One of the first things that people usually find out about me is that I am a sports fanatic and a die-hard fan of the teams that I follow. Those include baseball's Chicago Cubs, the Northwestern University Wildcats in college football (I'm a season ticket holder), and--my first love--the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers (my family had season tickets during our years in Tampa, where I attended high school).
This weekend was a bittersweet one, as Northwestern ended its season and effectively erased any hopes of a bowl bid by dutifully bowing to Illinois, 41-22. Thus ends their 2007 campaign, during which they sometimes limped, sometimes soared to a 6-6 record (an improvement of 2 wins over 2006) and bowl eligibility. For most college teams, this would be a disappointing year, but NU's dismal gridiron history (only six total bowl appearances in 110 or so seasons, and zero bowl wins since 1949) has rendered us fans anything but jaded. We'll take 6-6 and respectability. Our efficient spread offense features a quarterback on the rise and a running back that looks to compete next year as the top rusher in the Big Ten, assuming he stays healthy. I'm already excited for 2008!
My Buccaneers fared far better, manhandling the Atlanta Falcons 31-7 (Atlanta's only score being a garbage-time TD allowed with about a minute left in the fourth quarter). They now sit comfortably atop the NFC South Division with a 6-4 record and a favorable schedule down the stretch. Last year's 4-12 campaign is a distant memory. The ageless Jeff Garcia is a welcome upgrade at quarterback. Rhonde Barber and Derrick Brooks are playing like men 10 years younger than they. It's a good day to be a Bucs fan.
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