Editor’s note: Tuesday Commentary will be a weekly column by the Star Sports staff brining local news to life and national news home.

Is this Northern Illinois University?

Just a few years removed from having the worst football team in the nation and the worst men’s basketball team in school history, things appear to be looking up.

While students are starting to appreciate the Huskies’ success, it may be beneficial to see just how far the teams really have come.

1996 NIU’s football team won one game – one. The Huskies pull out a squeaker on the road against powerhouse Arkansas State. After the game, the team embarks on the longest losing streak in the country at the time – 23 games in a row.

Nice to be known for something.

Off to the hardwood.

2000 The NIU men’s basketball team wins five games – five. The first three games of the season were losses to Hofstra, Belmont and Wright State.

Five dollars to anybody who can name two of three states in which those schools reside.

Last season, 12-16, and a little hope for the future. The loss of Leon Rodgers, the school’s fifth all-time leading scorer, would be huge, but a new arena seemed like a godsend. A lot of the team’s scoring is gone, but plenty of players are around to pick up the slack.

2001 The Huskies post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1989-’90. Coming into the 2002 season, the loss of Chris Finlen, the school’s first all-time leading passer, would be huge, but a strong returning running game and an experienced secondary could pick up the slack.

Back to the gridiron.

Sept. 21, 2002 The football team is left for dead. An opening night win at home against Wake Forest is a distant memory as the Huskies lose their third straight. A week after nearly upsetting Wisconsin, Western Illinois’ Russ Michna throws for two miles of yards as the Leathernecks stun the Huskies 29-26.

Sept. 28, 2002

After a three-game losing streak, the football team starts a seven-game winning streak, including a win over nationally ranked Bowling Green. After the win, the Huskies appeared on the late edition of College Football Scoreboard. Former NIU boss and current ESPN analyst Lee Corso mentions the Huskies and praises Novak for the win. A late-season loss to Toledo ends the bowl hopes for the Huskies, but the season marks the second straight year the team gains a share of the MAC West Division Championship.

Entering the Convo Center.

Nov. 23, 2002 The excitement of the new arena quickly dies as a less-than-full house sees the home team get waxed by interstate rival DePaul, 63-48, in the first-ever men’s game at the Convocation Center.

A month and a half later, Rob Judson’s team falls to Bowling Green on a last-second shot to send the Huskies to a 4-8 record.

Hoops revival?

Jan. 8, 2003 The Huskies pull off a rare road win over Toledo. At the time, the win seems meaningless, but four more after that makes winning a trend. People around campus actually are talking about basketball. Something not heard around these parts for a while – at least in a positive manner, that is.

Today The men’s team is in action Wednesday, and it appears that people care. A pep rally at Fatty’s was a success Saturday, and a sixth-straight win tomorrow night would keep the Huskies in first place in the West Division.

With all this talk about championships and first place, athletics at NIU seem to be an event again. People showed up in record numbers when the football team caught fire this fall. Now, the basketball team needs the same support.

While NIU lacks the football facilities of nearly every school in the conference, the basketball team doesn’t. The best way to assure quality teams for the future is to show up. If the university sees continued support for its athletic teams, it will be more likely to spend the extra money and make the facilities better. And who wouldn’t want to see Huskie Stadium become a bowl-shaped design? Who wouldn’t want to see Marcus Smallwood throwing down an alley-oop on ESPN?

What you don’t want are bad teams.

What you do want are good teams.

Northern Illinois University is on the verge of doing something great – forging an identity.

Why not help make it a good one, and avoid the embarrassment of the not-so-distant past?