No state, no problem – Marian football still impressive

BY Andrew Dreischarf
The Marian Central Catholic High School football team had a great season. No, the Hurricanes didn’t go to state, but so what? This team was deeper than just wins.
The word “team” is often over-looked when it comes to sports. Too many people value a team based on wins and losses or individual players. Yes, wins do matter. However, they are not the be-all and end-all of sports.
The Hurricanes put together a magnificent season in 2007, overcoming hardships and adversity to finish with a 10-3 record.
The boys on this team played like a team, taking care of their teammates and helping each other out. They cared about one another. When one player felt pain, they all did. Most importantly, they never gave up.
Marian started the season at a disadvantage, having a very small roster of players. While most schools dress anywhere between 30 and 50 kids for home games, Marian spent the season with about 20 to 25 players available for most of its games. This meant players had to play more downs, and many of them played both offense and defense. All this while their opponents had the luxury of using fresh players.
The Hurricanes also faced many injuries throughout the season. When junior quarterback Jon Budmayr went down with a hamstring injury, the ’Canes didn’t panic; they stepped up. Marian suffered just two regular season losses to two great teams in Driscoll Catholic and Montini. The loss to the Highlanders was avenged in the playoffs on the road in Lombard. The ’Canes were without senior T.J. Pappas for the last few playoff games due to an injury. Numerous players, including senior Jack Gilleland, played games with casts on because there were just not enough guys to play. The players gave it their all.
Often, the ’Canes also had to come from behind to win. That’s a sign of a good team. They may get down, but they bounce back. Players stepped up when they needed to do so.
They all looked so happy together as a team. When Morris ended the season for Marian, I couldn’t help but feel for those players. They all looked so happy together as a team. When some of them cried after the loss, I felt sad as well. You couldn’t help but want this group to win.
The 2007 team was a close one. Budmayr hugged senior tackle Sean Cwynar after the team was eliminated, almost as if to say, “Hey, it’s going to be OK. We did well.”
The seniors were the ones I felt for most of all. After they finished second in the state last year, many thought they were going to win it all this year. I wanted to see seniors Cwynar, Pappas, Gilleland, receiver Karsten Hamilton-Smith, defensive end Brett Leahy, receiver Brett Micek, receiver Christopher Kunzweiler, running back Eric Reibel, running back Doug Simpson and receiver Jordan Peart win at state this season. I also really wanted to see head coach Ed Brucker win with this team. Their loss became the fans’ loss as well. They deserved to win. The loss in Morris truly was heartbreaking for the team, as well as for fans at the game or listening at home.
The ’Canes also had to overcome their playoff seeding. Despite having just two losses, Marian wasn’t viewed by the selection committee as a strong team. Marian proved them wrong by winning three playoff games. It was a tough season all around. If the team felt disrespected in any way, I can’t blame them, but they played the cards they were dealt without making any fuss. They were a good group of young men who played football they way it is supposed to be played. They didn’t quit, and they played with great sportsmanship. That’s something you don’t always see today in sports. This squad was very admirable.
For all they had against them this season, I say, “Well done, ’Canes. Congratulations on a fine season.”

As another season starts slow, this fan’s not hitting the panic button… yet

By ANDREW DREICHARF

I had one of the worst sports weekends ever (and there wasn’t even a Bears game). I attended both the Bulls home opener against the 76ers Friday night, and went to Milwaukee Saturday for the Bucks home opener against the Bulls.
YIKES!!!
For the third straight season in a row, the Bulls have come out of the gate to start the NBA season flat and uninspired. Something I’m getting quite tired of. This was the third straight season I attended the Bulls home opener, and for the second year in a row it was a pathetic loss to a bad team. In fact, it should have been three straight losses in three straight years to three pathetic teams. The Bulls did manage a miraculous comeback in 2005 against the lowly Charlotte Bobcats, coming back from 30 down to force overtime and win. Long after most frustrated Bulls fans (myself included) had left the game in the fourth quarter.
In 2006 it was a last second loss, as a chance for a win was thwarted when Bulls point guard Chris Duhon kicked an in bounds pass off his foot to blow any chance of the Bulls taking a shot to win against the Sacramento Kings.
This brings me to 2007. The Bulls lost a tough season opener to a very good New Jersey Nets team on Halloween night in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Fine, we’ll let a loss like that slide.
The 76ers at home? Not so much. A sold out crowd turned on the Bulls in the 4th quarter, as it was apparent to those in attendance that this one was over. The 76ers kept scoring, and the Bulls did nothing. Chants of “Kobe," as in rumored to be traded to the Bulls, current Laker Kobe Bryant, echoed through out the United Center Friday night. No, I didn’t chant, but after Saturday night’s debacle in Milwaukee, I quickly went from “we don’t need Kobe” to “give the Lakers whatever they want."
Saturday night’s game was awful. Neither the Bulls nor Bucks had 40 points going into halftime. It was the second straight night for the Bulls they didn’t shoot well, didn’t play defense, and didn’t hit open shots. To make things worse, the Bulls committed many costly turnovers on stupid mistakes.
Bulls small forward Luol Deng hasn’t made a case for himself to not be traded to the Lakers for Kobe Bryant. In three games this season, the should be star has been non-existent on the court. The two Bulls doing the most good are the two players supposedly that are going to be traded, shooting guard Ben Gordon and power forward Tyrus Thomas (a player who looks like an all-star one night, and a bust the next). None of the Bulls key players outside of Gordon and Thomas seem to do anything right. Point guard Kirk Hinrich played well below his capabilities this weekend, center Ben Wallace (at
$15+ million a season) didn’t rebound well, and swingman Andres Nocioni did very little to help the Bulls.
I am a fan is beyond frustrated. This Bulls team is one most people picked to win the division, some even picked to win the East. Enough is enough. If this Bulls team is so good, they’ve done nothing to prove it.
If this team was making that step to elite status, they wouldn’t be starting yet another season on a down note. This team at this point in time should have come out on fire and hungry as they claim to be.
So Bulls, I tell you this as a fan, and not a sports writer, you’re not going to be able to coast this year. The conference has only gotten better and everyone’s looking to beat the team most at ESPN picked to win. If you are the elite team in the East, show us. And show us now, not in five weeks. I realize championships aren’t won in November, but they can be lost.