Speaking of Sports Column Archive

Speaking
of
Sports

by
Bernie
Fratto

It really is…Déjà vu
all over again!

10/29/07

Friday night’s hard fought 13-9 victory over a tough, determined Livonia Churchill team looked eerily similar to many past momentous games in recent Novi history.

This contest featured many elements of some of the great memories of past playoff and late season challenges.

And when the stingy Cat’s defense held Churchill scoreless on 8 tries from inside the 6-yard line late in the 4th quarter, you were once again reminded that tradition really doesn’t… graduate.

-In 2002, Josh Buck crushing Milford ’s Jim Presley on the goal-line in overtime kept Novi’s playoff hopes alive, and 3 weeks later Novi’s defense smoked Milford again.

-The following weekend, Lake Orion’s Nate Recknagel overthrew his receiver on 4th and goal late in the game, preserving Novi ’s tremendous road District championship victory over the heavily favored Dragons, 17-13 and it was a stellar defensive effort all the way.

-In 2003, a tremendous late drive vs. Detroit MacKenzie resulted in Novi ’s first Regional Championship since 1988 as Novi prevailed 20-19.

- Friday night, Novi ’s early 13-0 lead established a control they would never truly relinquish in spite of Churchill’s great effort. This reminded me of the way the 2004 visiting Cats and QB Kevin Cislo rode into Canton and won an opening round playoff game 20-0, again over the home favorite Chiefs.

It really is déjà vu all over again! Next Friday, Novi will head to Livonia Stevenson to face the 10-0 Spartans, who had a tussle over their own Friday as they held serve at home, besting 6-3 Plymouth , 27-21.

Novi will win. I truly believe that. These kids know how to win, they’ve had pressure on them all year, and they’ve responded in a way that would really make Al Davis proud; “Just win baby.”

I’ve said all year, that I believe in this team and they don’t know how good they can be. But they simply do their talking on the field, just as their predecessors did.

It truly is déjà vu all over again, Yogi.

Novi will win. District Champs. Wow.

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Bernie Fratto is a freelance writer, radio personality, and motivational speaker. His passion for sports comes in part from his experience as a former Cincinnati Red farm- hand. "Behind every sports story lies the hearts and minds of real human beings" said Fratto. "These athletic endeavors often serve as a metaphor for the game we call life."

Bernie is also on the broadcast team at Live 97.1FM talk-radio, and is a frequent co-host on the popular "Parker & The Man Show," a nightly sportstalk show which airs Monday-Friday from 7-11pm.