Relevant observations, pertinent notes, questions, minutiae, and Huskie Trivial Pursuit from your local, retired sports information director:

Opinion No. 1: Weeknight Northern Illinois football. Here we go again. I think you know my feelings on these games. Why are we doing them? I was in the media business at this level for decades. Of course, I understand the clout, gravitas, national exposure, recruiting advantages, the whole ball of wax with the ESPN brand for tonight’s NIU-Toledo telecast.

I recall our first midweek Mid-American Conference football game – Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2004, against the Rockets in Huskie Stadium. Great, festive crowd (27,719) in 43-degree temperatures even though Northern Illinois lost, 31-17. Overall, not a bad experiment, I thought.