Every two weeks, Sweeps will take a look back at NIU decade by decade. This is in no way a rip-off of that VH1 series we’ve never seen and certainly never bought the DVDs of.

The 1980s at NIU were all about “Star Trek” nerds, “Star Trek” nerds attending an Erotic Film Festival and “Star Trek” nerds staying at home while NIU fans tore down the goalposts on the way to winning the California Bowl.

NIU actually used to have Erotic Film Festivals glorifying pornography. On April 7, 1980, “actor” Harry Reems visited the fifth annual festival. Reems, who gained fame for starring in the porno classic “Deep Throat,” spoke to about 350 students about his illegal transportation of adult films and how he gave up his adult film career to pursue a career in writing.

“I think it was appropriate for the time period,” communication instructor Matt Swan said. “However, with the over abundance of smut available on the Internet and in video, I don’t think there’s the need anymore for porno star appearances on campus. I think a university has to keep current with the pop culture of the times, and the erotic film festival was very much a ’70s and ’80s thing.”

English professor John Knapp said he recently heard of Reems starting an entirely new career.

“I can’t say much about Harry Reems, who is now, as I’ve recently been told, selling insurance in the far West,” Knapp said. “That just goes to prove that too much sex is not necessarily a career advantage in later years.”

“Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry spoke to an NIU audience of about 900 on Feb. 1, 1983. In his speech he predicted that in the near future everyone would own a computer like those featured on “Star Trek.” He called the invention the beginning of a mechanical brain. Obviously, he was off his rocker.

“The early history of what became known as personal computers took place between 1980 and 1985, so he really only reported what he was already seeing,” NIU Historian Glen Gildemeister said. “NIU purchased its first personal computer, a Commodore Pet with 4K RAM and a 9-inch monochrome monitor, in July 1978 for $711. Ten years later, in 1988, there were hundreds of PCs across the campus, so Roddenberry was no farseeing prophet; he simply saw what was in progress around him.”

Huskie fans had a lot to cheer about during the 1983 football season, which may have led to fans tearing down the goalposts three times during the course of the season. The team would eventually go on to win the California Bowl and would not make it back to a bowl game until last year when it won the Silicon Valley Classic bowl game.

“As for the goalposts, students are late teens and full of energy and spirit,” Gildemeister said. “So long as there is no serious personal injury or major property damage, I think it is fine. It’s simply part of college and university life and always has been. It’s good for everyone, so long as it is spontaneous. When university officials try to take things over and control them, the fun is pretty much gone.”