FBC Week 11 thread: Jack Mildren didn't need no stinkin' spread offense

Maybe the highfalutin Northwestern alum can't fathom losing to a bunch of corn-fed rednecks from Iowa?

 

I'll take a stab at this -- but realize that I graduated from Iowa in 1994, and haven't lived in the Chicago area since the mid-1990s (although I've been back a lot). So things may have changed.

Anyway, in football, when Iowa revived its program under Hayden Fry in the 1980s, he mercilessly hammered some bad Northwestern teams. We're talking 40 or 50-point margins, just about every year.

So when Gary Barnett led Northwestern back to respectability — and eventually to a Big 10 title — an important step along the way was beating Iowa, which as a program was on its way down in the mid 1990s.

In fact, I was there at Dyche Stadium in 1995 when NW broke a 21-game losing streak in the series and beat the Hawkeyes. Wildcat fans ... what few there were at the cold, snowy game ... went nuts, and also fired a few snowballs in the direction of those of us wearing Iowa hats. (We fired back! Good times ...)

More than that, there's such a significant portion of Iowa students who are from the Chicago burbs. Maybe even some who couldn't get into or afford to attend Northwestern (hmmm ...)

And there's a very high percentage of Iowa grads who end up living/working in Chicagoland after graduation. The campuses aren't very far apart, either, so Iowa fans frequently invade Evanston for football and wrestling events (NW hosts the Midlands tourney). Basketball ... well, not so much any more.

For another take on this, check out what Iowa's student paper has to say on the Hawkeye-Wildcat "rivalry" ... http://www.dailyiowan.com/2010/11/09/Sports/19943.html

Long live the DI!

 

On a personal level, Barnett also felt that Fry was very condescending towards him when he started at Northwestern. Apparently during the postgame handshake after the first Iowa-NU game of Barnett's tenure Fry made a comment along the lines of "I hope we didn't hurt too many of your boys." Barnett didn't care for that.

That probably had at least a little something to do with Barnett painting a target on Iowa's back.

 

This is true.

Smug, craggy old bastard.

 

My brother-in-law & his dad are both NU alums. Literally, bro-in-law has bled purple his entire life. I never bothered to ask him why, but I can attest to the fact that they HATE Iowa.

 

And given the fact that Fitzgerald is an NU alum and a former Barnett player it's no surprise that the hard feelings continue.

Did the injury Fitzgerald suffered that caused him to miss the Rose Bowl happen against Iowa?

 

Jack needed the bone because he could not throw a lick.

 

UCONN by 17.

 

I can see this one turning into a 10-7 snoozefest.

 

Wacky 65-30 win for Northern Illinois over Toledo. Not that I care; just trying to get this above the Week 10 thread.

 

I know few care but look for TCU to rip San Diego State. It will be the Horned Frogs final game at the current Amon Carter Stadium. On Dec. 5, the stadium other than the east stands will be imploded and construction will start the west side and end zone. Good riddance to one of the worst press boxes in the world. Though the view of the game from way up there is pretty good.

This link has renderings of what the new stadium will look like http://www.stadium.tcu.edu/gallery.asp

All construction except the new upper deck will be finished before next season. There is a rumor out there that TCU is close to having enough money - around 130-140 million - to start work on both sides of the stadium after the implosion.

 

Auburn is either going to lose by a point or win by 200. I just can't figure out which one.