Seemed laughable to ponder this for about...oh, the past 20 years, but here we are.

The Football arrow is unquestionably down for now (with objectivity) and the Basketball arrow is absolutely up.

When comparing this years football team to this years BB team...the jury is still out and one must consider our QB injuries, but as of now, the answer is difficult. I consider how either team fares against our conference brothers...and on the national scale. Our football team that ended this season does not resemble the one that opened...So, this is difficult but not a no brainer. In short, that the answer is not glaring is shocking. We can debate the answer and we may be split. For example, we barely lost to OSU....Our bb team would not barely lose to Duke. On the flip, we got schooled by BG and then ravishingly embarrassed (WITH NO QB) by BSU. I believe our hoop team is better than that, relatively speaking.

Program v. Program....right now. Forget the fan base and let us just consider our play and potential. You cannot forget 20 years of dominance, but if we are to focus on the next few....I would be willing to bet on our BB team/program over our FB team/program. Our BB recruiting, roster and depth are incredibly promising. Without judging how "bad" everything looks to the most dismal of us on the FB side...I think the comparison is a no brainer. NIU hoop is on the rise and alive. NIU football is trying to hold on to a record breaking and wonderful streak, but things look a lot less than inspiring.

Everything can change if our coach pretends he is an NIU football coach and leaves...soon...and we are all prepared for that and/or injuries mount.

But, as of now....NIU hoops wins.

(01-26-2016 03:08 PM)blackhawk Wrote:  Seemed laughable to ponder this for about...oh, the past 20 years, but here we are.

The Football arrow is unquestionably down for now (with objectivity) and the Basketball arrow is absolutely up.

When comparing this years football team to this years BB team...the jury is still out and one must consider our QB injuries, but as of now, the answer is difficult. I consider how either team fares against our conference brothers...and on the national scale. Our football team that ended this season does not resemble the one that opened...So, this is difficult but not a no brainer. In short, that the answer is not glaring is shocking. We can debate the answer and we may be split. For example, we barely lost to OSU....Our bb team would not barely lose to Duke. On the flip, we got schooled by BG and then ravishingly embarrassed (WITH NO QB) by BSU. I believe our hoop team is better than that, relatively speaking.

Program v. Program....right now. Forget the fan base and let us just consider our play and potential. You cannot forget 20 years of dominance, but if we are to focus on the next few....I would be willing to bet on our BB team/program over our FB team/program. Our BB recruiting, roster and depth are incredibly promising. Without judging how "bad" everything looks to the most dismal of us on the FB side...I think the comparison is a no brainer. NIU hoop is on the rise and alive. NIU football is trying to hold on to a record breaking and wonderful streak, but things look a lot less than inspiring.

Everything can change if our coach pretends he is an NIU football coach and leaves...soon...and we are all prepared for that and/or injuries mount.

But, as of now....NIU hoops wins.

No...no it doesn't.

Don't get me wrong, NIU basketball is on the up and is doing awesome this year but don't equate one year of success to 12-13 years of straight success for football. Once the basketball team reaches 20+ wins and 6 straight MAC Championship game appearances, then this debate can be had.

For now, there is no clear indication that the football team is going down. They may not be as dominate as they were but they are definitely still a main contender to win the conference.

The future is certainly bright but no comparison. Let's hope it turns into a stable and successful program like football has.

(01-26-2016 04:04 PM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  

(01-26-2016 03:08 PM)blackhawk Wrote:  Seemed laughable to ponder this for about...oh, the past 20 years, but here we are.

The Football arrow is unquestionably down for now (with objectivity) and the Basketball arrow is absolutely up.

When comparing this years football team to this years BB team...the jury is still out and one must consider our QB injuries, but as of now, the answer is difficult. I consider how either team fares against our conference brothers...and on the national scale. Our football team that ended this season does not resemble the one that opened...So, this is difficult but not a no brainer. In short, that the answer is not glaring is shocking. We can debate the answer and we may be split. For example, we barely lost to OSU....Our bb team would not barely lose to Duke. On the flip, we got schooled by BG and then ravishingly embarrassed (WITH NO QB) by BSU. I believe our hoop team is better than that, relatively speaking.

Program v. Program....right now. Forget the fan base and let us just consider our play and potential. You cannot forget 20 years of dominance, but if we are to focus on the next few....I would be willing to bet on our BB team/program over our FB team/program. Our BB recruiting, roster and depth are incredibly promising. Without judging how "bad" everything looks to the most dismal of us on the FB side...I think the comparison is a no brainer. NIU hoop is on the rise and alive. NIU football is trying to hold on to a record breaking and wonderful streak, but things look a lot less than inspiring.

Everything can change if our coach pretends he is an NIU football coach and leaves...soon...and we are all prepared for that and/or injuries mount.

But, as of now....NIU hoops wins.

No...no it doesn't.

Don't get me wrong, NIU basketball is on the up and is doing awesome this year but don't equate one year of success to 12-13 years of straight success for football. Once the basketball team reaches 20+ wins and 6 straight MAC Championship game appearances, then this debate can be had.

For now, there is no clear indication that the football team is going down. They may not be as dominate as they were but they are definitely still a main contender to win the conference.

+1

Basketball trends up, but to say that it has exceeded the football program is hyperbolic at best

The point I made was NOT to focus (impossible as it may be) on the last 20 years, but only going FORWARD...the next few (or what have you). NO argument can be made when you factor in the past. This is about going forward and when you look at our conference (and how we stack up), our recruits, the feel of the program, and the direction...I still maintain that the BB program has elevated itself to the point that it is more promising than the FB program. This is not about tonight's game or next weeks...This is about the future.

Our glorious football team may have one more run left (if Hare is healthy), but our future is in doubt. Other than our past, what argument can we make that points to more championships (next year is a hope)? Objectively speaking.

I have loved the ride...LOVED it, but I am being a realist. My optimism can again soar, but right now....I just don't see a gaggle of glaring hope at Huskie Stadium...I see that at The Convo.

Just me, perhaps.

Whoa! This is the most living in "THE" moment I can recall.

Boy, it's great to be 16-3, but that doesn't guarantee anything for the rest of the season. There is still the possibility of going 3-7 the rest of the way (would be a major disappointment) and finishing with less than 20 wins.

This is like comparing the the Cubs and the Yankees. Where the arrow is definitely up with the Cubs, the Yankees have made the playoffs 18 of the last 21 years, missing two of the last three, and should be the benchmark.

I love the enthusiasm, but let's just keep the last five weeks into perspective of what they are---the last five weeks. I know where the arrow seems to be pointing, but let's just cool the jets a little and let the rest of the season play out.

I do like your realistic approach, but let's not compare programs--yet.

To rephrase blackhawks point, if each sport were an equally priced stock, which one do you feel will give you a better return going forward?? I could see being more bullish on BBall and bearish on football right now, but that could change depending how the season ends.

I am really worried about the direction of the football program.

(01-26-2016 04:45 PM)blackhawk Wrote:  The point I made was NOT to focus (impossible as it may be) on the last 20 years, but only going FORWARD...the next few (or what have you). NO argument can be made when you factor in the past. This is about going forward and when you look at our conference (and how we stack up), our recruits, the feel of the program, and the direction...I still maintain that the BB program has elevated itself to the point that it is more promising than the FB program.
Our glorious football team may have one more run left (if Hare is healthy), but our future is in doubt. Other than our past, what argument can we make that points to more championships (next year is a hope)? Objectively speaking.

First and foremost, there are how many games left in basketball? So comparisons are invalid, period.
But if you insist on doing this, then explain your parallels. Where on the football schedule is the equivalent of such pathetic opposition as Eureka, Indiana Northwest, Judson, and Roosevelt? Even UIC, Chicago State and CS-Northridge can't be compared to Murray State. From an SOS perspective, Ohio State basketball is not OSU football.
Are you saying men's basketball will play in the MAC Championship game?, because that's what football did.
Aside from MD and others who insist bowl games are pointless, which post-season men's tourney equals what bowl game?
You throw in a caveat (if Hare is healthy), okay, God forbid, what happens if basketball has a major injury during the next month? dekalb222 has been using that caveat on an annual basis.
If you have a 40-story high rise, yes basketball is on an elevator going up, but it started on the ground floor and it's nowhere near the top yet. Football may be in an elevator going down but elevators going down make far more frequent stops than the ones going up. Let's just wait and see what happens.

(01-26-2016 06:57 PM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(01-26-2016 04:45 PM)blackhawk Wrote:  The point I made was NOT to focus (impossible as it may be) on the last 20 years, but only going FORWARD...the next few (or what have you). NO argument can be made when you factor in the past. This is about going forward and when you look at our conference (and how we stack up), our recruits, the feel of the program, and the direction...I still maintain that the BB program has elevated itself to the point that it is more promising than the FB program.
Our glorious football team may have one more run left (if Hare is healthy), but our future is in doubt. Other than our past, what argument can we make that points to more championships (next year is a hope)? Objectively speaking.

First and foremost, there are how many games left in basketball? So comparisons are invalid, period.
But if you insist on doing this, then explain your parallels. Where on the football schedule is the equivalent of such pathetic opposition as Eureka, Indiana Northwest, Judson, and Roosevelt? Even UIC, Chicago State and CS-Northridge can't be compared to Murray State. From an SOS perspective, Ohio State basketball is not OSU football.
Are you saying men's basketball will play in the MAC Championship game?, because that's what football did.
Aside from MD and others who insist bowl games are pointless, which post-season men's tourney equals what bowl game?
You throw in a caveat (if Hare is healthy), okay, God forbid, what happens if basketball has a major injury during the next month? dekalb222 has been using that caveat on an annual basis.
If you have a 40-story high rise, yes basketball is on an elevator going up, but it started on the ground floor and it's nowhere near the top yet. Football may be in an elevator going down but elevators going down make far more frequent stops than the ones going up. Let's just wait and see what happens.

I think bowl games are GENERALLY meaningless. But what happened in that football game with Boise is a symptom of a bigger problem. A division 1 football does not come out and play a division I football team like that without there being some underlying chronic dysfunction. That game was a bad omen for NIU football going forward.

oh God...

Uiniu57, if the basketball team wins the MAC West then they did exactly what the football team did! They have to win games outside of the regular season to play in the championship game. Football did not have to do that to make their championship game.

Football......and it's not even close

Football has won the MAC West forever, it's not even close.

It's football right now but The trajectories are on a different path

The original post said comparing the teams RIGHT NOW and going FORWARD. That he'd bet on the BBall team. For all of those who are so adamantly saying football, I think you're missing what was originally proposed. Otherwise, I'd ask you this: Would you put up a decent amount of money that the football team has a better win % than the BBall team next year(granted we still have to see how the BBall team finishes this year to accept that kind of bet)? It's like saying pretend this is NIU's first year in existence, which program do you feel has more potential?[/size]

Why are we comparing them? They are such different beasts. I can't say what would happen next year, because we don't even know the BBall's team schedule for next year! If their out of conference looks like this year (God I hope not)? Or will they step it up next year?

(01-26-2016 06:35 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  I am really worried about the direction of the football program.

You're really worried about everything ever.

(01-27-2016 02:01 AM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(01-26-2016 06:35 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  I am really worried about the direction of the football program.

You're really worried about everything ever.

+1.

You beat me to it. I've never seen a more consistent pessimist this side of Eeyore.

(01-27-2016 05:21 AM)Skinut Wrote:  

(01-27-2016 02:01 AM)The Frisky Biscuit Wrote:  

(01-26-2016 06:35 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  I am really worried about the direction of the football program.

You're really worried about everything ever.

+1.

You beat me to it. I've never seen a more consistent pessimist this side of Eeyore.

NIU's very own Glum from Gullivers Travels - "We're doomed. We'll never make it"