It's a good thing that the standard cliche players and coaches often toss out when referring to awards is that they're nice, but it still all about the team.
Still ... Alex Bernot deserved better from the voters who selected the 2007 NSCAA All-Great Lakes region team. Just announced December 20, Bernot -- who incidentally was the Ohio Athletic Conference Forward of the Year this season -- was relegated to third team states on the region team.
Relegated is the key word here. Certainly it is an honor in itself to be named to the team, but the honor loses its luster when two members of Bernot's conference received first team accolades. Two guys who Bernot supposedly beat out for the conference award. Considering Bernot was a senior, and the two first team all-region selections were sophomores, makes the selections even more mind boggling.
Well, then, it must have been the stats!
Bernot just happened to lead the entire league in points (38).
Oh, then he must have not been a team player! You know how coaches hate that!
Bernot just happened to lead the entire league in assists (14).
Surely he was a flash in the pan! A one-hit wonder!
Bernot will finish among the top five goals scorers, assist makers and point producers in John Carroll history.
Then, of course, he must not have contributed to the overall success of the team. Didn't John Carroll go 5-8-4 in 2006?
Bernot helped the team turn its record around to 13-8-1 in 2007, winning the OAC tournament (for the second time in his career) and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. JCU reached the round of 32 and lost a shootout for the chance to advance to the round of 16.
At the end of the day, what the team accomplished is far more important than anything an individual is recognized for. Still, with the collegiate career of Alex Bernot coming to an end this past November, it would have been a nice feather in the proverbial cap. At the very least, a lifetime achievement award.
Alex Bernot deserved better indeed.
