Insanity from my side of the asylum.
by: Dank1
archived posts ยป
What Happened to Nebraska?
Dec 02, 2007 | 9:31AM | report this
 As the season winds down, it is time to reflect on what we have seen this year. Nebraska's Huskers had the worst season since before many readers of this sad entry where born. Think about that for a sec... If your 44 years old, the last time the Huskers had a season this bad, was before you where born. How on earth then could something like this happen?

When Tom Osborne left the Huskers to represent the state politically, he hand picked Frank Solich to continue running the program. Even after 35 years of stability and success, any new coach was bound to have some growing pains. Seriously, no coach, no matter how well equipped, could walk in and continue as Dr. Osborne had. Tom had the job down to a science, and he was the leading authority on the science he had helped create when he coached under Bob Devany. That said, I believe Frank Solich had a plan for the future of Nebraska football and he was slowly moving the team into it. Unlike many fans, I supported Solich. I didn't see any reason not to. He was winning over 70% of his games, and he appeared to be opening the team up by slowly introducing more play action passing. I agree, the bread and butter of Nebraska was, and probably always should be, the running game. However, the passing game was/is becoming too important to continue ignoring if we want to be successful in the future. Unfortunately other changes within the athletic department would disrupt the gradual changes Solich envisioned, and would ultimately lead to the downfall of our Huskers.

Athletic Director S. Pederson, took it upon himself to interject his vision of what a football team should be, rather than listen to the coaching staff that was hired and basically hand picked to handle these matters by Dr. Osborne. By doing so, Pederson disrupted the "natural rhythm" of the program, nearly costing them a losing season even with Dr. Osborne's replacement at the helm. The disgruntled moved on after that season, and Solich, in spite of Pederson's influence, brought in the necessary replacements to get the team back on track (winning) without making the immediate and drastic changes that Pederson demanded.

A winning record such as ours isn't built in a single season, it is mapped out in advance. I know I am being a bit controversial in my assessment here, but I think that Solich was slowly moving our team to the spread (or something along those lines), while Pederson wanted instant change that our personnel, at that time, could not fully support. Players must be selected, drafted, and trained to support the system we are moving to, while continuing to win in the system we currently have. This slow advancement is what I believe was taking place under Solich. That said, I think the talent we had in the pipe line, our underclassmen, where the type to move to the new system. We needed maybe a year or two more to flesh out the last few pieces of the puzzle. Unfortunately Solich never had the opportunity to see his goal through.

Okay readers, flame on now if you wish. I am simply stating what I think MAY have been taking place, and it is obvious at this point that we will never know for sure, so whatever flame you have will be along the lines of my writings at this point, speculation.

Still here? Okay, lets move on...

Pederson is a lousy ball player, but he knows how to sell cars. By selling himself and playing politics, Pederson was able to convince the Chancellors and many fans, that Solich was a lousy coach. This wasn't a hard sell. Solich was following a man that had won three national championships, and should have had two more, in his last five years as head coach. (Dr. Osborne) Another reason this was an easy sell was that many fans had become too proud of their team, and in doing so, could not allow themselves to see the changes that needed to be made in order to make the team a serious annual contender for the title in the future. 

I'm not suggesting that the Huskers (at that time) could not hope to win a national championship running the triple option a few more years, but that was probably all the time they had left to do it. After that, they would have been left behind and would have found themselves struggling to catch up. 

Pederson realized that no matter what he said, Solich would not make a dramatic change and risk a losing season until all of the necessary players had been put in place and he was confident we could win. Pederson clearly lacked the knowledge necessary to handle a team like this, but he was bitter and angry with Solich for not doing as he demanded. Pederson, who has more ego than any one person of his limited abilities should have, convinced the Chancellors that he could do a better job running the program with a different coach. Once the Chancellors capitulated, he exacted his revenge by firing Solich before that years bowl game. That act by Pederson was without justification and completely classless, and that is how I will always remember Pederson, classless. This was simply a move to embarrass and belittle Solich, I believed that then, and I believe it now.

To further highlight Pederson's lack of knowledge, Solich was fired without any kind of  forethought. No coaches had been contacted, and if they had, the way Pederson fired Solich made it quite clear to any possible candidates that this school, under the direction of Pederson, was not worth associating with. To make matters worse, Pederson was trying to find a coach that would subject himself to Pederson's will. During this time, an entire recruiting class was being lost as days dragged into weeks, then months. When the situation became desperate enough, Pederson realized he HAD to do something as his options had run out. There where no coaches left that would come to Nebraska thanks to his antics, and to that end, we got Bill Callahan.

I'll admit it right now. I did not think Callahan was the right coach for Nebraska. He was not from a school like ours, and he did not have a record that included winning with, or even improving upon, teams he was associated with as a head coach. Furthermore, something about the way he coached caused dissention between him and within his teams.

Alrighty then. Anyone still out there?

The coach that broke the Athletic Directors back, was Bill Callahan. I don't care what you say about the man as a coach, Callahan is not a ####. He knew he had Pederson and the Chancellors between a rock and a hard place, and he squeezed them for everything he could get. He knew he could pretty much write his own lunch ticket because no other self respecting coach would even consider taking the job. To save his own hide, Pederson sold him to the Chancellors as the next best thing to owning tech stock before the bust. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he helped smooth the way for the loosing season he knew was coming down the pike, by selling the Chancellors on the notion that Solich had somehow caused it.  All the while, Callahan was dragging in his buddies so they could get a part of the free lunch.

The west coast offense isn't a bad deal, but it isn't your typical college offense either. Like I have already stated, we had some underclassmen capable of running this type offense, but not so many that it could be run well. To further complicate matters, we all but lost the recruiting class Callahan's first year due to the Pederson act. As a result, Callahan was putting forth a team that was not as skilled as it could be in the offense he was running, and he had a limited number of new recruits his first year. That would come back to haunt him later when the defense and offensive lines suffered attrition.

As time marched on. Callahan never did manage to fit in with the Nebraska philosophy. He struggled to figure out why his teams under performed when they as students had not been given the full speed reps and instruction necessary to improve at their positions. To the credit of the students, they did improve on offense, but the complete lack of quality instruction on defense would signal the end of any fan support Callahan had. Callahan continued to treat his student athletes as if they where in fact professionals, and blamed them for the losses as his program spiraled into the toilet, further distancing himself from the fan base.

In the mean time, Pederson continued to work on saving his own rear-end. He had sold his soul to Callahan in order to save his hide, and he wasn't about to let the winning players of the past shine a spot light on the obvious pitfalls associated with the new system. To that end, he banned them from the program, and convinced the Chancellors to extend the Callahan contract even though he himself must have known that the future looked bleak. The beginning of the end for Pederson came before Callahan ever arrived, but it was jump started when the star players of the past came to Memorial Stadium during the prescheduled tribute game and had the opportunity to tell the Chancellors first hand exactly what they thought of the whole program.

From that point on, the team must have known that they would have an entirely new staff come next spring, but they continued to put up a solid front in the press as they watched their hopes and dreams shatter on the playing field. The only hope they had of a better future was the belief that Dr. Osborne would salvage the program.

 and the saga continues....

To offer your support of Dr. Osborne go to http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/cit
irosebowl/2007/index
and vote for him in the ESPN coaches poll.

Let the Flamers sing...

20 Comments | Add a comment   categories: College football, NCAA FB, Lincoln Cornhuskers, Huskers, Nebraska
 
who gives a ...
Nov 16, 2007 | 5:26PM | report this

I don't care if Bonds and every other MLB player did massive amounts of steriods for years before it was outlawed. I barely care if they do any now that they are outlawed by MLB.

Point is, if the stuff would have been available to former players fifty years ago, you can bet your backside they would have done them too.

So, why is the government spending millions of my tax money on something that is a MLB issue, instead of providing health care, and food and clothing for the poor or our veterans?

I understand Barry Bonds is a bit of a jerk. Guess what, I don't care!

They say some want to put an asterisk on a baseball... think it's stupid, see sentence two above, but ultimately, I don't care!

This is such a waste of time and money better spent on helping people I can't even begin to understand why the public doesn't outrage...

 

19 Comments | Add a comment   categories: MLB, Dank1, Barry Bonds, baseball, steriods
 
Whoops! They did it again.
Nov 16, 2007 | 5:49AM | report this

Unconfirmed reports have suggested that due to the ever increasing energy prices, and the current political trends by business' to BE GREEN, Fox Sports has been struggling to discover new ways to improve on it's green record while saving significant bucks on energy costs.

An imaginative young system administrator at Fox has come up with a way to combine the traffic generated by hyper-addicted sports fanatics into a heating and cooling money savings bonanza.Honest, this is a real product. Click here to see more...

By hooking a USB driven fan to the mainframes, this young admin has been able to reduce the amount of energy used to heat and cool the control rooms. To further reduce the need for external heating and cooling this fan has been set to increment much as a page counter. With each visit to a Fox Sports web site, the USB fan engages thus reducing the over-all consumption of or reliance on external heating and cooling. The results have been a significant savings to Fox Sports.

It seems there is currently a delay from the time the page "hit" is registered and the fans engage, thus allowing the system to heat up. The result of these delays are the classic whoops! pages we have all been seeing. It is rumored that as versions 2 and 3 of the software are written, the Whoops! notifications will be seen less and less.

Until then, Whoop it up bloggers! :o)

16 Comments | Add a comment   categories: other, Fox Funhouse, Dank1
 
Keep it together man...
Nov 15, 2007 | 3:00AM | report this
I have spent much of my time here discussing what makes Nebraska fans and Nebraska football great. I have also pointed out some of the things a limited number of Nebraska fans have done to really tarnish the image of our state and the greater Husker Nation. I think it is important that fans keep their composure as things continue to slide in Nebraska, it is only a short matter of time until things are handled by the University.

I don't have any idea really what Dr. Tom has in mind as far as a new coaching staff goes. I know the man cares a great deal about the state, the university, football, and our players, and he will do what he believes will be the best thing for everyone concerned. It is up to the fans to keep the pressure on, but do so without compromising the core values of society.

Calling the coaches to tell them you think they are doing a lousy job is fine as far as I'm concerned. Frankly, it's the only thing we really have left. BUT, I do NOT think that gives anyone the right to threaten the life or wellbeing of another. Say what you want about the poor coaching we have seen this year, say what you want about how it is effecting the state of Nebraska, or yourself, but do not make threats. 

I have commented several times this year that I am afraid for Callahan and his staff's safety. The recent phone threats highlight that concern. Fan (fanatic fanaticism) support is important to any great team. Fans can help direct the team in many subtle and more direct ways, without threats or resorting to mindless violence. However, when the fan base is battered and bruised as badly as this one has been all year, it is always a real concern that some unstable fan will "pop".

As a fan, I have no love for the coaching staff. The beatings I have taken this year due to the poor coaching is the worst I have had to endure in my lifetime, yet I hope the authorities take this seriously. I do not want to see one nut case ruin the reputation of Nebraska any further than it has been already.  Nebraska football is important, but is it really important enough to lose your freedom over?

I have expressed in many posts just how important Husker football is to the state of Nebraska, and why and how this season has impacted the fan base so dramatically. Perhaps this "nut case" is the first and hopefully last to "pop", but the longer this season of fanatic despair continues, it is not unreasonable to expect more unstable souls to "pop", and I again stress how concerned I am for the safety of the coaching staff.

 I'm not a nut case (at least I hope I'm not), but even I have had to school myself from saying things that could be taken as threatening when I've been fired up at the poor performances I have seen this year. Let's hope that is all this amounts to, but for safeties sake, prepare for the worst.

All we need is one fanatic hooked up with too much beer or ditch weed and things can get real ugly.

This season can't come to an end soon enough for me.

26 Comments | Add a comment   categories: Huskers, Nebraska, Lincoln Cornhuskers, football, College football, NCAA FB, Dank1
 
The Callahan Era collection
Nov 14, 2007 | 12:47PM | report this

Any Husker fan that has been witness to this years (2007) Callahan travesty has had more questions than answers. Since Dr. Tom Osborne is the guy who will ultimately have to decide the future of the Husker Football team, I found it interesting to listen to his comments on the subject.

Some things that stood out to me, are the results that Dr. Tom takes into his evaluation of a coaching staff. I realize that we have a fairly Husker and Internet savvy crowd here, so I thought, what if I could bring together some of the highlights of the Callahan Huskers. As I got into it, I realized there was such an overwhelming amount of negative information available, that I could spend 100's of hour compiling it all for presentation. 

Thankfully, I found a Husker fan out there who obviously had more time and energy than me to compile a small portion of the Callahan highlights. Below is an interesting short list of special records compiled by Callahan's Huskers. A special thanks to a devoted Husker fan, NebraskaHusker23, for this compilation.

 

 

Since Bill Callahan has spent the majority of this season throwing his players under a bus by stating they have not been doing their job, I found it interesting to hear his comments regarding the win last week. As you could expect, it had nothing to do with the players doing a fantastic job in every aspect of the game, it was he, himself, that should get credit for the fantastic play of the players on senior day. With ego like that, I'm surprised one of these guys (players) hasn't body slammed his self serving rear end into the practice field. Callahan refuses to accept the heat when the games are lost, and refuses to credit positive actions of his players. It really is all about Bill Callahan. 

Well, Bill Callahan can go right ahead and toss the players under a bus, the fans with any kind of brain and the "higher-ups" that decide things, can clearly see who and what bill Callahan is now, and we fans are confident now that there is no way he will be here next year to spew his self-promoting garbage. 

Please, I don't have the time to continue populating the list of wonderful things we have seen and heard with ole Bill running the show, including the records he has set in disappointment, so if you would leave comments with your lists of infamous accomplishments, I'd love to arrange them into an end of year "montage". Sort of an end of the Callahan era thing. Why is it that stupid song from The Wizard of Oz is running through my head....

Ding #### the witch is dead, the wicked witch .....

Pile on your comments fans.Lets get it all documented, I know I would leave something important out without your help.

14 Comments | Add a comment   categories: football, BCSFootball, Lincoln Cornhuskers, Nebraska, cornhuskers, Dank1, Huskers, College football
 
Ohio State V. Michigan isn't the same.
Nov 12, 2007 | 11:10AM | report this
The two things that made the Ohio State v. Michigan, game special for generations of fans.

 

The rivalry remains, but it isn't the same. It never can be.

15 Comments | Add a comment   categories: ohio state, Michigan, football, BCS, BCSFootball, NCAA FB, college football
 
Huskers start wrong QB?
Nov 10, 2007 | 2:55PM | report this

Could the issues facing Nebraska this past month be the fact that the wrong man was in the pocket? 

The numbers don't lie. Joe Ganz has really been that good. This stand out performance by Ganz begs the question, should Callahan have started him rather than Sam?

The Husker offense is looking much improved statistically, and is far more productive on the field with Ganz under center. Not only does he look comfortable in the leadership role, but the team seems to be responding better. No matter what argument you bring to the table, Joe Ganz has made it clear that this Husker team is his.

Congratulations Joe, the Husker seniors, and the Husker team for a big win this week. Kansas State has some good players and a good coaching staff. I expect they will bounce back pretty quick.

10 Comments | Add a comment   categories: College football, Huskers, Lincoln Cornhuskers, nebraska, NCAA FB, Dank1
 
NFL great, Mike Ditka on the Huskers.
Nov 09, 2007 | 7:43AM | report this

NFL great, Mike Ditka on the Huskers.

I think Iron Mike grazed by something I have been harping on for the entire season, lack of motivation. I agree with him, Callahan knows x's and o's as well as anyone, but he has no idea how to get these guys motivated. Of course this interview doesn't address the hapless defensive schemes we have seen this year, but then how could Mike comment candidly on this without creating controversy for himself.

One thing I didn't agree with, is that this will take a long time to fix. I honestly believe that with the right coaching this team can win the Big XII North, possibly make a serious run at the BIG XII Conference, and at least end the season ranked. I don't think anyone could hope to see the NC run for some time to come. This team just doesn't have the history of consistency necessary to be given any respect in the polls, and I doubt we can see an undefeated rebound. But without question, I see with the right coach, a winning season Huskers can be proud of of.

As I was writing this I still had the TV on and I heard a sentiment that has been echoed by a vast majority of people, only two games left then we can start getting this fixed and go on to next year.

 

Mike Ditka Interview <- Link to the interview

4 Comments | Add a comment   categories: Lincoln Cornhuskers, NCAA FB, Nebraska, Cornhuskers, Dank1, college football, huskers
 
Husker fans are genuinely unique.
Nov 08, 2007 | 10:39AM | report this
 I had my post surgical follow up appointment today. I'd be lying if I said I was entirely thrilled with the news, but I am thankful. The Doc expressed how extremely difficult my surgery was, and that I am going to need to take it easy for quite a bit longer than I had hoped. I am stuck to doing extremely gentle and mild stretching and limited walking for the next 4 weeks at which time he will up my activity slightly. I am not to expect to get back to working until after the beginning of the year.

With that news for ya'll to digest, or should I say me...? Anyways here is my take on what makes a Husker fan one of the very best on the face of this here planet. 

Football programs suffer from more than the loss of income without fans filling the stadium. Fans are the 12th player. They can effect the outcome of the games. Players are invigorated by hearing 85,000 fans stomping and screaming in support of them and they play harder, while opposing teams are intimidated and demoralized by the rabble and may play more conservatively.

Some schools can honestly say they have a fantastic fan base. For example, while doing some reading I discovered some of the attendance records for Nebraska's previous games. Check this out, Nebraska's game at The Ohio State, 09/24/1955  - 80,171.

The Ohio State Stadium, with its distinctive horse shoe design, is one of the most memorable and historic stadiums in all of college sports. The stadium now holds 102,329 people. While they do not claim to be sold out, Ohio State has 34 games going into 2007 that had 100,000+ attendance, or about .06% of the States population. I have not been there since the last renovation, but I admit some of my finest memories come from the visits I had there in my youth. That said, I NEVER experienced true fanaticism until I moved to Nebraska. (Whoa OSU fans! I didn't say your bad okay?)

The Huskers have sold out every home game since some time back in 1962, and Memorial stadium with the recent expansion in 2006 now holds ~ 85,000 people.  Nebraska has ~ 4.50 %  of the entire states current population sitting in Lincoln for every home game. In spite of the large number of people in attendance, Nebraska still has an endless waiting list that requires significant "donation" money in order to move up on the list in HOPE of getting a season ticket should one eventually become available.

Many teams have larger audiences, but the ratio of people who, can attend and do attend, does not significantly effect the over-all work force or economy of these states due to their significantly larger populations. In contrast, some cities in Nebraska are literally turned into ghost towns on game days, while Lincoln expands by nearly 1/3rd it's normal population. To get a better idea of what I'm saying, I live in the city with the 5th largest population in the state of Nebraska. On game day, the population of Memorial Stadium is nearly 3 times greater than that of the city I live in. Nebraska's fan base is so large compared to its population, that many events and businesses have to work around Husker football. Husker games so completely engross the population that retail sales outside of Lincoln drop significantly.

Unless you are a business that caters to the game, such as a sports bar or a pizza delivery joint, you are going to see a decline in sales during the game because everyone that can, will be watching or listening to the game. Not only do the sales dry up during the games, but staffing a business during a game...It isn't easy. I recall a new business (An international retail outlet) that came to our city back in 1991 that launched an investigation because sales dropped so significantly. It wasn't until they arrived to do the investigation that they fully understood the impact of a home Husker game on business.  

The psychological, cultural, and economic impact, of Nebraska Football is more important to Nebraskan's than anything I have ever experienced. Think about this, when was the last time you can remember 4.50 % of your states entire population rallying around a single significant event, in the same location, not to mention the hundreds of thousands more listening or watching.  People from all over the state, no matter what background or profession, unite in Husker "fandom". This coming together reaffirms and solidifies the fan base of Nebraska in a way that is incredibly powerful. 

Yet even with this intense fanaticism, the decency of the Nebraska people makes them the kind of fans that can not only applaud the success of their own, but the success of others. More times than I can count, I have seen Nebraska fans recognize the accomplishments of visiting teams, and show concern for other teams players. In winning I have heard Nebraska fans point out the positives of the opposing team. In losing I have heard Nebraskan's credit the other teams for a well played game. I think this very quality, more than anything else, solidified my choice to be a Husker fan

 

7 Comments | Add a comment   categories: College Football, NCAA FB, Nebraska, Lincoln Cornhuskers, cornhuskers, Dank1
 
Turner Gill's response.
Nov 07, 2007 | 6:46AM | report this

You knew I was sending the quesions, well guess what, I got an answer.

Mr. Gill,

I wouldn't normally take the time to write like this, but I had back surgery and I have far more free time than I can stand!

I think the whole world must know by now that Nebraska is suffering a rough patch. As you can imagine, Nebraskan's are foaming at the bit to find out what will happen next. (and for other reasons...)

I know I can't ask you a slew of leading questions on the matter as your probably not at liberty to respond to them, and I respect that. 

What do you think of the situation facing Nebraska? Is this a poetic

I guess the big question everyone is asking, with Dr. Tom back, would you consider returning to Nebraska as the Head coach if the offer was right?

Good luck to the Bulls when they face Bowling Green. You and your team would be amazed at the far larger audience that is pulling for you guys.

Thanks a million,

My real name etc etc

 

 Hello Dan,

Thank you for the kind words. I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Whatever happens with the Huskers or whatever happens with my future is in God's hands.

Have a blessed day,

Turner Gill

 

There's your answer my friends...

12 Comments | Add a comment   categories: College football, NCAA FB, Lincoln Cornhuskers, cornhuskers, Huskers, Dank1
 
An interview with Turner Gill
Nov 06, 2007 | 5:29PM | report this

I spent several minutes this evening thinking up my questions to ask the Bulls Head Coach, Turner Gill. I had to keep in mind that he is in a position that would preclude him from answering a majority of questions so I tried to make them "safe"

If you had the opportunity to interview Turner Gill, no holds barred, what questions would you ask?

5 Comments | Add a comment   categories: other, College Football, Dank1, Huskers, Nebraska
 
A tribute to the Cos bend and break D
Nov 06, 2007 | 2:15PM | report this

We have all seen the fantastic reruns of the big D the Blackshirts used to be. A new short displays the type of effort displayed by the new bend and break d of Callahan an Cosgrove...

 

 

>

 

Watch it again, now think of what you saw this year... what is the real difference?

Add a comment   categories: Nebraska, Huskers, Dank1, College football, Other
 
Help, I need a topic!
Nov 05, 2007 | 2:07AM | report this

I'm stuck here in bed rest most of this week ( My first post op visit is Thursday), and even though I am half baked on meds, I am bored out of my skull. As such, I am looking for a topic. I do love my Huskers as most of you already know, but I guess blogging is more than a play by play run down of the worst coached team in history. I can only write of my desire to see that coach strung up so many times.

Since this blogging thing is supposed to improve my writing skills, and I am currently surrounded by many bright, creative and intelligent people here at Fox Sports, I thought why not enlist the help of the community in grooming my skills?

 I am thinking I would like to try to do a bio.

Any suggestions on a person, or team, or whatever would be great. As I said, I would really like your impressions of my writing, and your suggestions to make it better or more (I don't know) entertaining? commercial? intelligible? What ever you feel would make it better.

So, help me out will ya?

 

Thanks,

D

11 Comments | Add a comment   categories: other, stuff and junk, Dank1
 
An open letter from Nebraska.
Nov 04, 2007 | 4:44AM | report this
 An open letter from Nebraska.

 

No matter if you are born here in Nebraska, or move here, at some point something inside you makes you proud to say, I am a Nebraskan and the Huskers are MY team. I say MY team in the possessive, because that is how WE Nebraskans feel about OUR Huskers. Every last one of us, even if we move away and root for a local team, or go to a different school and root for our school, no matter where we go, or what situation, when we look inside the answer that comes out is, the Huskers are MY team, just as Nebraska is MY home.

Through and with OUR players, of any sport really but in particular OUR football team, Nebraskans and players have developed a sort of symbiotic relationship.  Nebraska's pride motivates and invigorates us, and WE inherently expect to see that reflected on the field of play by OUR team. Over time this symbiotic relationship became the foundation for OUR traditions.  In honoring OUR tradition, by doing their best on the field of play, OUR teams can be proud of themselves, even through the disappointment of the accessional but rare defeat. By motivated play and invigorating performances, Nebraskans recognize that OUR teams have done their very best, and no matter the outcome, can take pride in OUR teams accomplishments.

This relationship is not an easy one to live with. Obviously it will not always be amicable as our expectations are high for ourselves and our team. But this relationship, this tradition, has given Nebraska and Nebraska's players the confidence to say, no matter how stacked the odds against us, we can win! Together we have created an environment that expects and achieves excellence, and together we will get better day by day, until we can't be beat - we won't be beat!

To our Coaching staff. Coach Bill Jennings had many fine qualities as a man and a coach. He was an excellent recruiter, with excellent players, but he could not find a way to win. Unable to find the winning formula Coach Jennings resigned after the 1961 season. It was an act of honor and gallantry that benefited the team when he resigned. While few remember him as being a winning coach, many respect him for his selfless act that lead to the beginning of the longest winning streak in modern history. Coach Jennings may not have found the way to win, but he did not allow his teams or Nebraska to be embarrassed. Since Coach Jennings resigned we have seen three generations of  Nebraskans enjoy success. Since your arrival, we have seen the end of every record that matters, and the worse loss in the 117 year history of this team. Please take the high road and resign for the benefit of our team.

To Nebraskans. Nebraska has lost something far more important than a football game. We have allowed the stewards we put in place to protect our traditions fail. The cause of the failure, be it egotism, ignorance, or incompetence, must be corrected. Nebraskans have a duty to protect and preserve the traditions that have made us great. Namely, to provide our players with the best, so that they can be the best.  We have already begun the process of cleaning up this mess by replacing Mr. Steve Pederson with Dr. Tom Osborne. We need to make sure that we do not stop there. It is abundantly clear that the current coaching staff is incapable of providing the instruction and leadership our players need to be successful. If this staff should selfishly refuse to do the honorable thing and resign at the end of this season, we are left no viable option but to dismiss them at whatever cost.

To the players and recruits, it is a distinct honor and privilege to be asked, and to play for Nebraska.  Nebraska has a tradition of giving it's players the best in order to become the best. Do not expect that tradition to change. Do not worry about the score nearly so much as the effort you put in to achieving it. Consider the honor that has been bestowed upon you to play for Nebraska, and expect and accept only the best from yourself and your teams. By achieving this goal, by expecting and accepting only the best from yourself and your team, you will always be a winner, and more often than not, the score will reflect that.

To our competitors. We thank you for your words of encouragement and support during our programs darkest hours. We congratulate you for the victories you have won these past four seasons. We look forward to meeting you in our future confrontations on the field of play, and we hope you will not begrudge us when we win.

.END

5 Comments | Add a comment   categories: College Football, Nebraska, NCAA FB, BCS, BCSFootball, Dank1, Huskers, Lincoln Cornhuskers, cornhuskers, BIG XII, Other, stuff and junk
 
BIGRED BREAKDOWN Special Edition
Nov 03, 2007 | 1:33PM | report this

BIG RED BREAK DOWN

03 NOV 07

Kansas JayHawk

GO BIG RED Here it is, game day Saturday once again. The soaring Jayhawks of  Kansas welcome our struggling Nebraska CornHuskers currently (4 - 5) to odd as it may seem,  Memorial Stadium.

The Jayhawks have an unprecedented season going. They are currently (8 - 0), and a win over Nebraska would give them their first (9 - 0) start since 1908.

 


BIG RED TRIVIA

Since I have already covered  my pre-game and game plan for today in my two previous posts, I thought it might be fun to see how many fans we have out there who can answer a few trivia questions about one of the most amazing games in Nebraska football history.

I am going to write a paragraph. Your job is to fill in the blanks.

Good Luck

In (1. Year) a team from (2. City, State) came to Memorial Stadium (actually Husker field the stadium wasn't built yet) to play the Huskers. The game was a shut out, Nebraska scored (3. Points). A record that still stands today. Another record was set that day by (4. Players name), he scored (5. Number) touchdowns. Amazingly, the Huskers where not undefeated that year.

Bonus question:

Who was the Coach of the Huskers that year? (6. Coach)

Double bonus question

A touchdown was worth (7. Number) points then.

I will update the post with the answers on Sunday afternoon unless you want more time...

GO BIG RED, GO BIG RED, GO BIG RED

antique radio plays Husker games year after year

Time to fire up that old radio so we can listen to our favorite thing,

Joe Ganz isn't afraid to run with the ball, and that should add a new wrinkle to our game today. If there is any one thing that may fire this team up, I think Ganz may be the catalyst of change. The way I see it, the pressure is off this week. Our guys are not expected to win (I honestly don't expect it to be close) and they have little or nothing to lose. As such I hope they come out fired up and ready to have a good time. I just don't know they can though. Lets face it losing all the time stinks

BIG RED FOOTBALL

Kick off Kansas receives 

Touch back 

Husker D stuff's first set 3 and out

Poor/ blocked punt.

Husker O First play a short pass.

AN OPTION PLAY FIRST DOWN!

 0- 7 TOUCH DOWN GANZ! (run)

I'm not sure, but I think this is the first opening drive since the first game of the year to go for a TD. This is a fantastic start for the HUSKERS.

7 - 7 TD Kansas

7 - 14 Touch down Nebraska (62 yard pass)

14 - 14 TD Kansas

ohmann passing every down now?

3 busted passes.. 3 and out! Don't play one dimensional ball!

21 - 14 TD Kansas

3 and out

28 - 14 TD Kansas

28 - 21 TD Nebraska (pass)

35 - 21 TD Kansas

42 - 21 TD Kansas

Interception 

48 - 21 TD Kansas missed extra point

48 - 24 Nebraska Field goal

HALF

Kansas scored on just about every drive, only stalled drive was first possession.  At this rate, Kansas should finish with about 97 points and approximately 800 yards of offense. 

Clearly we have abandoned the run game, However Joe is doing a pretty darn good job. Under normal circumstances this would be enough offense to be in the game. One dimensional play will kill us next half when Kansas adjusts though.

Another new record for Bill Callahan. Most points scored against Nebraska in a half of play. I don't recall any sacks this half. In general, we have been playing no defense, we are just being beat period on that side of the ball. I have no suggestions, I know they are trying. I just don't have the answer for this horrid defensive play.

Nebraska opens second half passing every down.

Ganz Option keeper 10 yards...

48 - 31 TD Nebraska (pass)

55 - 31 TD Kansas

Interception

62 - 31 TD Kansas

Fumble 2nd run since ? middle of 2nd quarter.

69 - 31 TD Kansas

Interception

Kansas Field goal attempt that appeared deliberately flubbed

Interception

76 - 31 TD Kansas

Now we run.... Kansas 2nd and 3rd team D is in.

76 - 38 TD Nebraska (pass)

76 - 39 2Pt. Conversion Nebraska (pass)

Scrub game now. Back ups to back ups playing now. It's pretty much over, just running out the clock.


I have no commentary about this game other than to say that Ganz can do the job. Please Dr. Tom, stop this blood letting.  Congrats KU

 Honorary Player of the game. Randy Crystal, Position - REF Called Kansas U, Kansas State.

Check out Hogger's Blog and Cuda's Blog,  I laughed so hard today I had to take a pain pill, and I haven't taken any for several days! I can't wait to see vbchic_redskins_fan's follow up.

http://www.huskernews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/200
1/02/20/3a9331482

 

4 Comments | Add a comment   categories: College Football, cornhuskers, Lincoln Cornhuskers, Big XII, NCAA FB, Kansas, Lawrence Jayhawks, Huskers, Nebraska, Jayhawks, Dank1
 
See all posts from this month »
ABOUT ME


Dank1

One of the Husker faithfull, even if it kills me.

GO BIG RED

GO BIG RED

web site counters
Amazing Counters.com

MY FAVORITE BLOGS
The Official FOXSports Blog
HiPlainsDrifter
's Blog
Bread and Circuses
shaolin74's Blog
FOX_Funhouse's Blog
Half-Baked Ravings
Thank You. I love you all.
Fuzzboss's Blog
3 parts gin, 1 part vermouth
Mountainman2's Blog
Hatchetman's Parade of Sports
The World According to Garp
The Human Side of Sports
The Village ####
Can't Get A Word In Edge-Wise!
Straight Talk From the Left Coast
3Fans Race Corner
Urlacher on Urlacher
Time stamping is done in Pacific Time.