Zero and 17.

What else is there to say about the NIU baseball team which has yet to leave the starting blocks?

The Huskies need to win just one game to get the monkey off their backs, yet in this 43-game season, a win seems as distant as an Iraqi victory did a month ago.

At times, it appears as if the Huskies are mistaking the error column on the scoreboard for the run column, as NIU continues to make error upon error on the field.

NIU coach Joe “Spanky” McFarland is being hard pressed to live up to what he said before the season began which was that this season would be one which would lay the groundwork for the future.

However, the groundwork will obviously have to take some time to develop as NIU continues to be mired in the muddled reality of no-scholarship athletes and the lapses in performance by the players.

Of course, all streaks come to an end at one time or another, so looking on the bright side, it’s almost exciting to see if NIU will actually win before the season ends.

Can you imagine 0-43? It seems impossible, but the season is already 17 games gone and the improvement in the team has been minimal.

NIU could be making history with a perfect-imperfect season. The Huskies aren’t even playing for the proverbial #1 draft pick which is at least an excuse for professional teams such as the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL who finished their season 0-14.

However, you can’t fault the “Bad News Huskies” for not trying because the effort is really there every game. It’s just a matter of the team lacking the talent to compete at the Division I college level that is humbling the Huskies this season.

Whatever the outcome of the season may be, it is sure to be a season to remember. Hopefully, NIU can pull off a couple of wins to help boost the team’s performance in seasons to come. But for now, the effort must remain and price paid for the future success of NIU baseball.