Some thoughts about the Huskies Halloween loss to CMU

Here are a few thoughts I have about Northern Illinois University's 37-31 loss to Central Michigan University on Halloween night. 

1.) I detest the contract with ESPN that has the Mid-American Conference playing football games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in November. College football should be played on Saturdays, in my opinion. The mid-week games are terrible for tradition, are bad for attendance and erode the fan base.  I hope the MAC will not renew the contract with ESPN, but I fear money will talk and the mid-week games will continue, much to my disappointment. 

2.) With the loss, NIU fell to 4-5 overall, 3-2 in the MAC, and appears to be looking at another mediocre season under head coach Thomas Hammock.  For the record, CMU moved to 5-4 overall, 3-2 in the MAC. 

3.) While CMU dominated the first half, NIU played a good second half.  Here's a look at some key stats:

Total yards of offense - NIU posted 506 yards, while CMU tallied 447

Time of possession - NIU: 29:48, CMU: 30:47

Fourth downs NIU: 2-4, CMU: 0-0

Rushing yards - NIU: 208, CMU: 331

3rd downs - NIU: 0-10, CMU: 4-12

4.) NIU continues to struggle on offense in the first half, which is a consistent weakness for the Huskies, not only this season, but during the 2022 campaign, too. During Tuesday's game, NIU scored a field goal in the first quarter and came up empty in the second quarter, while CMU posted 7 points in the 1st quarter and 17 in the 2nd quarter. 

The Huskies offense mounted a vigorous comeback in the second half, posting 14 points in the 3rd quarter to CMU's 13, and NIU scored another 14 points in the 4th quarter, but a Chippewa interception late in the game ended NIU's comeback bid.

I've followed the Huskies for more than 40 years. I've known several coaches, players and have been personal friends with more than a few of the reporters who covered the team over the years. I know NIU is capable of being a conference champion, and it's difficult to see where things stand today. 

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome. 

The irony (and fun) of Rodgers winning the MVP award

 

I enjoyed a good laugh when I read the other morning Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year.

I have nothing against Rodgers, and considering he posted 37 touchdowns against only one interception last season, he seems to be as worthy of the award as anyone else. In fact, Rodgers received 39 votes for MVP while Tampa Bay's Tom Brady earned 10 votes, according to an ESPN report.

Clearly those who vote on the award believed Rodgers earned it. And the irony of Rodgers winning the award, after all the intense criticism he received in 2021, made me laugh.

Information (I can't call it news) flows so rapidly these days that we hardly have time to fully process yesterday's controversy before the headlines serve up something new to make us fighting mad.

Why, only a few months ago sports writers and commentators were telling us Rodgers was a rotten egg because he ducked the Packers organization during much of the previous off-season. And they told us he was a lying scoundrel that ought to be driven from the league for violating the NFL's Covid-19 guidelines.

More than a few reporters were nearly rabid in their words about Rodgers. One writer suggested his actions put every NFL player at risk of death by C-19.

I don't follow the NFL closely so the intense views puzzled me, and seemed over the top. Rodgers certainly had some reporters, commentators and fans worked up, but most people seemed unmoved, willing to judge him based on his on-field performance rather than what he did off the field.

I think that's how it should be with professional sports, minus some obvious exceptions.

And it appears many others agree. All the fuss about Rodgers that aired in recent months seemed in the end to be more smoke than fire. And that's often how it goes these days.

-- Thanks for reading. Comments and questions are always welcome. Post them here, or send an email to kbotterman@gmail.com.