Ok, if you didn’t know, I went to Rutgers University. I have been asked different times, “So what is A Rutgers anyway?” One person once asked me here in the West, “So what school did you go to?” I answered, “Rutgers.” And they said, “Where is Rockers?” I answered it’s in New Jersey, the place where Michael Jackson trained to be a ROCKER.” And he answered, “Oh,” with a quizzical but believing look. The fact is, nobody out here knows what Rutgers is and I really don’t blame them. Why did the state of New Jersey decide to name its state university Rutgers? Well, it seems Henry Rutgers was a philanthropist who helped Queen’s College stay afloat according to Wikipedia:

Colonel Rutgers’ most lasting legacy however, is his donations to Queen’s College in New Brunswick, New Jersey which at the time was suffering considerable financial difficulties and temporarily closed. Rutgers donated a bond valued at $5,000 to reopen the faltering school, and subsequently donated a bronze bell that was hung in the cupola of the Old Queens building which housed the college. In gratitude, the trustees of the institution renamed itself Rutgers College on 5 December 1825 (modified in 1924 to become Rutgers University).

Back then, there was Queen’s College (now Rutgers), King’s College (now Columbia), and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) in the Mid-Atlantic states. So I hope this explains why Rutgers is called Rutgers. But I wish it was called NJU. People wouldn’t think it’s a school for Bruce Springsteen wanna-bes.

Oh, I am writing this post because Rutgers is probably playing its biggest game of its football life against Louisville. Ever since I went to college, there was NOTHING to cheer about for Rutgers. Their athletic program is worse than the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Detroit Lions combined. There has NEVER been anything to cheer for since I was in the school. The school’s mascot is the Scarlet Knight, need I say more. Why a Scarlet Knight? Why not the black knight or the Knights? Why a scarlet knight? Any way, I digress. So I am writing this post to let you know of tonight’s big game against Louisville, 2 undefeated teams. But you appreciate why I even write about this when I have more important things to do, I want to repost something I read from CBSSportsline. You must listen to this list of how bad Rutgers has been to appreciate tonight’s game. Here it is:

So how bad was it? Glad you asked, Gandolfini-breath. Before celebs started hanging around the program, before the national media fawned, before Rutgers had dreams of playing in a major bowl, it was gawd-awful.

In 2000, the year before Greg Schiano arrived, Rutgers gave up a touchdown once every 16 snaps.

Still, they say nothing was worse than that West Virginia game during Schiano’s first season in 2001. The Mountaineers were up 59-0 — at halftime. They won 80-7.

After Rutgers’ defense stiffened and forced a punt on the first possession, West Virginia scored the next nine times it had the ball, 11 touchdowns in all.
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Witnesses swear certain ‘Eers were trying to fall down out of pity. Even then, they landed in the end zone.

It was Rutgers’ worst loss in more than a century. Damn Princeton squeezed out an 80-0 decision in 1888.

It was so bad that the leading rusher in 2001 was Dennis Thomas — with 372 yards. To put that in today’s terms, that is 2½ games’ worth of production from Ray Rice.

It was so bad that first year that the Scarlet Knights scored only 119 points and were shut out three times.

It was so bad that Temple was kicked out of the Big East after that 2001 season, and the immediate question was, “Why not Rutgers?” It was so bad that the passing leader in 2002 was one Ted Trump with all of 740 yards. Don’t ask. Ted is no relation. You think The Donald would have allowed this to happen?

It was so bad that Schiano started 3-20, 0-14 in the Big East.

It was so bad that one local scribe was asked to stop referring to the Miami score in subsequent game stories. Why wouldn’t you keep reminding readers of Schiano’s second game, a 61-0 loss?

It was so bad that year that the strength coach was asked about the team’s muscle power. Weaker, he said, than the weakest Ivy League team.

It was so bad that Cal chose to fly cross-country to play a game that was postponed by 9/11. The Bears won 20-10 on Nov. 23, their only victory of the year.

Cal coach Tom Holmoe resigned under pressure shortly thereafter.

It was so bad that the bar was set quite low. In 1998, Terry Shea was named the Big East coach of the year. Rutgers finished 5-6, beating only Temple and Pittsburgh in the league.

It was so bad that in a 50-3 loss to Syracuse on national television in 1997, Paul Pasqualoni showed ultimate sympathy. The Orange coach ordered his quarterback to take a knee.
Who will win the battle of Big East unbeatens?
Rutgers
Louisville

Four times.

From inside the 10.

Midway through the fourth quarter.

Rutgers athletic director Fred Gruninger resigned the next week.

It was so bad that in 2004, Rutgers began the season with a monster upset of Michigan State. Then lost to I-AA New Hampshire. It was so bad that in that same year a drunken driver hit a car injuring three Rutgers defensive backs. The date was Oct. 16, just as the program was beginning to turn the corner at 4-2. Rutgers didn’t win again that season.

It was so bad that over an eight-year span Shea and Schiano went a combined 14-64. Both coaches received extensions during that period.

It was so bad that last year Rutgers lost to Louisville 56-5.

Wow, pretty bad, eh? If you root for underdogs, you have to root for RU because there has never been a worse team in football (at any level) history. GO RU!