Tech's Intervention

[DestinCajun]

One other thing to consider was espn's hand in this decision. NIU is located in a much larger media market than Lafayette, therefore I think they had a hand in deciding which would garner more exposure for their advertisers.

LMAO! I attended the 1993 UL - NIU game in DeKalb. The place is in the middle of miles of cornfields. No offense intended to the NIU folks but the place smelled like a barnyard.

"Market" ? Sure, for corn and pigs.

[DestinCajun]

_ This statement is quickly becoming a cliche on this board. And btw, NONE of those three games you mentioned were close. We got beat handily in 3 of the final 4 games. Realizing this helps me cope with the fact that we didn't get in. Somehow it makes sense that we didn't deserve it.

"7 wins and we don't have this conversation" gets added to the sports cliche pile effective immediately.

I just think NIU and FAU "wanted it more" _

I can't say we would have won but with a reasonably healthy team we would have competed against UTEP and FAU. Of that, I have no doubt.

[CajunZ1]

_ LMAO! I attended the 1993 UL - NIU game in DeKalb. The place is in the middle of miles of cornfields. No offense intended to the NIU folks but the place smelled like a barnyard.

"Market" ? Sure, for corn and pigs. _

An hour from Chicago's city center. Very close to the Chicago footprint.

I guess that's enough. There's really no arguing with the "market." It's obvious NIU has the advantage there. The argument lies in ticket sales, which UL would have bought orders of magnitude more than the Huskies.

[CajunZ1]

_ I can't say we would have won but with a reasonably healthy team we would have competed against UTEP and FAU. Of that, I have no doubt. _

That's flawed thinking IMO. We were outclassed badly in all three games both athletically and in coaching. I could understand if we lost by only a touchdown or something.

I understand the injury argument. To me, it holds enough water to give our coach another chance (that's significant). But it does not allow us to start saying, "we could have won one of those games." We were never in them.

[ljr3721]

_ HOUCajun, if it ever comes to light that my schools administration went any further than saying "if possible, we would rather not play a sunbelt school". I will join you in being dissapointed in our pathetic existence.

I've been a Cajun fan for a long time, but the day my school pulls a stunt like what LA Tech is alleged to have done (I don't know for sure whether they did or not) is the day I give up on this team and school. We are above that, and I honestly do not believe that we would have had any problem playing Tech if the situation was reversed.

If they want to be "elite" and "above" the sun belt, fine--play us, kick our butts, and then you have a case. Using back-room politics to avoid getting embarassed is not helping anything.

[RaginFan2]

_ That's flawed thinking IMO. We were outclassed badly in all three games both athletically and in coaching. I could understand if we lost by only a touchdown or something.

I understand the injury argument. To me, it holds enough water to give our coach another chance (that's significant). But it does not allow us to start saying, "we could have won one of those games." We were never in them. _

I disagree that we were never in the UTEP game. We had the early lead and were still in it going into the second half. However, I can agree that we did not play well on either side of the ball for the better part of the game.

[DestinCajun]

An hour from Chicago's city center. Very close to the Chicago footprint.

I guess that's enough. There's really no arguing with the "market." It's obvious NIU has the advantage there. The argument lies in ticket sales, which UL would have bought orders of magnitude more than the Huskies. _

Oh yeah, NIU totally dominates the Chicago sports scene. They may as well be a light year from Chicago.

[CajunZ1]

_ I disagree that we were never in the UTEP game. We had the early lead and were still in it going into the second half. However, I can agree that we did not play well on either side of the ball for the better part of the game. _

OK, I'll elaborate on what I meant by "never in the game."

You know how certain games give you a "feeling"? Like the MT game, even though it was close in the 4th quarter, it never "felt" like we were going to lose. I know that's wildly intangible, but bear with me here.

The UTEP game, while it was close in the first half, had the exact opposite "feeling." They were much better at throwing the ball than we were at running the ball that night. That is a recipe for failure in Cajun football.

[CajunZ1]

_ Oh yeah, NIU totally dominates the Chicago sports scene. They may as well be a light year from Chicago. _

I'll agree with you there.

But that's not the issue. The issue is comparing the two potential markets.

Lafayette/Lake Chuck/Baton Rouge vs. Chicago.

Thanks for playing, Chicago wins.

[HOUCajun]

Fair enough

HOUCajun, if it ever comes to light that my schools administration went any further than saying "if possible, we would rather not play a sunbelt school". I will join you in being dissapointed in our pathetic existence.

I have no problem with making your desires known, but to say "we will go else where if you pick a sbc team" is not acceptable imo.

igeaux.mobi

[DestinCajun]

That's flawed thinking IMO. We were outclassed badly in all three games both athletically and in coaching. I could understand if we lost by only a touchdown or something.

I understand the injury argument. To me, it holds enough water to give our coach another chance (that's significant). But it does not allow us to start saying, "we could have won one of those games." We were never in them. _

I saw what I saw.

With a healthy LB corps we put pressure on UTEP's Vittatoe and FAU's Smith.

With a healthy Dez and an OL that is not as beat up, we score enough to be in position to beat one or both of them.

No, we do not beat Troy. I cannot see a scenario where we beat Troy.

[CajunZ1]

_ I saw what I saw.

With a healthy LB corps we put pressure on UTEP's Vittatoe and FAU's Smith.

Honest question: In what game did we ever consistently pressure the QB this year (even when we were healthy)? We did get a key sack against Leonard vs. ASU, but I think that was the FIRST one of the night!

I guess we'll agree to disagree on this one. Pressuring the QB is something everyone likes to think they can do, but I never really saw that as our strength, even with healthy LB's.

[MetryCajun]

_ Honest question: In what game did we ever consistently pressure the QB this year (even when we were healthy)? We did get a key sack against Leonard vs. ASU, but I think that was the FIRST one of the night!

I guess we'll agree to disagree on this one. Pressuring the QB is something everyone likes to think they can do, but I never really saw that as our strength, even with healthy LB's. _

Bingo! Its not like we lost some All-American LB. BTW, our best LB stayed on the field all year.

[Project10]

_ I agree with you that that was the deciding factor. I have also been on your message board and have read countless post by your fans commending Dooley/I-bowl for keeping the Sun belt out. Look I wasn't in the room when the talks were going on. But I have no doubt that the Tech admin. made it clear that they would back out if a sunbelt team was chosen. I think it was a combination of many things but the NIU Athletic head being a former I-Bowl official was probably the deciding factor.

There is a certain element among our fan base that is saying that. Their hate of you guys and the Sun Belt is irrational, but every Sun Belt school has an equal element that irrationally hates Tech. As for Tech backing out of a bowl: are you serious? We've won exactly one bowl game...ever. We've sat at home with 8 or more wins twice the last decade. There's no way in HELL Tech would back out of anything. We aren't exactly Notre Dame, and we're very, very fortunate to be bowling. The Big XII and SEC couldn't take care of business....that is the only reason we are playing in the Indy Bowl.

Look i know when looking for someone to blame we need only find a mirror. just look at how much better 7-5 looks than 6-6. We didn't do our job on the field. It is what it is. There is nothing sexy about a 6-6 sunbelt team. So now we are here and Tech is trying to put as much lipstick on that pig named I-Bowl as possible. All we can do now is make sure that we win 7 or more next year and make sure that our conference will go to bat for us. If they aren't, then we'll find some place else to play. _

True dat.

[johnnylightnin]

looking for rhyme or reason in media markets, strength of the teams, or ticket sales will only frustrate you. This is very simple...

A former I-Bowl employee is now employed at NIU. He used his connections to get his team in the bowl. Simple as that.