GO CATS! Last weekend, I drove to both Ohio State and Notre Dame to cover their openers. Therefore, the Indiana Toll Road and I became quite familiar with one another. This weekend I'm home; back in Chicago's Lakeview East neighborhood, a placed described by Baseball Prospectus writer Christina Kahrl, in her latest Cubs piece as...there are still enough trust funders … [Read more...] about Northwestern vs. Illinois State: the Brutally Honest Game Preview
northwestern preview
College Football hope springs Eternal in April
By Paul M. Banks EVANSTON, IL- In this city, the phrase "wait till next year" is a natural part of the local dialect. It specifically refers to the Chicago Cubs' postseason ineptitude since 1908. (And if early returns are any indication, things will likely not change this October. But the phrase also applies to another Chicago area team: the Northwestern Wildcats, who … [Read more...] about College Football hope springs Eternal in April
2011 looking good for Northwestern
By Paul M. Banks Once again, the Northwestern Wildcats are not advancing past the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Once again they are not going to the NCAA tournament. This happens every March. But this year is a lot different, because this year they won 20 games. The program has never even won 19 in a season prior to 2010. And in 2011, they really could win 25 or … [Read more...] about 2011 looking good for Northwestern
Bill Carmody Comments on the Cats Upcoming Season
By Paul M. Banks Bill Carmody may not have gotten his Northwestern Wildcats their first NCAA tourney bid last year, but he did accomplish a few things that hadn’t been done before. The Cats set a new school record for home wins with 13, and they finished just one victory shy of the school record for wins in a season. Carmody himself is now 2nd in program history for coaching … [Read more...] about Bill Carmody Comments on the Cats Upcoming Season
Senior Safeties Lead Way for Wildcats
By Paul M. Banks Watching Illini football closely for the past couple of decades (wow did that sentence sound masochistic) I’ve noticed that the seem to have a good season, at least defensively, when they have to good senior safeties. When they don’t have that talent and experience at that position, they struggle mightily on defense. I wonder if that can be extrapolated … [Read more...] about Senior Safeties Lead Way for Wildcats
DE Corey Coreysaurus Wootton leads Northwestern’s Defense
By Paul M. Banks In 2008, Northwestern finished just one win shy of the school record. They found success primarily because of their defense, as the ’Cats set a single-season defensive rushing record, holding their foes to 126.4 yards per game. Ahead of the previous school record from the Wildcats’ mythical 1995 Rose Bowl season. Newly installed defensive coordinator Mike … [Read more...] about DE Corey Coreysaurus Wootton leads Northwestern’s Defense
Pat Fitzgerald Previewing Northwestern’s Upcoming Season
By Paul M. Banks College Football season is a little more than three weeks away, and when things get underway September 5th, Northwestern will look to build upon last year’s success. In 2008, they finished one win shy of the single season school record for wins. “We’re Chicago’s Big Ten team,” Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald proclaimed at NU Media Day. I’m sure many people at … [Read more...] about Pat Fitzgerald Previewing Northwestern’s Upcoming Season