Northern Iowa Is Better Than Bradley...In Almost Every Way

Twenty years ago, I was living in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa, and reporting on University of Northern Iowa sports. Ten years ago, I moved back to the Midwest after a hiatus in Nevada, and to Peoria, where I heard about Bradley University.

A few months into my new quarters, I noticed the columnists at the local paper in Peoria had a "look down our noses" view of Northern Iowa. The attitude was "how dare this school be in the same conference as esteemed Bradley University." Most of the venom came during basketball season, as Northern Iowa is consistently a Top 10 Division 1-AA football team, but of course this is ignored around Peoria because Bradley...doesn't even have a football program.

I saw commentary from guys I like very, very much, like Phil and Kirk, showing thinly-veiled disdain for the low-life public school known as UNI, based in such a nothing town as Cedar Falls, and wondering how they would dare play basketball with the stuffy private likes of Bradley, Evansville, and Creighton.

So it gives me some pleasure every time Northern Iowa stuffs Bradley in basketball, like they did earlier this week. The two teams have been very even over the years, as a matter of fact they've split the last 16 games. Now, if I was 8-8 in this decade against another school, I'd at least call them my basketball equal, wouldn't you?

Beyond that, it gives me a measure of satisfaction that UNI spent the last 10 years hosting Bradley in a gorgeous place called the UNI-Dome, built for football, but STILL better for basketball than the old Bradley Fieldhouse (but not as basketball-friendly as the Peoria Civic Center). And even though I don't go back, was never a big, big fan of UNI, and really don't follow them that closely, it gives me yet another measure of satisfaction to see that UNI and Cedar Falls have a new basketball-only arena, which Kirk compliments on his blog this week, by that way.

A 7,000 seat on-campus venue that is a perfect size for a mid-major conference that will never again be a top conference, just a "nice" one.

And Northern Iowa has that venue. Bradley doesn't. I think that's awesome. Good for them.

I don't know, as I get ready to publish this, what prompted this rant. Other than the fact that I find it pleasing that the "football school" has a better basketball venue AND a basketball program that is just as good - if not better - than the stuffy elitists at Bradley and those who live for their every game.

EDIT: One more note: In the last five seasons, UNI is 46-34 in MVC play...Bradley is 34-46. So let's just go ahead and say UNI is indeed a better program right now.