Your Nov. 19 headline “NU pounds Illinois to tie for Big Ten title, but . . . Purdue comes up roses, Conference ring’s the thing to joyous Cats” (Sports, Page 1).
But?
Shouldn’t the hometown team winning the Big Ten championship (against its in-state rival) merit your top headline? Purdue and Michigan shared the Big Ten crown with Northwestern. Purdue goes to Pasadena based solely on a tiebreaker. Take nothing away from Purdue; it earned the Rose Bowl fair and square. I congratulate them, and they deserve front-page coverage. But not the top story.
Can’t the hometown paper focus on the incredible success of the local team, whose members are just as much Big Ten champions as Purdue’s?
Northwestern’s three conference titles in six years ranks second to none. We’ve produced the results. When will respect follow?
Before the season, Sports Illustrated chose Minnesota next-to-last in the conference with a ranking of 51st in the nation. Northwestern was ranked 86th. Think about that a moment. Northwestern startled everyone by sharing the Big Ten championship.
That’s the Chicago-area story of the day (if not the season), and you chose to treat it as an afterthought.
I have one question:
Why?
