[hawk 5]

Dominque Douglas was busted for using a stoolen credit card today. $2000.00 on the card, felony. Man that hurts.

[bigboydan]

Not a good start at all for Iowa this year.

[hawk 5]

Not a good start at all for Iowa this year.

Sometimes I get when a kid maybe goes out and gets caught drinking and doing something a bit childish but spending $2000 on a stolen credit card? Whats the thought process on that? The down side is so steep that you just have to be a total moron.

[BuddyBear]

That's good....i am on N.Illinois in that game any way....

[austintx05]

buddy, why do you like n ill?

[hawk 5]

Probably fading me.

[BuddyBear]

buddy, why do you like n ill?

Thanks....I am actually going to be doing something of an exhaustive write up shortly for the games I am playing in week 1 for NCAAF.

A short answer though. Pretty much Iowa is overvalued here because they are a Big Ten team. Unfortunately though, Iowa lost quite a bit on offense including 3 year starter Drew Tate. Really their only offensive weapons that Iowa has this year are Albert Young who will know doubt be a larger part of the offense this year and Dominque Douglas who is suspended. Their defense is solid and is really the cornerstone of the team. There is not has much turnover on that side of the ball as with the offense.

NIU is a more experienced team than Iowa is though. They return a majority of both their offense and defense back. It is true they are breaking in a new QB as well and have to replace all purpose RB Garrett Wolfe. However, they have some depth at that position. They have a solid defense as well including maybe the best linebacking core in the MAC.

To me, having this game played at a neutral site, with two inexperienced QBs, Iowa's top WR suspended, and a solid coach like Joe Novak who has upset some of the big boys in the past (i.e. Maryland, Alabama, etc...) presents I believe some value.

In addition, an intangible, the teams from the MAC really get up to play the Big Ten teams as opposed to Big Ten teams who generally overlook the less acclaimed and talented MAC teams. The Big Ten does not take the MAC and their teams very seriously and almost never go to their stadiums to play them. However, getting this game at a neutral site is as close as NIU is going to get Iowa to come play at their stadium. No doubt they will be pumped and will be well represented in the stands. Throw in the fact that Iowa has been in a downward spiral the past few years and NIU should be a top tier MAC team, I'll take my chances with NIU getting +11.5 on a neutral site. They played them well last year losing by only 10 and I feel this year it may be even closer.

Good luck....

[Willie Bee]

Probably fading me.

Agree with you about the differences between a kid getting in trouble for partying in college -- Isn't that partly what college is for anyway? -- and getting arreseted for the assaults/thefts end of the deal. My feeling is anyone convicted of a felony at an NCAA school of any level automatically loses their athletic scholarship, can't transfer and receive another athletic scholarship, and the school loses the scholarship for however long was left on it from the time of the student's arrest. If the player's really good enough, he can go play in the NFL and that's fine, let him be their problem. But if the school is going to lose a scholarship for maybe three years, it will also make them think twice about the kid they're recruiting in the first place.

[hawk 5]

Huskies will have no offense, a decent defense with hardly any senior leadership. Iowa can't afford to take them lightly and the stands will be filled with hawk fans. I know its a homer pick but Iowa will cover 11.5. I will be there just to make sure.[good looking dude with the girl with the big ]

[hawk 5]

Agree with you about the differences between a kid getting in trouble for partying in college -- Isn't that partly what college is for anyway? -- and getting arreseted for the assaults/thefts end of the deal. My feeling is anyone convicted of a felony at an NCAA school of any level automatically loses their athletic scholarship, can't transfer and receive another athletic scholarship, and the school loses the scholarship for however long was left on it from the time of the student's arrest. If the player's really good enough, he can go play in the NFL and that's fine, let him be their problem. But if the school is going to lose a scholarship for maybe three years, it will also make them think twice about the kid they're recruiting in the first place.

i agree.

[pags11]

GL with the NIU play buddy...