O-line issues - the 'Cats were still a play away (Michigan game) or an injury (Siemian, out of all the injuries) from making a bowl.

Seems like clueless sports-writers are pretty common these days.

Here's another (Glicksman from SI).

Well, nobody knows. It’s possible that the Harbaugh turnaround is already in full effect, and Michigan will roll over Maryland and Northwestern before hosting in-state rival Michigan State on Oct. 17. It’s possible Saturday was the Wolverines at their absolute best, and that regression in coming weeks is largely inevitable.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2015/09/26/michigan-wolverines-beat-byu-cougars