Purple Reign

Rodney Dangerfield is remembered by many for his notable contributions to comedy and television. In Caddyshack, you look back on the outrageous outfits and jokes he used while portraying Al Czervik, and can't help but laugh. For the much less casual Dangerfield fan, his role as Chester in the 1992 cult classic, Ladybugs, is cherished as comedy in its purest form. Few people can argue the impact that Rodney had on comedy, but his impression on Northwestern's 2010-2011 Men's Basketball season is now starting to make its presence felt. Dangerfield's famous tag-line, "I gets no respect, I tell ya", has thoroughly encompassed NU's 8-0 start to the season so far. Sure, their SOS (strength of schedule, not the Rihanna song) is still pretty high at 189, but they play in the Big 10. Ingeniously, Bill Carmody figured out that chewing a tough non-conference plate when the Big 10 is already loaded is going to end up resulting in 5 losses and 4,000 empty seats in Welsh-Ryan Arena for the conference opener. Instead, Carmody installed a schedule with 'who-gives-a-shit games' like Texas-Pan Am (isn't that also the name of an airline?), Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Long Island, knowing all too well that his team would already have to face an ACC opponent (ACC/Big 10 challenge), and a solid mid-major program (Creighton). By doing this, Carmody also established the fact that nobody will have seen Northwestern play more than once on live television before the conference season starts, further promoting his team's false potential as legitimate conference contenders. Savvy.

Trust me, there is no way the Wildcats finish the season in the top 4 of the Big 10 standings, but that's not a discredit to NU. The Big 10 is deeper this year than the wave pool at Magic Waters. Michigan St., Purdue, Ohio State and Illinois will all make the tournament as at large bids based solely on talent and reputation, but Northwestern has to sneak in through the screened-in porch before the tourney committee realizes who they're letting in. Northwestern is still the only major conference school to NEVER (forever? forever-ever? forever-ever?) make the NCAA tournament. If Rodney Dangerfield's "I get no respect" is there team slogan, the opening lines of CCR's catchy single, "Lookin out My Backdoor" should serve as their University's NCAA tournament selection rallying cry. Just read the opening lines:

"Just got home from Illinois, locked the front door, oh boy,
I've got to sit down, take a rest on the porch,
Imagination sets in, pretty soon I'm singin',
Doo da doo da doo, lookin' out my backdoor." CCR

If Northwestern beats Steve Lavin's St. Johns team in MSG tonight, the Mild-cats only have to knock off "The Mount" (Mount St. Mary's. Admit it, you thought it was a volcano) and they roll into conference play undefeated. That's 11 wins and 0 losses rolling into West Lafayette to test their mettle against the Boilers. Northwestern is also keeping the scorekeepers busy as they are currently averaging 81.5 PPG, which is good enough for 1st in the Big Ten during non-conference play. Are they good enough to end the year first place in the Big 10? No. But they just might be good enough to fill a slot in the country's most celebrated bracket for the first time in school history. Stay tuned.

As for Pick of the Day, I know the Pulse Man already has a pick on the table from yesterday, but in the words of Ernie Banks he figures "Let's play two!". In the spirit of all things purple and white (except for Queen Lattifah), the Pulse Man likes NU getting 3 in the Garden tonight against St. John's. Let the 3's fall like rain...purple rain.

Pick of the Day: Northwestern (+3) @ St. Johns- NORTHWESTERN

Record:(41-28-0)

Now I'm done. Rack me

Frost