Chicago Tribune: NIU won't be awestruck taking on Arkansas in SEC country

I gave him props on twitter for this article. Has some great quotes from BB and RC.

There is no reason to even write a article like this. NIU was in the Orange Bowl and has been to so many big stadiums. This is just like playing at IOWA.

thanks for the heads up, made sure to bring the paper on the train cause of your post

(09-18-2014 07:52 AM)dekalb222 Wrote:  There is no reason to even write a article like this. NIU was in the Orange Bowl and has been to so many big stadiums. This is just like playing at IOWA.

I'd like to think we will be a rowdier crowd than Iowa but I don't see you guys being awestruck.

(09-18-2014 09:19 AM)hogfan#1 Wrote:  

(09-18-2014 07:52 AM)dekalb222 Wrote:  There is no reason to even write a article like this. NIU was in the Orange Bowl and has been to so many big stadiums. This is just like playing at IOWA.

I'd like to think we will be a rowdier crowd than Iowa but I don't see you guys being awestruck.

Iowa fans are drunks and many are Aholes. Not something to strive for

(09-18-2014 07:52 AM)dekalb222 Wrote:  There is no reason to even write a article like this. NIU was in the Orange Bowl and has been to so many big stadiums. This is just like playing at IOWA.

I agree, I dont think many teams are "awe struck". Most go in thinking they have a shot, some better then others of course.

I'm finding it annoying and a little insulting that the assumption (even among some of our own fans) is that NIU could s*^t their pants in fear of going into Fayetteville. I understand that Arkansas is favored and rightly should be. They're a lot better than they were a year ago, but I've never heard this much concern over going into a big stadium before. These guys at NIU have played in huge games before and in huge venues that are often downright hostile.

Add into it that this is not the NIU that us older guys went to where you just hoped not to lose all of the LBers for the season because it was men against boys.

NIU will compete. They may wear down, they may end up on the short end as you would expect any traveling team to do, but this implication that we don't even really belong on the same f*^&ing field as Arkansas is really galling.

Somebody please enlighten me as to how this Arkansas team is significantly different from the 10-3 Bret Bielema-coached 2009 Wisconsin team that we traded punches with for 4 quarters in front of 80,000 people (with a vastly inferior NIU team, athletically). Bigger? F^*& no. Faster? Perhaps. We'll see.

It's been bugging me all week.

NIU didn't really trade punches with Wisconsin that game. Don't get me wrong, they had the ball on the 40 with plenty of time left and a chance to tie, but that game was 28-6 in the 4th quarter. I'm not worried about the crowd at all, the only thing I am a little cautious about is NIU being able to move around their defensive line.

(09-18-2014 09:53 AM)7 Wrote:  NIU didn't really trade punches with Wisconsin that game. Don't get me wrong, they had the ball on the 40 with plenty of time left and a chance to tie, but that game was 28-6 in the 4th quarter. I'm not worried about the crowd at all, the only thing I am a little cautious about is NIU being able to move around their defensive line.

It will be a real test for our offensive line. They are the best in the MAC and this will be a great test for them. Against a top 10 team, might be overmatched but I think they will hold their own.

Arkansas is good but not FSU, Alabama good.

Cawoo, I totally agree. A certain notorious poster had a comment the other day along the lines of hopefully the Huskies can keep it close and only lose by 2 or 3 TDs instead of 5 or 6. Are the Huskies Nicholls State now? Arkansas appears to be a mighty fine team this year, but our guys have been here before.

I get why he's writing it because it is an sec stadium and atmosphere, but just some info.

A few of these players have played in 5 NFL stadiums. Some sold out, some middle of the pack, some small crowds.

They've also played in 3 different big ten venues. One which has a pink locker room for psychology purposes. I'd bet Iowa and Arkansas fans are pretty similar in rowdiness, maybe even Iowa slightly ahead.

They've also traveled Miami, boston, San Diego, etc. I don't think a trip to Fayetteville will be their biggest game, stadium, or worst travel experience.

(09-18-2014 09:49 AM)cawoo22 Wrote:  I'm finding it annoying and a little insulting that the assumption (even among some of our own fans) is that NIU could s*^t their pants in fear of going into Fayetteville. I understand that Arkansas is favored and rightly should be. They're a lot better than they were a year ago, but I've never heard this much concern over going into a big stadium before. These guys at NIU have played in huge games before and in huge venues that are often downright hostile.

Add into it that this is not the NIU that us older guys went to where you just hoped not to lose all of the LBers for the season because it was men against boys.

NIU will compete. They may wear down, they may end up on the short end as you would expect any traveling team to do, but this implication that we don't even really belong on the same f*^&ing field as Arkansas is really galling.

Somebody please enlighten me as to how this Arkansas team is significantly different from the 10-3 Bret Bielema-coached 2009 Wisconsin team that we traded punches with for 4 quarters in front of 80,000 people (with a vastly inferior NIU team, athletically). Bigger? F^*& no. Faster? Perhaps. We'll see.

It's been bugging me all week.

(09-18-2014 10:08 AM)HuskieJWN Wrote:  They've also traveled Miami, boston, San Diego, etc. I don't think a trip to Fayetteville will be their biggest game, stadium, or worst travel experience.

Nope, that'd be Idaho.