With the OB in my rear view mirror, I started thinking, to a casual observer, what separates these 2? Physically, what makes FSU (insert any BCS school here) appear "big time" and, NIU (or any other "other 5") appear "different"? I'm not thinking of "on the field" things. I believe we are doing a fantastic job of improving that product and brand. I'm thinking of the more ancillary things.

To me, one of the main differenes is the band, mascot, pagentry. Simply, the FSU band and performers were awesome, real WOW when compared to us. As their band was literally twice the size or ours, they were able to drown us out at will. And, with all due respect, they had an Indian on a horse with a flaming spear; us a dog on a leash, who probably would have run FROM the Indian. This is in no way a slam to our guys. We are what we are and, did a GREAT job.

-Just thinking, reflecting on the event...

money, money, money, money and more money

NO their band was not better they were just bigger.

They had 2 baton chickas with fire a horse and an Indian with a spear. Why would we ever do something with fire or have a horse or indian?

I was proud of the band and NIU being NIU.



That being said we could maybe get some fireworks at the entry to jazz it up a bit.

(01-04-2013 11:58 AM)DeKalb57 Wrote:  us a dog on a leash, who probably would have run FROM the Indian.
-Just thinking, reflecting on the event...

I guess you do not know Diesel nor the fact that he is not afraid of anything. He would have ran TO the Indian and the horse. He is not afraid of horses. And I will not list the animals he has killed in my backyard and what he has done to them. Please get your facts together before you posts things you have no idea about.

(01-04-2013 12:12 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  NO their band was not better they were just bigger.

They had 2 baton chickas with fire a horse and an Indian with a spear. Why would we ever do something with fire or have a horse or indian?

I was proud of the band and NIU being NIU.



That being said we could maybe get some fireworks at the entry to jazz it up a bit.

Yes, their band was bigger - a LOT bigger. They took up almost the entire section they were sitting in. All of the bigger schools have bigger bands. Perhaps if we offered some sort of credit, we would get more students to join the band. Ohio seems to do it awfully well.

(01-04-2013 12:09 PM)HuskieRak Wrote:  money, money, money, money and more money

Bingo

I always thought that you could get a pack of sled pulling huskies to pull some kind of lightweight vehicle with Victor E standing in it across the field. I do know that the timing of the entrance is always a little awkward because they emerge from the Yordon center and we go nuts, they do their team swaying deal, then they run out and we have to go nuts again. I think it would make more of an impact if they emerged from the Yordon and ran out at the same time. That's splitting heirs though. I really want the goal posts set on fire.

Look at videos of "ultras" displays at European soccer stadiums on YouTube. Screw fire dancers, let's light the whole damn stadium up.

(01-04-2013 12:17 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 12:12 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  NO their band was not better they were just bigger.

They had 2 baton chickas with fire a horse and an Indian with a spear. Why would we ever do something with fire or have a horse or indian?

I was proud of the band and NIU being NIU.



That being said we could maybe get some fireworks at the entry to jazz it up a bit.

Yes, their band was bigger - a LOT bigger. They took up almost the entire section they were sitting in. All of the bigger schools have bigger bands. Perhaps if we offered some sort of credit, we would get more students to join the band. Ohio seems to do it awfully well.

Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Bough & the generosity of some donors, the Huskie Marching Band has some scholarships they can offer now. Plus I think that if enrollment continues to go up - we may also enjoy a larger band as the years go on. Student housing is being improved, recruiting will get even better, IPF is being built.

I am happy with who we are. I am happy with our mid-major midwestern-ness and our handsome guy Diesel. I like that I can afford season tickets and can park within site of the stadium. I am proud to be a Huskie fan!

(01-04-2013 12:16 PM)NIUCheerDad Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 11:58 AM)DeKalb57 Wrote:  us a dog on a leash, who probably would have run FROM the Indian.
-Just thinking, reflecting on the event...

I guess you do not know Diesel nor the fact that he is not afraid of anything. He would have ran TO the Indian and the horse. He is not afraid of horses. And I will not list the animals he has killed in my backyard and what he has done to them. Please get your facts together before you posts things you have no idea about.

Diesel is awesome!

Not sure "what" we should do but, it would be cool if we did "something". I agree $$$ has A LOT to do with it but, it would be nice if the FSU folks found themselves saying "well, that was kind of cool". Maybe the answer is the "Santa Sleigh" with a team of red nosed Victor E's...

(01-04-2013 12:24 PM)DeKalb098 Wrote:  I always thought that you could get a pack of sled pulling huskies to pull some kind of lightweight vehicle with Victor E standing in it across the field. I do know that the timing of the entrance is always a little awkward because they emerge from the Yordon center and we go nuts, they do their team swaying deal, then they run out and we have to go nuts again. I think it would make more of an impact if they emerged from the Yordon and ran out at the same time. That's splitting heirs though. I really want the goal posts set on fire.

They did that 20 years ago. Keep in mind, NIU, other than helping out logistically getting Diesel on the field and such, has nothing to do with Diesel. He is a family pet and appears at all of our games due to the commitment of NIUCheerDad and his family.

By the way, Diesel almost ate that mangy mutt down at Tennessee in 2008.

Their band is huge, I'll give you that, but I don't see anything wrong with our mascot or the quality of our band.

Take the ratio of students to band members, and we're probably about even, they just have a much bigger school. I don't know what you want to do about size differences.. expand the music school? I think we all saw the size difference, but just not sure if there was much we could do.

They have an incredibly easy chant, that any fan base in the world would sound good singing. The horse and Seminole with a spear are cool and all, but that's not going to work for almost any school, not just NIU. We have a live huskie, that is pretty awesome in it's own right that everyone loves and a pretty cool looking mascot in my opinion.

(01-04-2013 12:21 PM)HuskiemobileMan Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 12:09 PM)HuskieRak Wrote:  money, money, money, money and more money

Bingo

Have to also add fan base. No fan base, no money

(01-04-2013 12:12 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  NO their band was not better they were just bigger.

They had 2 baton chickas with fire a horse and an Indian with a spear. Why would we ever do something with fire or have a horse or indian?

I was proud of the band and NIU being NIU.



That being said we could maybe get some fireworks at the entry to jazz it up a bit.

Did the Seminoles actually ride horses back then? and the flaming spear bit does not seem authentic either but I am not an expert on native american history and culture

(01-04-2013 12:16 PM)NIUCheerDad Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 11:58 AM)DeKalb57 Wrote:  us a dog on a leash, who probably would have run FROM the Indian.
-Just thinking, reflecting on the event...

I guess you do not know Diesel nor the fact that he is not afraid of anything. He would have ran TO the Indian and the horse. He is not afraid of horses. And I will not list the animals he has killed in my backyard and what he has done to them. Please get your facts together before you posts things you have no idea about.

+1000 My wife and I have had the good fortune to see Diesel at some important away games including in the hotel lobby at the MACC games. Whenever we see him my wife (not an NIU grad) smiles from ear to ear and says "look there's Diesel" and then she always remarks about what a beautiful dog he is. He also seems so well mannered. I can't thank NIU Cheer Dad enough for bringing him to the games and especially for the extra effort to bring him to the important road games.

(01-04-2013 02:21 PM)OldTtimeNIU Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 12:12 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  NO their band was not better they were just bigger.

They had 2 baton chickas with fire a horse and an Indian with a spear. Why would we ever do something with fire or have a horse or indian?

I was proud of the band and NIU being NIU.



That being said we could maybe get some fireworks at the entry to jazz it up a bit.

Did the Seminoles actually ride horses back then? and the flaming spear bit does not seem authentic either but I am not an expert on native american history and culture

horses are not native to the Americas. If I remember correctly. The Spaniards brought them first

All I know is all the traditions, uniforms, etc are approved by the Seminole tribe of Florida. The tomahawk movement and chant are very impressive at home games in Tally, especially night games. Bobby Bowden was the first one to reach out to the Seminole tribe and they have had close relations for many years.

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(01-04-2013 12:16 PM)NIUCheerDad Wrote:  

(01-04-2013 11:58 AM)DeKalb57 Wrote:  us a dog on a leash, who probably would have run FROM the Indian.
-Just thinking, reflecting on the event...

I guess you do not know Diesel nor the fact that he is not afraid of anything. He would have ran TO the Indian and the horse. He is not afraid of horses. And I will not list the animals he has killed in my backyard and what he has done to them. Please get your facts together before you posts things you have no idea about.

I was gonna say, we used to have a dog that used to run up to horses and bark at them fiercely, and that dog wasn't particularly brave and only half the size of Diesel.

I thought our band showed more enthusiasm and spirit than the FSU band before, throughout, and after the game. They were way into it and I was very proud of them and the student section.