(12-11-2014 03:55 PM)toddjnsn Wrote: I liked this article to put things in perspective.
http://www.hustlebelt.com/mac-football/2...-the-point
I get his sentiment, but I have a feeling this guy was in diapers when we were in the MAC before. Maybe he went to school there after our time in the MAC when we were winning like NIU and NIU was mostly just awful with no fan support at all. I don't think NIU even won their division till after we left. It was always Toledo or WMU. We had many of those 11,12, and 13 win seasons. We helped pave the way for NIU to get into the Orange Bowl. We had 3 Heisman finalists within a five year span. We beat Clemson, #6 Kansas State, South Carolina, Temple(Big East), Louisville, ECU, Cincy, BYU, and scared the crap out of Ole Miss, WVU, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio State and UNC. And from '97 to '94 we went 5-2 in bowl games. We peaked too early. About 5-7 years too early.
And at the very least get the facts right when using them to make a point.
" Do you think a 7-5 Maryland team was pumped to face an 8-4 Conference USA team last year?"
We were 9-3 before losing to Rice in the CCG then beating Maryland to finish 10-4. Making us at least 9-4 when the bowl was proposed. Doesn't change his point, but it does affect his credibility with readers when there are inaccuracies.
As I said in another post, it isn't about not respecting NIU. We really do. And we know them. We really do. We've been there and done that. And we wanted something different is all. And like I said, I can't believe NIU is any more excited to play us than we are them. I think they got shafted, too.