[NU Sports] Iowa-Northwestern Rivalry?

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> In general I agree with the contention that Northwestern vs
> Iowa is not a rivalry.  

I would disagree, respectfully. It's not a "classic rivalry" like the ones listed below (though you'd find few people outside of New England who even know who won last year's Harvard-Yale game ... and SC fans would probably list the Evil Empire as more of a rival than the team in powderpuff blue)).

But a rivalry is a game the players and fans "get up for" - usually a border game where fans, players, coaches and so are all too familiar with each other ... a game where a win makes the season.

>From NU's standpoint, a win over Iowa/Illinois/Wisconsin makes a season. Fans and players get up for those games. You'll say ditto for Michigan or OSU ... but that's where criteria #3 comes into play. 

Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa have a lot of players from our backyard. Granted, we don't have a natural recruiting area as a private school, but these are the fans who travel in droves to Evanston because for a lot of them, it's a "home game" that's closer than going to see their nephew/son/high school friend in Kinnick/Camp Randall/Flatland Island. The Michigan or OSU fans who flock to Ryan Field are usually the bandwagoners from Chicago who are part of their national following.

It's the same in reverse as well - a lot of our players are from Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa and were spurned by those teams in recruiting. I think of Matt Rice and the zeal he took in taking down the Badgers. A lot of our players weren't seriously considered by the Wolverines or Buckeyes.

So while it's not a "classic rivalry," I think it is fair to call it a rivalry game. Certainly from the NU perspective. On the opposite side, a win over NU may not make Wisconsin's or Iowa's season ... but a loss sure crushes it. And they've been stung enough recently that they now go into games like this week debating whether Iowa/NU is a rivalry instead of looking ahead on the schedule. We're a thorn in their side -- we wish we could be that for UM/OSU, but we actually ARE for Bucky and Iowa. Maybe not a "rival" from their point of view, but certainly a pest. :)

> In fact, I'm not sure Northwestern really
> HAS a rivalry, though the Illinois game is about as close as it gets, at 

Well, Illinois may not be as exciting as Iowa/Wisky, but they have the in-state, "private vs. public" and tradition going for it. Look at our record vs. Big Ten teams and our record vs. Illinois and tell me that NU doesn't "get up" for the Illini. It's lost luster in recent years with the one-sidedness and may not be as contentious as the others, but it's a rivalry.

NU-Illinois is more of a rivalry than Floyd of Rosedale and Iowa-NU or NU-Wisky is more contentious than that Little Brown Jug.

> A true rivalry requires that the fans of BOTH schools buy
> in to the concept,

Perhaps - but not always. MSU-Michigan is a rivalry even though only MSU takes it as one. The in-state, "upper crust vs. low class" themes are there. Sometimes rivalries can be one sided both in the records and with the fans' feelings.

> Two examples of rivalries that IMHO didn't happen are
> Nebraska vs Colorado and,
> sadly, Nebraska vs Oklahoma.  

I dunno, the Huskers/Sooners was THE rivalry in the nation for a decade or so ... just because the stupid Big XII broke it apart doesn't mean all those #1 vs. #2 games and coaches bringing their own caterers and such didn't happen. And CU/UNL failed mostly because the stupid Big XII tried to force it (ala NU-Purdue ... a non rivalry despite the short distance).

> When the Big XII was formed, Oklahoma had no interest in
> making the Nebraska game a protected annual rivalry, 

But was that because they didn't think it was a rivalry or because they wanted an edge on Texas, who did have to face a second rival in ATM.

> is getting close), and apparently neither did
> Iowa-Wisconsin, since that 
> wasn't made a protected cross-division game.

Again, don't blame stupid decisions by the suits at a league office ... Wisconsin vs. Iowa IS a rivalry game - one of the more underrated ones in the nation - and watching that game in Iowa City this year, you could see the fans and players seething with rivalry competition.

>From my standpoint ... Illinois is our traditional rival, Wisconsin is more a personal rival (though it taps into the "Wisconsin vs. Chicago" rivalry tradition much more than Wisconsin vs. Ill-noise does) and Iowa is the REAL rival. Those RVs and bumblebees descend on Evanston in hordes and make a weekend of it and it just makes the season to send them back on I-80 with a big fat "L" on their tailgate. Nothing matches Michigan vs. Ohio State and it's not SC-Evil Empire or Bama-Auburn either, but for an NU fan it's as good as it gets!

GO CATS!!! BEAT IOWA!!!
-SjT