Sure, Northeastern’s gridiron contingency soared to new heights last season with the school’s first-ever Atlantic-10 conference title, an inaugural berth into the NCAA Division 1-AA playoffs and a record 10 wins. And yes, it’s true that the football team was chosen by Street ‘ Smith’s Magazine to be the 2004 NCAA Division 1-AA champions, but none of that means anything now.
Last Thursday, the program received the highest possible praise it can receive: a video game. Electronic Arts’ newest suitor in its top-selling NCAA Football franchise contains none other than your Northeastern Huskies. So what if they share the title with 153 other schools, for all intents and purposes, this is NU’s game.
In addition to Northeastern, 35 other NCAA Division 1-AA teams get their first taste of the gaming world in the 2004 edition, including the entire Atlantic-10 conference.
The attention is well deserved. Now, Tim Gale, who terrorized defenses last year with a Northeastern record 14 touchdowns last year and jitterbug Anthony Riley, who led the group with 940 rushing yards, can do so from the comfort of your very own home.
In my tireless efforts to bring The News readers the most pertinent and up-to-date info on all things Husky, I spent late night after late night over the past week playing through an entire season to tell you what I found.
To begin a “Dynasty” with the Huskies, you have to add them to an already existing NCAA Division 1 conference. I nixed the MAC conference, filling it with all the A-10 members as well as Division 1-AA power Montana, Harvard and Marshall.
After a 12-2 run, including an 8-1 record in conference (suffered a 35-0 loss to Marshall in the MAC championship game. Bad memories, don’t wanna talk about it). NU’s stringy defense picked through the University of Alabama-Birmingham on my way to the GMAC Bowl crown (exciting, I know).
But the real marvel of the game is the fact that when one season ends, another is nipping closely on its heels. There is little time to celebrate, as coach Don Brown and the boys have to aggressively recruit for the upcoming year, factoring in the loss of key players like Gale to graduation. My Huskies reeled in the 23rd best recruiting class in the nation, set to begin a schedule laden with national powers in 2004. Year after year, you can improve the Dogs’ prestige rating and sit in Don Brown’s chair as head coach.
And yes, the answer to the burning question as to whether the Huskies play their home games at barebones Parson’s Field (called “stadium” in the game) is affirmative. With its spacious (see: paltry) seating and comfortable (see: meager) standing area behind the goal posts, Parson’s Field looks even more pathetic in the cyber world. It’s like a high school field … but on a diet.
I digress.
What all this means for Husky sports and NU, though, is the continuation of an exciting evolution in Northeastern’s history – both academic and athletic. It’s becoming more glamorous to attend NU, more desirable. As stupid and nerdy as it sounds, the game makes me proud to go to Northeastern.
But enough of the mushy stuff. I’ve got to hit the road for a date with #13 Iowa. Rest assured that Northeastern is gaining in national prominence day by day, sport by sport and relax. Oh, and enjoy the game.
In the box:
Congratulations are in order for Husky track thrower Zara Northover and baseball pitcher Justin Hedrick. Northover, the Jamaican junior National Champion in the shot put, placed second at the Pan-Am Junior games held in Barbados on July 19. Hedrick, who led NU to the NCAA tournament last spring, was selected to the prestigious Cape Cod League All-Star team for his work striking out 56 batters and yielding a measly 1.93 era with the Harwich Mariners. The game, held in Falmouth’s Guv Fuller Field on Saturday, will be telecast on Fox Sports Net starting at 6 p.m.
– Jack Weiland may be reached at [email protected]
