Jerry Pettibone’s grin rarely left his face at the weekly coaches luncheon Thursday.

Despite last week’s 33-20 upset to Toledo, the NIU football coach was humored by his weekly antagonizer—soccer coach Willie Roy—and this week’s guest coach, men’s basketball boss Jim Rosborough.

Roy started the afternoon by giving Pettibone a basket of goodies to take with him to Lafayette, La., where the team will play the Southwestern Louisiana Rajin‘ Cajuns.

Pettibone unwrapped his first treat—cookies with green apples in them.

“After you eat those Jerry, you might want to go to the washroom because I don’t think they’re quite right,” Roy said.

Pettibone unwrapped his next gift and was confronted with a slab of what Roy called “gator sausage.” Roy took into consideration that Pettibone talks to lots of people, and so he included a package of breath mints to cover “the terrible odor” of the sausage.

Next, Pettibone was given a bell. With a look of confusion, Pettibone asked Roy what the bell was for.

“You hang it up in the bedroom, and everytime you get the urge you ring the bell,” Roy said.

Pettibone hesitated, smiled and then replied “you mean the urge for a cookie?”

Bill Baker, the Huskie Sports Network play-by-play announcer and emcee for the luncheon, then introduced Rosborough.

Rosborough spoke of tonight’s first annual Midnight Madness, and explained how his work is sometimes taken home with him.

“My four-year-old son is either a Ghostbuster, an Indian or Donald Whiteside (sophomore guard),” Rosborough said.

He then told of the strong bonds he has already formed with his players.

“It’s how you love your own children as opposed to your nieces and nephews; it’s how you love your own parents as opposed to your in-laws—now answer me fairly, I know some of your in-laws…”