Kirk Herbstreit

[jpfalcon09]

What bugged me is he was blaming NIU for teams like Georgia and Oklahoma missing. Why not have a rule than an unranked AQ conference winner can't go to their tie-in? NIU is ranked ahead of UL and UW and deserves to be here MORE than those two teams. Having an 8-5 Wisconsin team, who barely beat Northern Iowa and Utah State and who plays in a conference that features two teams on bowl ineligibility should suffer, not a non-AQ school who played by the rules and entered by the rules.

[Falconfreak90]

Have no problem with him stating his opinion. That's what he's paid to do. He being critical of the BCS system and not NIU here.

Would any of us bet our house on NIU against a Georgia, Wisconsin or Oklahoma? Not hardly.

BS. For years the BCS has screwed the non BCS and this time it bit them in the azz. He's nothing more than a BCS shill and his opinion is BS. But, an 8-5 Wisky team in the Rose Bowl or Lville in a BCS Bowl is fine.

[12345]

He is basically just trying to say this just isn't the right matchup. The fans (outside MAC) dont want to see Florida St play NIU? They want to see LSU play Oklahoma. Instead that game can't happen and thats a shame because most college football fans want to see a big game.

[jpfalcon09]

He is basically just trying to say this just isn't the right matchup. The fans (outside MAC) dont want to see Florida St play NIU? They want to see LSU play Oklahoma. Instead that game can't happen and thats a shame because most college football fans want to see a big game.

Better hope they have them on the out of conference schedule then.

[jakehovs23]

I don't understand why in college basketball EVERYONE loves to see the little boys play against the big ones, then in college football it's considered a shame when they are given that opportunity to make a name for themselves.

[jpfalcon09]

I don't understand why in college basketball EVERYONE loves to see the little boys play against the big ones, then in college football it's considered a shame when they are given that opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Because networks such as ESPN have brainwashed the common sports fan that the non-AQ conferences essentially don't matter. Their purpose is to give larger schools opponents to play to tune up for the conference slate. Also, CBB has always let the little guy play with the big boys. The purpose of the BCS was to make sure this never happened, and it took an anti-trust lawsuit for it to even occur.

What's funny is that if this were 2014, NIU would be playing anyways due to the access bowl rule and a team like Oklahoma would probably still miss a major bowl game. ESPN and the suits there are upset because any time they have to spend talking about a team and conference that in their eyes in inconsequential is a waste of air time.

I hope NIU wins and wins convincingly, and I hope the MAC finds a new TV partner after the current deal is up. NBC Sports would be a great landing spot. Too much disrespect tonight (and all year, really) by ESPN towards the MAC to want the conference to continue going forward with them after the current TV deal is up.

[Class of 61]

FWIW,
Another "Herbie" bitch was about the rule limiting a conference to no more than 2 teams in the B.S. er BCS.
He acted like he never knew about this before.
What I found most interesting ...and someone FINALLY menitoned something late in the show...was that there was not this level of complaining when Boise came in (and beat) Okla....then Utah knocked off Ala. when they were supposed to get creamed.... then TCU crashed their little 17million dollar "party".
But I don't think I EVER heard the level of complaining that they were doing about NIU...shows what they really think about the MAC.
I've lost a great deal of respect for this product of a THE school in Columbus!

[zete]

Kirk Herbstreit, an ESPN analyst, said Sunday night that putting Northern Illinois in that slot “is an absolute joke … I can’t even believe we’re having this discussion.

[Falcon Fanatic]

"Northern Illinois belongs in BCS because Big Ten, Big East champs don't"

At least one sport analyst thinks NIU belongs:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootbal ... al-with-it

GO HUSKIES!!!

[AyZiggy97]

Have no problem with him stating his opinion. That's what he's paid to do. He being critical of the BCS system and not NIU here.

Would any of us bet our house on NIU against a Georgia, Wisconsin or Oklahoma? Not hardly.

That's half correct. He was being critical of the system and NIU. It's hand in hand.

[Globetrotter]

I don't understand why in college basketball EVERYONE loves to see the little boys play against the big ones, then in college football it's considered a shame when they are given that opportunity to make a name for themselves.

Because networks such as ESPN have brainwashed the common sports fan that the non-AQ conferences essentially don't matter. Their purpose is to give larger schools opponents to play to tune up for the conference slate. Also, CBB has always let the little guy play with the big boys. The purpose of the BCS was to make sure this never happened, and it took an anti-trust lawsuit for it to even occur.

What's funny is that if this were 2014, NIU would be playing anyways due to the access bowl rule and a team like Oklahoma would probably still miss a major bowl game. ESPN and the suits there are upset because any time they have to spend talking about a team and conference that in their eyes in inconsequential is a waste of air time.

I hope NIU wins and wins convincingly, and I hope the MAC finds a new TV partner after the current deal is up. NBC Sports would be a great landing spot. Too much disrespect tonight (and all year, really) by ESPN towards the MAC to want the conference to continue going forward with them after the current TV deal is up.

I think that we should learn a lesson from the NHL and never leave ESPN. ESPN midweek games help us get tons of exposure we would not otherwise get.

[Globetrotter]

Just watched Herbie, what a moron.

[Globetrotter]

The worst thing about it is he says that because NIU hasn't been a story for long they don't deserve it. He makes the stories! Doesn't he understand that. That's like me saying because I didn't happen to notice a post by Flipper in another thread and no one brought it to my attention it is meaningless.

[jakehovs23]

They should have those 5 minutes of Herbstreit's absolute bash-fest playing constantly in the NIU locker room until Jan. 1.

[musicman2343]

I loved him saying, "Don't get me wrong, I love MAC football."
Really? Could have fooled me....