HIP GAME S N O I P M A H MAC C NORTHERN ILLINOIS 2013
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Friday, December 6, 2013
By STEVE NITZ
dia.com snitz@shawme Series expionship Bowl Cham a flurry of teams ht When the s 2006, it broug conference panded in tomatic qualifying from nonau added , it. game was with leagues BCS bowl An extra spots for teams from Mountain more the ing an, mean Mid-Americ rn Athletic such as the now-defunct Weste the and West a pros. nt system, conference r the curre rence earns a bid Now, unde confe a non-AQ it’s the highest nonif gram from of the final bowl game the top 12 to a BCS of ranked in and ahead the top 16 AQ team rence. ings, or in BCS stand from a power confe San Jose loss to a champion o State ’s controls Fresn tially With essen t week, NIU the Huskies defea State last y. Should most likely its own destin tonight, they standGreen of the BCS AthBowling the top 16 ican in will finish ahead of Ameral Florida, be ranked pion Centr bid. ings and rence cham ht BCS letic Confe second straig it got in 2012. earning their need all the help all it’s lose, NIU won’t Huskies rthe confe should the payout for However, BCS, no big over. No have sion, there ion ence. 2006 expan situat Since the of teams in NIU’s er of the year. been a numb the final game have s other into Tribune job done, heading of the Sentinelan unexof J.D. Pooley gotten the Photo courtesy , Ohio. The nly end with enough Most have Green g sudde t do glory Bowlin seen their and some just didn’ Stadium in s ended NIU’s at Doyt Perry But the Falcon pected loss, at how r Oct. 25, 2003, ma and Iowa State. bid. took a look second quarte and, Alaba to earn a the past Chronicle Harris in the after defeating Maryl The Daily d out over n, Illinois’s A.J. tions playe 2003 seaso by Northern these situa sights in the n is tackled ded sysns. berth in their ’s Charles Sharo ago. seven seaso first year of the expan went into Bowling Green Bowl Championship Series Saturday 10 years 2006: The buster. Boise State that a and Huskies had with a 34-18 victory on and a BCS unbeaten up da ed saw tem Neva rs warm Pack, 38-7, finale at shot at glory d into an As the playe its season ed the Wolf they walke , where d e any cos crush Fiesta Bowl took the field,sphere. Fans packe the Bron it was unlik spot in the field in 2003, game. electric atmoto capacity – 31,007 Oklahoma. d earning a standm on to upset e the WAC’s secon normal MAC rs, it was televised initial BCS the stadiu they went dance. ii becam the final before, When the For starte Saturday after2007: Hawa buster, going into were in attensea of orange,” Drew out the week Before a nce game ings came 10. BCS was ESPN2, on before #MACtion nfere was a n ht No. on “It d By STEVE NITZ nonco sectio straig ranke was ked out bowl r student ten with a dia.com NIU was took hold. noon. This said. “Thei fans were loud, they snitz@shawme an extra BCS Q had week unbea ington. Hawaii squea games really crew of 35-28, fin2006, when midweek Huskies, were every packed. The against Wash in a added, a non-A e GameDay final ings. The ious. They wouldn’t against the ing Green game was and Kirk The Colleg six of the were obnox a close win the final BCS stand t go so laying Bowl in the top r, Lee Corso set up ing team is nothing spot. NIU finish in a Fowle oppos didn’ to game an 10th earn gia Chris g stage to thing ishin is. spotlight had their into.” standings against Geor 41-10. ern Illino off MaryHerbstreit Doyt Perry. ESPN r- BCS want to walk knocked Sugar Bowl Bulldogs winning, teams in new to North e State and the merican Confe already had right outsid lb earlier in the non-AQ • • • ma and Iowa well, with weeks Today’s Mid-Ahip Game won’t were five ies land, Alaba in MAC play. came to DeKa a couple of segments, pions 2008: There a BCS game with two Boise a 3-0 start got the Husk ies and did ence Cham for TCU, was off to only, time week and cornerback time the Husk Bowling Green ly. The Falcontention Utah, BYU, the first, and on locaquick be the only played each other s hearing Former NIU season – and it was been remember on their heelsout to a quick 14-0 left in the . ever had Falcons have the line. ed Ball State three-point win over Randee Drew ng while he and GameDay berth on cons jump 24-3 at halftime. State and t ranki stadium. tain at a gotten a with a BCS about the Huskies defea were out tion at a MAC ng in (to the hotel Utah had 6, and won the Moun lead and led 7-0, NIU tried sShould the , NIU will be all in The walki teammates e down down s Nov. some dy “We’r posse y over BYU FresAlrea two room TCU on I saw Bowling Green a BCS bid, and beat ry on its first a 48-24 victor restaurant. first and Friday), and r and Herbstnteed Haldi took some tricke West with Nov. 22. Boise State the year ng for t see it at step on Fowle ired. didn’ big headi to see but guara a “I backf of on reit you e going and will being last game ‘Wow that’s sion, but Holy War the ball to ” in and they’r Haldi, the most likely 61-10, in its the WAC champion and threw it, and said, and the program,’ reit walk Bowl. attempted the snap as no State, the ,” said Josh the Fiesta ns ago, the Huskies Fleck, who unbeaten BCS came for the team However, their room ng quarterback. “We d off. Haldi ceiver P.J. and finish ninth in the BCS. “Once the ified.” sights Ten seaso n as an was picke center d Drew said. team’s starti they wished us BCS in their got magn and not chose a pass that and ranke from out, thing the and nge left also had the against the Falinto every in, came off the said hello a said the excha Bronc0s were the before a game ht, NIU hopes its , which threw Bowling Green NIU in loss, and luck.” tonig S, page 2 wasn’t clean only one coached at ge. In cons. But game with See BCS BERTH Corso, who Falcons, putting out for reven story. timing. d Falcons d the the different Falcons were ing Green visite 2003, the 1984, picke ns mascot head at 2 a page Bowl with ES, On Oct. 25, the but late 2002, See HUSKI the playroad to glory on the Falco um at 8-0, show, which . ended NIU’s Doyt Perry Stadium. Huskie Stadi season ended end of the o watch at . unable to 34-18 win lose to Toled Falcons’ dream off a 26-17 upset ers were ies would wouldn’t pulled The Husk when NIU two teams took the season, and despite later that When the bowl game make any
3: OCT. 25, 200 NIU 18 EN 34, BOWLING GRE
SYCAMORE BAPTIST CHURCH
Interim pastor was Bible translator Faith, C1
FALCONS FOIL NIU’S BCS BID to av Huskies look
oid same fate
in tonight’s
title tilt
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MAC CHAMPIONSHIP SECTION • INSIDE
BCS berth on the line NIU, Bowling Green meet again for title game
6, 2013
DeKALB RESIDENTS WELCOME SANTA CLAUS
Carols, cookies and good cheer Nelson Mandela AP photo
Mandela, seeker of peace, dies at 95 Led S. Africa out of apartheid’s grip By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and MARCUS ELIASON The Associated Press
sentence after finding his trial defense attorney, John Paul Carroll, was ineffective. So, DeKalb County prosecutors took a fresh look at the case, considering Isaacman’s minimal criminal history – he had two traffic tickets – and input from Mulder’s family and local police, Assistant State’s Attorney Stephanie Klein said. “We tried to look at this as if it were a brand new case,” Klein said. Before the trial in 2010, prosecutors had offered a plea agreement to
JOHANNESBURG – Nelson Mandela was a master of forgiveness. South Africa’s first black president spent nearly a third of his life as a prisoner of apartheid, yet he sought to win over its defeated guardians in a relatively peaceful transition of power that inspired the world. As head of state, the former boxer, lawyer and inmate lunched with the prosecutor who argued successfully for his incarceration. He sang the apartheid-era Afrikaans anthem at his inauguration and traveled hundreds of miles to have tea with the “We’ve lost widow of the prime minister in power our greatest at the time he was son. Our nation has lost sent to prison. It was this gen- its greatest erosity of spirit son. Our that made Mandela, people have who died Thursday lost a father. at the age of 95, a Although global symbol of we knew sacrifice and recon- that this day ciliation in a world would come, often jarred by con- nothing can flict and division. diminish our Mandela’s stat- sense of a ure as a fighter profound against apartheid – and enduring the system of white loss.” racist rule he called – South evil – and a seeker of peace with his African enemies was on a President par with that of oth- Jacob Zuma er men he admired: American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and Indian independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi, both of whom were assassinated while actively engaged in their callings. Mandela’s death deprived the world of one of one of the great figures of modern history and set the stage for days of mourning and reflection about a colossus of the 20th century who projected astonishing grace, resolve and good humor. Dressed in black, South African President Jacob Zuma made the announcement on television. He said Mandela died “peacefully,” surrounded by family, at around 8:50 p.m. “We’ve lost our greatest son. Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” Zuma said. “Although we knew that this day would come,
See SHOOTING, page A4
See MANDELA, page A4
Photo by Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
ABOVE: Santa Claus waves to the crowd outside the Egyptian Theatre after arriving in a snow-plow truck Thursday evening in downtown DeKalb. BELOW: Eleanor Burlingame, 3, and her father, Jacob Burlingame, of DeKalb listen to the madrigal singers of DeKalb High School inside the Egyptian Theatre while waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.
Santa’s arrival kicks off holiday season in downtown DeKalb By DEBBIE BEHRENDS
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eKALB – Santa Claus ushered in the official start of the holiday season Thursday evening in downtown DeKalb. The festive evening kicked off with madrigal singers providing joyful holiday carols on the stairs and second floor landing at the Egyptian Theatre. While awaiting Santa’s arrival, visitors also enjoyed cookies and hot cocoa. The event was sponsored by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the National Bank & Trust Company. “We’re definitely going to see Santa,” said Debe Fullington of Malta. She and her young charges, Sofia Talley, 4, and Tyler Talley, 2, of Sycamore, didn’t learn until they were almost at the theater that they know one of the singers, Jaycee Mattis. Not too impressed with the music, Sofia had plans to make her own. She was going to ask Santa for a pink and purple striped guitar.
Appearances by Santa
Mike and Allison Franz of DeKalb, have lived in the community for a couple of years, but said this is the first time they joined the festivities surrounding Santa’s arrival. They brought their sons, Logan, 5, and Connor, 3. Logan said he planned to ask Santa for Skylanders. Mom Allison said they are action figures that go
with a video game. A kindergartner at Brooks Elementary School, Logan gave a thumbs up when asked if he had been a good boy this year. Allison Franz said this is the first year Connor has seen Santa in person.
See SANTA, page A4
• Discover Sycamore’s Walk with Santa begins at 5:45 p.m. today. Meet Santa as he arrives at the Sycamore State Street Theater, 420 W. State St., and walk with Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves through downtown Sycamore to the courthouse lawn where Santa will light the holiday tree. After the tree lighting, Santa will listen to wishes in his house on the courthouse lawn. • From 5 to 8 p.m. today, the Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Celebrate the Season event in downtown Genoa. Santa will arrive in the Jingle Bell Parade and light the community tree before visiting with children at his house.
NIU shooting case ends with plea agreement 5-year sentence for ex-student in second look at ’10 incident By JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI jduchnowski@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – The former Northern Illinois University student accused of shooting another student in the leg on campus in 2010 accepted a plea agreement Thursday after his
first conviction was overturned. Zachary Isaacman, 25, was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, but he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated battery in a public way. He was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday but is expected to be released on parole soon when he is given credit for good behavior and the 3¾ years he’s already served. Klein paid Brian Mulder $3,600 in restitution Thursday.
Zachary Isaacman, 25, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in a public way in a shooting at NIU in February 2010 that injured Brian Mulder.
Isaacman was sentenced to 10 years in prison in May 2011 for shooting Mulder in the leg outside Stevenson North residence hall. But a three-judge panel at the Illinois’ Second District Appellate Court overturned his conviction and that
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