The E-Files

Northwestern FB game at Wrigley? Just say no.

Posted by: Eric Loy

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 4:58 PM

There's been some talk about Northwestern wanting to play a game against Illinois in Wrigley Field. Don't do it.

There is really no benefit for playing at a stadium deemed unfit by the NFL so long ago. Illinois (if this would replace a road game) would be playing in the Chicago area anyway, so there's no real benefit in moving there. Yes, Northwestern has a lousy field, but how is that Illinois' fault?

The parking around Wrigley is horrible for a baseball game, try paying more than your ticket price for parking in someone's November-rain soaked yard for the football game.

Plus, how much will it take to get Wrigley in shape for this supposed contest? A stadium that doesn't have good locker room facilities for a 25-man baseball team won't possibly have enough space for an 80-plus-man football team.

There is some squawk about how this would be a good thing to get Illinois' name in the national media, and give them much-needed Chicago visibility. First, most Chicago media, especially the columnists, have no loyalty to anythiing and will write (or say) anything that causes you to talk about them. Second, very few people nationally will think anything of the teams playing at Wrigley other than "Oh that was interesting." Recruits certainly won't care less about it.

The most pressing reason Illinois shouldn't play NU or ANYONE at Wrigley is....

0-6

That is the record of Illinois football teams that play in neutral fields during the regular season ("neutral" being defined as places other than the game would normally be played) wince the Bob Blackman era. History shows that Illinois teams do not handle the outside distractions well enough to win those games.

0-6

Imagine all the fun the media would have with an Illinois team losing yet again in one of these fiascoes, what kind of visibility would that give the program? The same as the other 6 losses did: BAD.

However, given the lack of  "scheduling for success" the football team went thru this year and will continue to suffer the next couple of seasons, I expect for the Wrigley game to be announced ASAP.

 

 

Comments

Be the first to share your opinion!