The Knight to Cats Blog

Friday, February 15, 2008

We Own the College Web Scene

Nina Mandell did a fantastic job in her follow-up story on knighttocats.com for Sports Illustrated On Campus.  She has been one of our biggest fans and we're grateful for it! 

Just to clarify a few things.  Seth has been on Facebook since about the 7th grade.  I was the one who entered 2004 by joining.  So far I have done a miserable job of getting friends.  Also, we in no way meant to insult the great Kelly Amonte Hiller.  Trust us, we never would want to anger the greatest coach in NU history.  

 

Kevin

Thursday, February 14, 2008

The National Media loves us some more!

A couple of big news items in the KTC world to report.

1.  Kevin and I were interviewed for an article to appear on CNN SI, so stay tuned for that in the next couple of days.  As our biggest fans may recall we were interviewed by Nina Mandell for our efforts last season.  This new article will be a real "where are they now?" article for us.

2.  As part of our outreach to members of the media, we have been informed that Pat Forde of ESPN will be talking about bringing Bobby Knight to Northwestern on "Race To March Madness" on ABC this Saturday.  Good to see the idea gaining ground in other circles.

..seth

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Tavaras Hardy

Tavaras Hardy is on the path to becoming the greatest Wildcat of all time.  In fact, no player has ever worn the sacred Cats jersey more than T-Bone.  118 times to be exact.  Though we will never forget the bad times with Tavaras, such as when his air ball cost the Cats an upset win over Mateen Cleaves and the Spartans, we also occasionally can remember the good times, if we close our eyes and think really hard.  Clapping your hands helps.

Tavaras had the unfortunate pleasure to play with some of the biggest NU transfer traitors around: David Newman, Brody Deren and Gimme More Steve LePore.  With such A-level talent leaving the cozy confines of Welsh-Ryan Arena for places like Drake and Creighton, the Cats could never recover under Kevin O'Neill. 

In all reality, we truly admired how hard Tavaras always played, and that he has stuck with this program for so long, when so many others bailed.  Nobody deserves to see some success at this place more than him.  And now, he is even in his second season as assistant coach. 

At this point in the post we start making demands.  When The General marches into Evanston, we want Tavaras to remain on the staff.  Tavaras has committed his life to the misery of this basketball program, and he deserves to see its triumphant ascendancy to .500.  So please Coach Knight, when you clean out the cupboard, keep some T-Bone in there, just in case.

Kevin

Monday, February 11, 2008

Our Time is Now

 Needless to say "Our Time is Now."  Almost a year after we started the grassroots phenomenon knighttocats.com, we are closer than ever to getting the hallowed Coach Knight to wearing purple.  

We firmly believe that Coach Knight's decision to step down from the head coaching position at Texas Tech is not the end of his career.  We have always believed he'd return to his Big Ten roots.  We have always stressed Coach Knight's commitment to graduating well-schooled young men.  

The time could never be better.  With our beloved Cats facing down a winless (and expanded, no less) Big Ten schedule, with recruiting at an all-time low for Carmody, with attendance at Welsh-Ryan consisting of a smattering of adolescent boys and senior citizens, there has never been a more urgent time for something drastic.  

We have endured a lot over the past year.  People have persecuted us for our outrageous belief that NU basketball could be something, anything.  "Strive for mediocrity!" we cried.  "Never, never, never!" shouted the doubters.  We received mail from across this fair land.  Those in Lubbock threatened our safety if we ever traversed to the Lonestar State.  Some in Evanston called us idiots, morons, fools, and idol worshippers.  But we marched on. 

Now, some Baloney Pony at the Indianapolis News and Tribune has stolen our idea.  Mike Hutsell claims "Bobby Knight's next stop already makes sense."  Gee, I wonder where he got this brilliant idea. 

When Bobby comes to our grand University and leads us to the promised land, all we ask in return for starting the movement is a high-paying assistant coaching position.

Kevin

The National Media steals our ideas!

As we here at KTC have been gearing up our pitch following a shocking Knight resignation, word comes from our sources that our idea has been poached by a national media figure.  This is nothing less than a travesty. 

While we are happy that the message is getting out there to the people, how about a little credit Mike? 

We can forgive, as you are clearly just a big fan, but our feelings are hurt nonetheless.  Hopefully we can meet up to discuss this, just not in Indiana, we don't go there.

..seth

Thursday, November 08, 2007

2007-08 Season Preview

A new season, and a new energy to get Bill Carmody out and Bob Knight in at Northwestern.  Before we get to our first annual team preview, we thought we should update you on some things you'll be seeing at knighttocats this year. 

• An exclusive in-depth expose with one of Coach Carmody's former players.  We'll get the scoop on what life was like as an NU basketball star, and what this former player thinks the Cats should do about their coaching situation.
• We will be launching our exclusive knighttocats.com clothing line soon.  These will be must own items for all true NU hoops fan.  It's the perfect holiday gift, stocking stuffer, or vomit rag.
• Guest blogging.  You can look forward to entries from such luminaries as Ament and Ament's Dad.  We will also have some entries from people who are actually well-known NU basketball fans.
• Stadium rally.  Keep your eyes peeled here for the date in which knighttocats team will march on the Welsh Ryan auditorium in protest of Carmody and in support of Coach Knight.  I can guarantee this march will not be in the mold of Martin Luther King or Gandhi.  I expect my second run-in with Evanston police.

 

So, as you can see this year promises to be a strong one, with much more action occurring on this website than on the parquet floor inside the empty Welsh Ryan stadium. 

The 2007-08 season started on a poor note when Sophomore forward Kevin Coble went to Arizona to be with his ailing mother.  We can only assume that he has already filed paperwork to transfer to Arizona and be coached by none other Kevin O'Neill (AKA: The Man who recruited Pat Towne). 

Coupled with the huge loss of BHB10 to the B10N the Cats are left with very little scoring and rebounding from last season.   

However, as Northwestern fans, we always have hope, always root for our guys, in spite of our coach who strives for below mediocrity.   

Mike Capocci looks like Baby Coble.   

Mike "Juice" Thompson is a true point guard that can handle the ball, pass, and has a nickname worthy of any great athlete. 

Two Croatians and one Luxembourgian that are major X-Factors. 

Final Forecast-

Player to Watch: Jeff Ryan.  Can the 6-7 Sophomore handle playing center? 

Newcomer to Watch: Marlon Day.  Who is this guy?  When was he added to the team?  At least he's 6-5, 220, and is now our biggest player. 

On the Hotseat: Who else but Carmody? 

Game to Watch: Nov. 20 vs.  Benedictine.  This could be the Cats best and only chance to win. 

Worst Case Scenario: Coble never comes back, freshman play like freshman, lack of height kills the Cats.

0 wins, Cats just miss an NIT birth. 

Best Case: Coble comes back, the freshman surprise, and energy makes up for lack of height.

3 wins, Cats just miss their first NCAA birth. 

If Knight were coach: Coble would come back, we'd have top-level freshman, exquisite coaching, sell-out crowds and history.

20 wins, Final 4 birth. 

Which would you choose?  
  Kevin

Friday, March 30, 2007

More media attention

In case you are not regular readers of the Daily Northwestern you would have missed our mention today.  

Steve Silver, a Daily columnist, spent a some time with us on the phone the other night and we chatted about the future of Northwestern hoops. 

We think has put together a pretty solid column about the issue, but we have to disagree with the assessment that this team has been mediore and is satisfied with that.  They are pretty much terrible and satisfied with that.  That is a bit worse.  

 

 

..seth

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Join the team

We have been really happy with the response that our site and petition have gottne to this point, but clearly its not enough just yet.

To that end, you can join the team and take the message to the public.  Its only by working together that we can make a change happen.

So join the team, print out the petition, and please be sure to let us now how it all goes.

..seth

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Update From the Trenches

We're about 3 weeks into the knighttocats.com effort, and the momentum has continued to grow.  Our press hits have exposed us to thousands, and we've heard from the masses.  Most contact us and tell us they want Carmody to go.  As Tristan Morales shouted on our site, "One thing is clear: Carmody must go!" 

Some of these people simply want some Bobby Knight.  As John Stevens so eloquently put it "Bring on the General!" 

One guy told us we were clueless for actually asking Knight to come to NU (he must not be very good at understanding tone when he reads), and he called us windmills or something.  He had the nerve to say that Carmody has guided us to the best 7-year period in our hoops history.  This type of thinking is exactly what has gotten NU into trouble.  A year should never ever never ever be considered a success if we don't reach the NCAA tournament.  And its jokers like Hank Beinen and this guy that have prevented NU from reaching the Dance, by praising a 7-year run that has amounted to nothing.  Nothing!

But know this, we are not stopping.  NU basketball is an embarrassment, but it doesn't need to be.  Indeed, this has just been reinforced by so many events that have transpired over the past week.  Including…

This whole Tubby Smith to Minnesota hoo-ha completely baffles me.  You mean, a school with a terrible pedigree in the Big Ten just snatched the employed coach of Kentucky?  Sure, Tubby was embattled at Kentucky, had failed to recruit some big-shot players, and hadn't made it to the Elite 8 in two long, dreadful years.  But you have to applaud Minnesota's move.  I bet the President and AD at Minnesota are big knighttocats.com fans. 

Henry Bienen & Mark Murphy.... we and the rest of the fed-up NU community will not rest until Carmody is unemployed and Bob Knight is our coach!

Kevin

Friday, March 16, 2007

Coach we still want you

Coach, we saw your game last night, and we know its tough to lose like that.  I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure that Boston College cheated. 

We just wanted you to know that we still want you here in Evanston.  While at Texas Tech a first round loss my be dissapointing, at Northwestern it would be the best showing we ever had.

So come to Northwestern, the home of diminished expectations (except Women's Lacrosse we rule at that). 

..seth