VIRTUAL LIPSTICK ON A FROZEN PIG.

My views on weeknight football are a matter of public record.  That post notes a number of ways in which the disease has gone beyond the Mid-American Conference, and in which the recruiting practices in college football might lead to bad outcomes off the field, including but not limited to dead footballers in Virginia.

Closer to home, beer at lower than cellar temperatures and circuses not in a straw house are the order of the day.

Barstool Sports held a show before Tuesday’s matchup between the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University in Toledo, Ohio.

The show was hosted by founder and president of Barstool Sports Dave “El Presidente” Portnoy, Dan “Big Cat” Katz, Kayce Smith and Brandon Walker.

“It was an incredible experience,” Walker said. “It’s 30 degrees and snowing tonight, and Northern Illinois students showed up and showed out, they were awesome. They were energetic. They were engaged.”

Katz said he was impressed with the turnout of Huskie fans despite NIU football’s recent struggles as the team sat at 3-7 before Wednesday’s game.

Whether the enthusiasts who came out for a chance to be on sports cable went to the game is another matter.

Fans at the show commented on the impact of Barstool’s presence at NIU.

“I think that it really brings the NIU community together,” junior digital marketing and professional sales major Brenden Ivie said. “It’s great for all of us to not only interact with each other, but also to interact with the individuals of Barstool. It brings a different experience.”

The hosts announced at the end that the show plans to continue covering MACtion in the future.

“We’ll (Barstool Sports) do MACtion every year,” Portnoy said. “We were talking about that on the bus.”

Now I know why the main parking lot at Fatty's was barricaded yesterday. There is an overflow lot, which is across a stroad that carries much of the game day traffic, and a few people learned, the hard way, that Culver's mean business about their lot, just east of the tavern, being for butterburger eaters only.

It's instructive, also, to note that Illinois style pizza leaves a lot to be desired.

Portnoy mentioned during the show that he reviewed the pizza at Lord Stanley’s Annex Bar, Vinny’s and Pizza Pros, all local restaurants in DeKalb.

Portnoy stirred the crowd with his review of Vinny’s pizza.

“Trash,” Portnoy said. “Lord Stanley’s was better than Vinny’s, and the place across the street, Pro Pizza, that one was eh. Listen, you guys got some work to do on your pizza, let’s be honest.”

That sample didn't include Pizza Villa, which usually places well in the annual ranking of pizzerias, and Lord Stanley generally do score well.  None of these outlets do pizza Milwaukee style, alas.