(09-13-2014 10:21 PM)Michael James Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 10:02 PM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 09:58 PM)DogPoundNorth Wrote:  I don't care about sentimental BS. Sure the MAC gave us a home when we needed one, but we've clearly out grown it. We will be favored in every MAC game we play again, probably double digits in each game depending on Toledo's record. It's not that I hate the MAC, it's that there is no where to go but down in this conference, and that is not the best place to be. When you're so much better than everyone else in your conference, your season is a failure when you lose 1 or 2 conference games. That's not how it should be for what has become a very successful program. It's been great MAC, but it's time to get out.

I get that NIU is having a nice run in football, but the biggest consideration for any conference adding a team is money/market....and look at NIU's athletic budget compared to schools in bigger conferences....it would make competing very hard.

I agree on the money side, but to be fair our Chicago market is a pretty big deal... Plus if we were to change, we would reap in more money.

See, I think that's the problem. NIU would benefit, but what would a higher end conference get out of having NIU in it? A small stadium/fan base? A market that doesn't care about college sports much at all? I just don't know what's in it for a bigger conference.

The MWC would be 10 times better than playing EMU every year.

(09-13-2014 08:35 PM)Big_Man Wrote:  You think the Big Ten is bad? I wouldn't mind getting into CUSA or obviously the American.

I can't take any more EMU or Kent State Garbage.

NIU might lose to UNLV....

Im way more embarrassed of the Big 10 than the MAC, another huge win by the MAC today over another Big 10 foe. CMU just made Purdue look like an FCS team last week and Purdue played pretty even with #11 Notre Dame this week. Plenty of positives.

What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Don't listen to the blowhards, the MAC is fine. I would like to see NIU get to the Big 12, but if people here are going to be rough on the MAC< you have to do the same for the Big 10 which has been more embarrassing.

(09-13-2014 11:15 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Don't listen to the blowhards, the MAC is fine. I would like to see NIU get to the Big 12, but if people here are going to be rough on the MAC< you have to do the same for the Big 10 which has been more embarrassing.

The B1G is already the laughing stock of the nation. It gets plenty of hate.

The MAC is a horrendously bad D1A conference that goes against the Sun Belt for the worst conference every year. That being said unless the Big12 gives NIU a bid they have no where to go.


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(09-13-2014 08:35 PM)Big_Man Wrote:  You think the Big Ten is bad? I wouldn't mind getting into CUSA or obviously the American.

I could see American, sure. CUSA? It's not good. At all. Marshall on an up-year, but tanking after the left the MAC being "the one"? Seriously?

Quote:I can't take any more EMU or Kent State Garbage.

True. Kent is a basketball team. EMU is a mediocre basketball team and a mid-major in D1AA football. I agree with that frustration. It makes NIU and even Toledo look bad, but...

Quote:NIU might lose to UNLV....

Wait, WHAT?! Oh, you posted this DURING the game. If NIU would lose to UNLV, why would you lobby for NIU to leave the MAC above everyone else? I'm confused.

NIU needed to beat UNLV. They did, but looked dumb in the 2nd half until they said the whole "Naww, just jokin'", but then again, they're still figuring themselves out, and it's kinda cool they can and still say at the end "We beat the spread, that's all we care about. See ya, b!tches."

But if you think they'd lose -- I don't understand your argument. (scratching head).

This is rough stuff, because I think most of us agree we would like to see NIU leverage these successful years to launch the school and it's program to the next level. We have dreams of four star recruits and players picking NIU on national signing day. We have dreams of big time programs coming to Huskie stadium with out us having to beg barrow and deal to make it happen. We have dreams of a ravid dedicated allumni and student fan base that rivals the top tier college programs which would allow the program to be economically sound and competitive.

These are complicated goals that require respect, timing and a little luck. This road map requires consistent incremental progress. We have done well with football success, we have seen growth in the allumni and student support. (Still a long way to go - most of these programs we "dream" about have allumni that pay $50-150 per game and student that pay $10-15).

The long and short of it is we are simply not ready to put our money where our mouths are yet. We done have the ranging support needed to make this happen. That said keep winning, keep watching, keep growing and the right time will present itself for NiUs departure from the MAC.

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Very true. I'm not sure why some others don't understand this.

Those that dream of greener pastures should be careful what they wish for. TCU and Utah are cautionary tales. Would you rather be the tallest midget or be grouped with the big boys but be average and not have anyone even look at you?

(09-14-2014 06:58 AM)niubrad00 Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Very true. I'm not sure why some others don't understand this.

Those that dream of greener pastures should be careful what they wish for. TCU and Utah are cautionary tales. Would you rather be the tallest midget or be grouped with the big boys but be average and not have anyone even look at you?

Are you seriously saying that you prefer having EMU and UMass as conference games over USC, Texas, and Oklahoma?

(09-14-2014 06:58 AM)niubrad00 Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Very true. I'm not sure why some others don't understand this.

Those that dream of greener pastures should be careful what they wish for. TCU and Utah are cautionary tales. Would you rather be the tallest midget or be grouped with the big boys but be average and not have anyone even look at you?

How are TCU and Utah cautionary tales? First off, TCU is a really good football team. Utah still has some work to do but they aren't colorado. Second, I'd love to be a cautionary tale swimming in P5 money. It takes time to get from Mid Major top dog to P5 contender. But i'm guessing they wouldn't call their moves to larger conferences a cautionary tale. I'm guessing they are quite happy being with the "haves".

(09-14-2014 08:27 AM)Big_Man Wrote:  

(09-14-2014 06:58 AM)niubrad00 Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Very true. I'm not sure why some others don't understand this.

Those that dream of greener pastures should be careful what they wish for. TCU and Utah are cautionary tales. Would you rather be the tallest midget or be grouped with the big boys but be average and not have anyone even look at you?

Are you seriously saying that you prefer having EMU and UMass as conference games over USC, Texas, and Oklahoma?

2-0 vs. 0-3. Yes. Northern Illinois will never, ever, ever, ever be in a position to compete with the likes of USC, Texas, and Oklahoma in athletics year-in-year out.

Northern Illinois as an institution will be lucky to be in business in 10 years the way things are going. The idea the school can pour a ton of $ into moving the football team into a different conference is more delusional than ever.

Keep blowing your internet brain farts if it makes you happy, but the reality is that NIU football is in the MAC or FCS.

(09-13-2014 11:15 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(09-13-2014 11:13 PM)Spudskie Wrote:  What exactly do we have that another conference would want?

Aside from football, we have struggled in other sports.
We don't draw large attendance figures.
The Chicago market does not care about college sports.

We are not going anywhere. The MAC is our home so let's see our conference improve as a whole.

Don't listen to the blowhards, the MAC is fine. I would like to see NIU get to the Big 12, but if people here are going to be rough on the MAC< you have to do the same for the Big 10 which has been more embarrassing.

See, the thing is MD... I don't give a flying **** about the B1G because we do not play in the B1G. Quit telling people to be critical of them. They already are, and most people on this board don't care. They care more about the conference in which their team plays in. And in case you haven't noticed, the MAC is not fine. It sucks. Bad. (if you don't believe me, they spent about 40 minutes on Game Day tearing the B1G to a pulp)

The window of opportunity to separate ourselves from big time college football and where we are now will start closing in the coming years. No offense to those who believe this is about having long term memories and want us to be humble about where we were, but that's just a terrible way to look at our program right now. You have to strike while the iron is hot. I'd rather be .500 playing great teams in a consistently sold out Huskie Stadium in a major conference for the next decade while continuing to build our brand than dominating the Mediocre Athletic Conference.

(09-14-2014 09:22 AM)Who You Crappin? Wrote:  The window of opportunity to separate ourselves from big time college football and where we are now will start closing in the coming years. No offense to those who believe this is about having long term memories and want us to be humble about where we were, but that's just a terrible way to look at our program right now. You have to strike while the iron is hot. I'd rather be .500 playing great teams in a consistently sold out Huskie Stadium in a major conference for the next decade while continuing to build our brand than dominating the Mediocre Athletic Conference.

+1

(09-13-2014 11:15 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Don't listen to the blowhards, the MAC is fine. I would like to see NIU get to the Big 12, but if people here are going to be rough on the MAC< you have to do the same for the Big 10 which has been more embarrassing.

Everybody knows the B1G is terrible right now, but everybody else also seems to understand that has absolutely nothing to do with the MAC or this particular discussion.

(09-14-2014 09:27 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(09-14-2014 09:22 AM)Who You Crappin? Wrote:  The window of opportunity to separate ourselves from big time college football and where we are now will start closing in the coming years. No offense to those who believe this is about having long term memories and want us to be humble about where we were, but that's just a terrible way to look at our program right now. You have to strike while the iron is hot. I'd rather be .500 playing great teams in a consistently sold out Huskie Stadium in a major conference for the next decade while continuing to build our brand than dominating the Mediocre Athletic Conference.

+1

+1 and honestly we were bad nearly a generation ago.... We are not talking 10-15 years ago.

The AAC has to be the target, because the leap to B12 is dilusional. Thats like going from junior high to college, lets go to high school first.

If we ever had the opportunity to join a true 'major' conference, i would jump all over it....but a lateral move to AAC or whatever is more the realistic possibility, which i am against

(09-14-2014 10:02 AM)huskiealum03 Wrote:  If we ever had the opportunity to join a true 'major' conference, i would jump all over it....but a lateral move to AAC or whatever is more the realistic possibility, which i am against

I agree. Joining the AAC is lateral, would be costly and drain the program more than any benefit from joining a little better conference. The only real benefit would come from joining the Big10 or Big12. Huskie Stadium would be sold out with all the BIG 10 alumni in Chicagoland going to the game. Marshall thought they were too good for the MAC but I don't see any benefit for them joining conference USA. We need to improve the MAC as a whole or find a way to be invited to BIG10/12. TCU making the jump to the BIG 12 is great for their program even though they won't automatically be at the top. They could be there in 3-5 years. NIU needs to do the same with the BIG10/12.

(09-14-2014 08:27 AM)Big_Man Wrote:  Are you seriously saying that you prefer having EMU and UMass as conference games over USC, Texas, and Oklahoma?

Are you seriously saying we're going to join a conference that has those three teams in it? Why you threw in USC (PAC-12) is beyond logic. Stay on track, UMass is leaving, so by your standards the MAC is going to improve (addition based on subtraction). Now try to calculate finanical reality versus your wish to dump EMU so we can play Texas and Oklahoma -- two schools who probably wouldn't even be interested in playing us as a one-time home game for money.