[NU Sports] More on rivalries

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

I agree Ill-noise is our official rivalry and should be at the end of the season. However, for it to be a rivalry, you really need both sides to consider it such, and I don't think the Illini consider us their rival. Neither do the Badgers.

However, the Hog-eyes have hated us since the Hayden/Barnett war of words in the mid-90s. They might not rank us up there with Wisky and Minny, but they always travel to Evanston in hordes (more than anyone with the exception of Wisconsin - and that's more because Milwaukee's as close to Chicago as Madison -- Iowa takes more  committment) and after recent years of upsets, Io_a was clearly geared up for NU this year with their fans and players. And we have our hated memories of the bumblebees as well (2000 :( ). So that's why I'd consider them the *real* rival for the "modern" era of NU football (i.e. Barnett/Walker/Fitz years). It's been our "red letter" game since Barnett came and we're more of one for them, too, than we are for the Illini, Badgers or Boilers.

As for 2014 - gulp. That's a rough end to the season there!!! You won't find that type of November schedule in the SEC!

Go Cats!
-SjT
 
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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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From: Brad Wilson <bwdolphin146 at yahoo.com>
To: Roy S. Lamberton <rstetson at capps-assoc.com>; 'SjT (Stephen J. Truog)' <sjtruog at yahoo.com>; "nwu-sports at tssi.com" <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 12:14 PM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] More on rivalries


I have always considered Illinois NU's chief rival in my 27 years of NU fandom. Then Wisconsin (perhaps because have many friends in Buckyland) and then Iowa. After that? Depends on who NU's had better/close/heartbreaking/etc games with lately. I'd now say Michigan State and Penn State. 


Looking at future skeds Illinois moves to end-of-season status from 2012 ... way it should be!!!

BTW I hope NU is pretty good in 2014 with this close to the season:

Oct. 18 vs. Wisconsin
Oct. 25 at Ohio State
Nov. 1 at Michigan State
Nov. 8 vs. Iowa
Nov. 15 at Notre Dame
Nov. 22 at Michigan
Nov. 29 vs.
 Illinois

Yikes.

bw