Candy

Do you believe that John Candy was really born on Halloween?

Do you believe that is it October and the Scarlet Knights are lossless? People keep talking about 1976 as their last undefeated season. So I thought I would look back to that bicentennial year, and find the things that made it special. Although I may be biased, the biggest news was the formation of Apple computer. It also marks the birth of baseballs Toronto Blue Jays, The Ramones (who released their first album), the laser printer was introduced, and California repealed its sodomy law (I am just a reporter here) 1976 also saw the births of Fred Savage of the wonder years, Jaleel White (you may know him as Urkel), free swinging Vlad Guerrero, MTV boy genius Andy Milonakis and we also mourned the losses of Rutgers legend Paul Robeson, Agatha Christie, Howard Hughes, and George Whipple (the nobel prize winner, not the toilet paper guy).
My point is that seasons like this come along once every generation. They are easily over-analyzed, and dissected for weakness by a sports media that doesn't sell papers by being positive. Sure, those stories work every once in a while, and Rutgers is getting their fair share of praise and good will, but I am constantly hearing about the things that need improvement. For example, Mike Teel isn't passing well enough. But if you watched the game Sunday night, you saw at least three passes to Tiquan Underwood that he either dropped, or were barely off his fingertips. And those three passes would have given him another 70-90 yards, and maybe a touchdown. I know you can't predict those things, but you can't also say he isn't playing well because it doesn't tell the whole story. I mean, you can hear right from my pal Seamus, Notre Dame is a pick returned for a score and a last minute Jeff Samardzijajajajajaja (or big WR Eastern European-Irish dude) rumbling in for a TD away from two more heartbraking losses. But, in the polls, all that matters is the number in the win column (right now, I don't bother looking in the loss column, for obvious reasons). But why is Teel struggling? Because receivers drop balls? They are eight and zero, and Teel has managed the game well. Yes, the defense has been dominant at times, yes, Rice and Leonard have been wonderful, but don't discount the calming efficient presence of a quarterback in the huddle.
Wondering about Bowl possibilities? Well Keith Sargeant of the Home Tribune lays it out better than I ever could. All I know is that they are going for the second year in a row, and I can clearly remember watching the meaningless games that were accidentally aired back in the day when Rutgers would be pounding Temple (or getting pounded for that matter) and wishing for a hint that brighter days were ahead. The brighter days, like unexpected unattended bowls of candy, are here.
GO RU!