CSNbbs

<a href='http://www.sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=uwire-ncaaf-sportsillustrate&prov=uwire&type=lgns' target='_blank'>http://www.sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slu...uwire&type=lgns</a>

Very nice article, finally someone has some good things to say about the MAC/NI. Can't wait to read the article in SI.

Jinx!

"Worst facilties I have ever seen." That is an interesting quote.

redskins4ever Wrote:"Worst facilties I have ever seen." That is an interesting quote.

says a lot about our coaches and especially our players that they're having success without the facilities that even WMU has.

on the positive side, there are plans for improvements in the works.

Stick4489 Wrote:Jinx!

Au contraire! The jinx ONLY applies to those on the cover, in this case, Kerry Wood of the Cubs. Thus it's actually a multifaceted boon, IMO, as every person in the Chicagoland area will buy the mag because of Wood, hopefully discover the article on us, while Wood and the Cubs will suffer the SI jinx.

Beautiful!!

DogTracks Wrote:

redskins4ever Wrote:"Worst facilties I have ever seen."&nbsp; That is an interesting quote.

says a lot about our coaches and especially our players that they're having success without the facilities that even WMU has.

Yes, but I think it also suggests that good football teams don't NEED posh facilities to be successful.

You could even make the argument that the swanky facilities that BCS schools provide their spoiled, demanding athletes actually undermine their competitive fire and make them soft.

However, I'd like to see Coach Novak get his new practice facility, so I won't make that argument. :D

[quote="Flying Corn"] [quote="DogTracks"] [quote="redskins4ever"] "Worst facilties I have ever seen."

It's an unfortunate fact of life in college sports today that to be successful over time, you do need to "keep up with the joneses' facility-wise. Sad, but true.

I was simply trying to point out how silly this whole facilities arms race has become. You don't NEED a $25 million dollar indoor practice field to field a decent football team. More importantly, you don't NEED to attend a school with the best facilities to be the best football player you can be.

I know NIU won't be able to be competitive in the years to come if we don't upgrade our facilities, but I also think this whole push to build the most ostentatious, expensive and ornate "facilities' money can buy has gotten completely out of hand.
I

What is the real difference between this and wanting to have the best possible chemistry labs in order to attract better science students?

I do agree - it's gotten crazy. But largely the MAC schools have stayed out of the "crazy" realm, like, for example, a $1mil+ lockerroom at Oregon with plasma TVs.

HuskieDan Wrote:What is the real difference between this and wanting to have the best possible chemistry labs in order to attract better science students?

That's a different thread. :D

I'm not up for opening that can of worms today....

HuskieDan Wrote:What is the real difference between this and wanting to have the best possible chemistry labs in order to attract better science students?

It goes into what the University's purpose and mission is.

Could be that schools like 'Bama and LSU really have no academic purpose, so they're obligated to spend on athletics.

DrTorch Wrote:

HuskieDan Wrote:What is the real difference between this and wanting to have the best possible chemistry labs in order to attract better science students?&nbsp;

It goes into what the University's purpose and mission is.

Could be that schools like 'Bama and LSU really have no academic purpose, so they're obligated to spend on athletics.

I'll buy that. My point was that in each case you're spending money on upgrading your facilities to provide incentive to attract better (or more) students. I'm not about to attempt to justify athletic facilities being worth more than academic facilities (economically or morally). :)

By all means, SI, do the article this week! :D

CMichFan Wrote:By all means, SI, do the article this week! :D

It is this weeks. It was supposed to be out Thursday but I have yet to find it. It is supposed to have Kerry Wood on the cover(which is why Flying Corn, a White Sox fan, was really happy to see it). Remember, the cover is the jinx and we aren't on the cover just about 4 pages of story/pics inside. I am a bit nervous about the game though, of course our team tends to do that to you when the every game comes down to the final seconds every week. See you in Mt. Pleasant!

Here it is:

<a href='http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/magazine/cover/' target='_blank'>October 13 Issue of Sports Illustrated</a>