Hopefully, guys like Bobby Bernardo will be able to make it.
BERNDT: NO BOWL, BUT STILL REASON TO FEEL PROUD
Nov 23, 1990
By Mike Kern, Daily News Sports Writer
No, Temple (6-4) is not going to a bowl
for the first time since 1979, now
that the Independence Bowl has decided to take Louisiana Tech (8-3)and surprise
late entry Maryland (6-5).
And, yes, second-year coach Jerry Berndt is obviously disappointed.
But, no, he is not discouraged.
If the Owls can win at Boston College(4-6) tomorrow afternoon, it would be
the first time in 11 years they won more than six games."That's something to be proud of," Berndt said late last night."There's no
question, we felt we had a legitimate shot (at the bowl). And we did. Then, all
of a sudden, Maryland comes out of nowhere. But sometimes, you just don't know
what's going on behind the scenes. "
The Independence Bowl settled on Louisiana Tech and Maryland for the Dec.
15 game in Shreveport, La., after Baylor announced Wednesday night that it
was withdrawing from consideration.
The Bears, who remain in therunning for the Southwest Conference title and
a berth in the CottonBowl, had been under pressure from the Independence to make
a commitment.
"It's unfortunate they (the Independence committee) made the decision
when they did, without giving us a chance to participate Saturday," Berndt said.
But I feel pleased for (Maryland coach) Joe Krivak. And they did upset Virginia.
We've had one of those miracle kind of seasons(after going 1-10 in 1989), and it
would have been a great reward. Butas I told the squad today, it's something we
have no control over. We can't let it affect us.
"They were down. But we had a good practice. I hope we'll use that as
a little more incentive. The fact that we were even considered shows some
respect for what we've done. It's a credit to the players and the staff to
even be considered. It's a real privilege and an honor, particularly coming off
of the season we had last year."
Bernardo was a linebacker on the last Temple team to win 10 games in a row and, in 1973, he was a sophomore starting linebacker when the Owls won eight-straight games.
He took time out to recall those years when a guest on the Bob Rovner radio program on Saturday.
"We were supposed to go to the Tangerine Bowl," Bernardo said, "but that was the year of the gas shortage and they were worried about their being enough gas for the fans on cars and planes and they picked Florida State instead. There were only about eight bowls in those days.
"We were 9-1. Florida State was 5-5, but they were closer so they were picked."
Such is the history of Temple's near-misses in bowl games.
In 1990, the 7-4 Owls were one of six teams wooed by the Poulan Weed-Eater Independence Bowl but they picked a 6-5 Maryland team instead.
"They (the Poulan Weed-Eaters) made the mistake, we didn't," quarterback Matty Baker said.
The Owls are looking at two primary options right now.
1) They have a good shot of taking the ACC's unoccupied spot in the Eagle Bank Bowl in Washington, D.C.
2) They are a lock for the International Bowl in Toronto if they don't.
If I had to handicap it right now, I would say 60 percent chance for Eagle Bank and 40 percent chance for Toronto.
Or maybe 55 percent chance for Eagle Bank and 40 percent chance for International with a five percent chance of shocking the world and ending up in Detroit vs. someone like Middle Tennessee (didn't we already beat them in the Bobby Wallace days?). And maybe a five percent chance of going to a bowl like the Hummanitarian in Boise.
The party will be for this wonderful team that won nine straight, but it will also be for guys like Bobby Bernardo, too.
"Ever since I can remember, my dad (Bill, the former Northeast High coach) was taking me to Temple games," Bobby said. "That since 1957. I've been going all these years and I can't tell you how wonderful it's been to go to the games this season."
Bernardo was on one of about five Wayne Hardin squads which deserved to go to bowl games, but never did.
College football has never been about getting the best teams in bowls, but bringing the teams with the most fans. That's why the cycle of the same teams being good all the time has been perpetuated ad naseum.
Other teams deserve a shot to be good, too, and get rewards like bowl games.
Temple did its part to break that corrupt cycle this year and now awaits its reward.
The Owls won't be screwed out this time and that's one of the advantages of being in a conference.
Party on, Wayne's boys.
