My
2 Cents
10/7/07
Responses Page 3
Your
correspondent is correct. IS appreciates wins because they don't have
many. Husker fans don't appreciate wins because we have had so many.
The problem now is not that we have lost so many games, it is that we
are playing so poorly--poorly after being promised so much.
As for Saturday night, no one in the Big 12 would have beaten MU. Their
defense was swarming and their offense was awesome.
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The A.D. must go and who ever hired him and if you think about it when
Callahan installed his offence for the first time in Oakland (after the
super bowl that was still Gooden team and offence) the players didn’t
get it now all of a sudden you think collage players are going get it,
and he as destroyed a very good defensive program. You want to know how
long it’s going to take to turn this around. Look knows further
than Oakland .
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I started with the huskers when Oklahoma was having it's way with us in
the early fifties. The times of Willy Greenlaw etc. Had a son who played
for the huskers in the mid & late nineties, he did not play a lot
(as walk-on) but he spent 5 great years and does not regret a moment.
He along with me and others are not just deeply concerned. We are about
to give up on the whole bunch including the chancellor, AD, Coach and
assistants. When the fan base "gives up" and no longer complains
you are in real trouble. We are about there.
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The game against Missouri was, shall we say not pretty. The team is having
a tough time and criticism abounds. It seems that this is the time when
the 12th man, the fans, need to show their most support. Instead of booing,
there needs to be a chant "Dig Deep." That is what our team
needs to do now is to dig deep and pull on emotional reserves and pull
on the emotional strength and support of the fans. It is our team and
they are our kids, yes kids. Lets not forget these are young men and they
need the emotional support of the Husker Nation. I guess I am saying the
Husker Nation needs to support it troops even if the generals seem to
have missed up the game plan. Jerry in Joplin
"Not the victory but the action; not the goal but the game; in the
deed the glory.”
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Thanks for your well written and thought through article. I am a Nebraska
grad, 78, now living in Minnesota and have faithfully followed and supported
the Huskers for all these years. While I admit that we actually tried
to call Memorial Stadium during a game to yell at Frank for his idiotic
play calling, my fanaticism remains strong.
As I am removed from the majority of the Nebraska media, I do not get to read much of what the Husker brain wizards and pundits are saying with regards to this 07 squad and where this program is going.
There is something that has been bugging me for the past 2-3 years that may have or has been questioned of this team/program and that is the strength and conditioning of our athletes under the Callahan era. I and many of the many Husker fans in Minnesota believe this part of the program has gone to hell. This team and the last 2 or 3 before it can not dominate anyone. When was the last time we actually dominated a game, as opposed to being dominated like last Saturday or the embarrassment at Texas Tech a couple years ago?
We
understand that there is growing parity in college football and that the
NU strength and conditioning program was well ahead of the curve compared
to other programs but the Huskers have gone backwards in this regard.
This program has lost its edge and its ability to do more with less. By
the way, what ever happened to the Husker’s very successful “Walk
On” program?
If this program has not been challenged on this, maybe someone (everyone)
should! Oh where is Boyd when you need him?
Thank
you for the opportunity for a “not very smart” Husker fan
to vent for a while.
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Not a hate mail but a comment on the Iowa State fans email. Yes, Husker
fans are spoiled from winning but he should also note that it was 23 years
that Nebraska went without winning a National Championship and we still
filled the stadium to the top row in all those games. We had 8-5, 9-4
seasons just like last year and we lost to Oklahoma over and over but
we still stood by Osborne and the team because Nebraska competed. Iowa
State on the other hand, has nor have they ever had expectations from
their fans because they have always pretty much s*cked. So when the good
times came they cheered, when the normal times proceeded they were used
to it and just said maybe next time. My sons play on a terrible high school
football team but my sophomore son is the QB/Safety and my junior son
is the C/MLB and they both play hard/well every week. I don’t get
any satisfaction from wins because I don’t go into the games with
any preconceived/diluted thoughts. Like the stats show, Callahan typically
beats the teams he’s supposed to but hasn’t beaten a team
he’s not supposed to. Iowa State don’t point fingers when
you and your kids are probably not competitive people therefore know nothing
about competing to win on every play of every game. You don’t have
to be the best but you have to give your best.
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Did you catch the Callahan show Sunday? Talk about "fluff" from
both Bill & Jim. They acted like it was a Spring game, outcome : no
big deal. Just got to "work" more. When they showed a good offensive
play by NU Bill made a comment about consistency is what they strive for.
Huh? Is that being consistently good or bad?
Thanks for being so darn honest in your assessment, kind of like Matt
Davidson who I guess has to be careful of his opinions on the state of
our team when he is on "the air".
I've been sitting in the same seats in Memorial Stadium since Bill Jennings
was head coach and have never seen such a mess. Keep up the good work!!
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I am a Husker fan and have been since my first game back in '62. That
will not change. I support the players 100% and will not give up that
support. If I still lived in Nebraska (and was lucky enough to have season
tickets), I would attend every game win or lose.
The players in the Mizzu game made their statement both on defense and on offense. The Blackshirts knew that the 3 down lineman scheme was a ticket to disaster and they showed their lack of confidence in Cosgrove by the way they played that scheme. The offense showed their distaste with the right person, Sam Keller, throwing his helmet in disgust at the inept play selection given to him by Callahan. Sam Keller knows how to score and win. He doesn't need Callahan's micro-management to do it. He especially doesn't need to be running sprints to the sideline after each play. The defense needs to play more man coverage and let the LB's fly to the ball. This level of college play is not a video game. Callahan doesn't seem to understand that issue. Oakland understood Callahan's limitations as did their players.
My
support is for the players who make up the team. The team and its fans
will weather this season and look forward to next year. The AD and coaching
staff won't.
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Don’t blame the fans, don’t blame the players. In every organization,
local, state, national, or international; public or private, it begins
and ends with leadership. Everyone follows the leader. Great leaders are
rare, we had one and now we don’t. Just to be clear, we’re
not talking about team captains, we’re talking about leadership
at the top.
Georgia
Husker
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I enjoyed your commentary. Especially the quote from the guy in Iowa.
I too have been a Nebraska fan for lots of years. My father played there
in the early 50’s until he got drafted. We have had season tickets
in the north end zone since 1960. I live in Montana and my 76 year old
father still makes it to every home game (920 miles away)and half of the
away games. I am so rabid of a fan that the first few years I was married
with kids my wife would take the kids out of the house and tell them not
to behave like their father. She has given up. Having said all of that,
I have been beaten down over the last few years. My oldest goes to college
at Iowa State and I have chosen to go to two of the games there over being
in Lincoln. This is the first time I have missed a husker game at home
in 20+ years. Yes I am upset by all of it but the fact of the matter is
that they are getting me so I just don’t care anymore. The only
real winner is my spouse who now gets me on Saturdays. I am not bitter,
just ambivalent. It took a lot of work but they got me to this point.
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You are right – there will be better days ahead…when Peterson
and co are gone.
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I do not think I am too far off base when I say that there were a few
question marks going into the season. There was a lot to look forward
to also with the addition of Keller and another year of maturity with
Callahan's recruits who now enter their third year of "His System".
I was one of the fans that was happy to get past Solich because I did not see him ever getting to the level that it was just prior to him. I think he was weak on recruiting and was more of a buddy to the players than a coach. He was never going to take his recruits to a National Championship.
When
Callahan was hired I was glad to see an improvement in the quality of
athlete that was coming to Nebraska. I was not sold on his accomplishments
as a college coach but I was willing to be patient. Now I go back to my
first paragraph and what I was looking forward to for this year. As was
with many others, I really thought we would contend for the North Division.
I thought that by seasons end we would be strong enough to beat a South
Division team for the Big 12 Championship and then go to a BCS bowl
again. I really thought we would be able to beat most other teams by a
large enough margin that we could even do some QB grooming for next year.
At
this point of the season I, like many others, am just stunned at our progress
under Callahan. This team is in a total free fall and cannot stop. I travel
to Lincoln from Wichita, Ks. for every home game. I sit up by
Larry The Cable Guy in the newly added seats and cannot see a scoreboard.
The two at the south end of the stadium are too far away to read without
binoculars and I am directly underneath the big scoreboard. Even so, I
renewed my tickets for this year because of the expectation that everyone
had that this was going to be a good year for the team and possibly a
Great Year. We were all wrong and there isn't a good excuse for it. We
haven't had injuries to players where we did not have depth. This team
just shows up to play and doesn't. From the first game of the year it
looked like this team was lost. It still cannot find itself. I hear Callahan
talking about parity. Parity is when teams are even in talent. Some coaches
do a better job with that talent. Look at Stoops and Brown in our conference.
Then take a look at the staffs at USC, Florida, and LSU. They are doing
a better job of coaching this parity. Am I right??? You don't hear them
complaining of parity. The last thing I want to hear is excuses. There
is not one single excuse for what is happening right now. You cannot say
that we don't have the players to compete. You cannot blame these kid
for their preparation this year. That is the coaching staff's responsibility.
It is a total failure.
You cannot now ask the fans, who expect so much from the team, to grin and bear it. The fans have shown great patience with Callahan and with Peterson. They will eventually get upset when their winning tradition is taken away from them. Their pride comes from winning, not from cheering for the other team when they come into Memorial Stadium and hand us our behinds on a platter. Say all you want about sportsmanship but I don't think it has to include accepting defeat or mediocrity. It does not mean you have to keep your mouth shut when your tradition is getting thrown out. Their seems to a notion (in some of the press) that the negative comments that are coming out that are directed at the staff should not be said because it might reach the ears of the players. I'm sorry but that is life. Deal with it. You are a fool to believe that there is a kinder way of voicing your displeasure. I do not think anything will be done to right the ship if our opinions are kept to ourselves.
I
will be in Section C, row 92, seats 21 and 22 this coming Saturday for
the Okla St. game. For the first time in years, I am actually not looking
forward to the game. My wife and I look forward to our trips to
Lincoln. It is really fun to get away for the games and watch a proud
tradition of excellent football. That proud tradition is slipping. It
has been a long wait for us to get back to the top of the polls. Without
Baylor on our schedule, I do not know if any of the games left are sure
wins. Do you remember the old days when we had Sure Wins??? Every game
on the remainder of our schedule is now in doubt. That is what we have
become. I cannot accept that. If Peterson and the people who can make
a change fail to do so, count me out for next year. I refuse to watch
my once proud team get pummeled. I cannot imagine the people of Oklahoma,
Texas, LSU, Florida, or the other traditional powerhouses just stand by
and watch their teams go down the tube and keep their mouths shut. If
you are used to driving a Mercedes and Mercedes starts making their cars
like Yugo's what are you going to do? Keep your mouth shut??? I just don't
understand this "just stay positive" stuff that I am hearing
from some. It is just ridiculous. I can remember the days when Osborne
would win 10 games and take heat because they lost to OU. We were proud.
We are losing it and I for one do not like it. I'm down right mad about
it. We have the players so who does that leave??? I am not going to just
be a good sport and watch our team get beat up every Saturday!!! Get rid
of this group of coaches and find a college coach that has a history of
winning in college. I don't want Solich back, but, he would be better
than this. We are in a real mess right now.
One
more thing if I can get off the subject again. Why in heavens name would
we give Callahan an extension BEFORE the season began? If he were doing
well, couldn't that be accomplished after the season was over? I hope
there is a cheap buyout clause. Look at the coaching changes that have
occurred in the last few years. Don't you think that we could have lured
a good college coach to Nebraska? If not then, we need to make a move
now towards courting a premier college coach who has a winning tradition
equal to our tradition of old. If we keep slipping it will be harder for
us to get a good coach in the future. The luster will be lost. Nebraska
football is what makes this university famous. Letting it slide away,
like it is right now, is crazy. Look at the lost revenue for the school.
If Peterson cannot handle the affairs of this great tradition then he
must be replaced also. No man or small group of men should be allowed
to strip this tradition away. These guys are there to uphold the tradition,
not replace
it with mediocrity. Mediocrity is a term that Peterson should be familiar
with. I think it is a term that he used when he fired Solich. For heavens
sake, I hope he has the courage to call a spade a spade and do whatever
is necessary to get the program back to the top. We are surely off course
now.
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There are many reasons that Nebraska Fans are called the greatest fans
ever. I dont feel any are better and this is why. We have sold out every
game since Nov. 3 1962. Most people here know that, and most people around
the country know, at least, that its been a really long time. There is
a lot of pride in that. Have there been a lot of good times in the last
45 year... Absolutely. For that I am greatful. Have there been some bad
times in that 45 years... Absolutely. The fact of the matter is rain or
shine, whether we are ranked #1 or #41 there are going to be 80,000 people
there every saturday. Doesnt matter if we're 5-6 or 10-0 the stadium will
be full. What else makes a good fan?? Showing frustration when things
aren't going well shows you care. When Bill yells at Keller for missing
a read does that mean he doesnt want Sam to succeed?? No it means hes
frustrated and wants him to get better. I have never been more mad after
a football game than I was on Saturday. I was mad because it seemed like
the players lost heart after we couldnt score on the first possession
of the second half. But Ill still be downtown Lincoln on Saturday at Brothers
watching every other pay per view game. Ill be wearing my red gameday
shirt I wear for every game with the same friends that I watch every game
with. Why do we do this? Because we love Nebraska Football. We love everything
about it. If we lose yes we're mad, but do we hate the team?? NO!! Do
we want them to get better? Absolutely!! I have a real problem with one
quote in this article.
"Iowa State fans appreciate their team. Win or lose. From reading
Huskerpedia, I'm pretty certain that if there's a lot of losing in Lincoln,
the great fans are going to be nowhere to be found."
Go there Saturday, 6 a.m., when hundreds of R.V.'s start lining the parking
lots. Getting ready for the game just as they do every week. Talking about
if we're going to win. If we're going to be able to stop the Cowboy offense.
Go when theres 100,000 people in downtown Lincoln, and tell me people
will leave if we lose. Did this guy see the Colorado game in 04 when we
were on the virge of our first losing season in 43 years. Guess what the
stadium was still packed. Oh how about the Baylor and Missouri games in
04 after taking whoopings on the road. Yup still packed the house. Yes
we have had only one losing season in 45 years. But after 04 there were
still 60,000 at the spring game.
I guess my point is dont tell me that the great fans wont be found. The
fact of the matter is they will be here. Standing by the team, doing all
of our pregame rituals just like the coaches do, just like the players
do. Yelling and screaming just as loud as we can. In good and in bad.
And to be honest we'll probably have more fans in your stadium next year
than there are ISU fans. Why?? Because we are the best in college football.
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I'm sitting here listening to Joe Torres press conferance after the Yankees
have been eliminated from the playoffs. He was asked about the NY fans
reaction to him going out to the mound and how loudly they were cheering
for him and how they were so supportive. Torre made many complimentary
remarks regarding the fans about how passionate and knowledgable they
are about baseball. Passionate and knowledgable fans, seems like we've
heard those words around these parts regarding the Nebraska fan base.
Something he said really sticks with me. He stated that they really are
very supportive, but will definitly let you know when things arent going
well and that is within their right. HHHMM??!! Don't tell me their is
any differance because they are porfessionals and were talking about college
athletics here. There is no differance in expectations of performance.
For those that want to use "kid gloves" because we don't want
to hurt anyone feelings. In making statements that we should not boo you
are using the "kid gloves" approach.These boys are big, physical
tough boys and if they can't handle it, I say hang up the cleats boys.
All is not going to be rosie! I repeat something heard from a certain
coach west of here. THIS IS THE BIG 12!!! It ain't intramurals!! Whats
next? Were going to have parents of players calling the coaches to complain
about harsh treatment. Again, It ain't intramurals!
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If we fans stop our support, the recruiting will dry up. Crowd support
may not be the biggest draw to UNL, but it is more important than in any
other school.
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Dave,
This sounds corny, weird etc, but I have to ask/vent to you. I started attending games in Lincoln in the mid 70’s with my father. Started selling coke at Memorial in 1976 and missed zero games until 1994 when we moved from KC to Denver . I’m the guy who gets weepy heading back to Lincoln 2x per year for games once I cross over into Nebraska .
Why do I have these negative feelings towards a program I have followed for 35 years? Why does it seem Pederson and Callahan want to establish their own history? Don’t they realize that what makes Nebraska so special is that history does repeat itself, if you work hard, are disciplined and win with dignity. I’ll be posting in the next few days, and will continue to cheer for the team, the kids and my Huskers. I will not however support Pedey or Callahan. I am afraid the only streak or history we have left is the sellout streak, and I am terribly afraid that piece of our history will soon be gone too.
Keep
up the good work.
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What about the quote Steve Pederson said the day he introduced Bill Callahan
as Coach. I will not let this program run itself in to mediocrity, and
it's less then mediocre, I went to my first Nebraska game in 1967. We
never had a 4 loss season until 1998, 30 years. Now it's very possible
we could go 6-6. Was Callahan the best coach available and why couldn't
we have garnered a high level of interest from the best coaches in football?
We should have keep Bo Pelini.
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I think that one of, if not the biggest problems, with the Big Red football
now days is that all links to the past have been cut by Steve Pederson
and the current Husker staff. The tradition does not seem to be what it
once was with ex-huskers all over the place and believe it or not ex huskers
could get tickets no questions asked through the "tradition"
funnel. Believe me I am the son of a husker and he not only has no ties
to the present staff they do not even extend a warm hand to him. He went
back for Bob Browns enshrinement into the College Football Hall of Fame,
and he said he would have been disheartened if he was Bob Brown by the
reception he got from the current staff and Steve pederson. He admits
that Bob Brown is not very charesmatic but still he got the sense that
the current staff was trying to separate itself from the tradition.
I agree with Matt Davidson that there is no reason why we as Husker fans
cannnot demand better. There is no connection to the past and there is
no sense of regard by Pederson and company for the history and tradition
of Husker football. Shame on Pederson for me an ex-husker and a part of
the program during the Osborne Era for not knowing that it is so about
the tradition. We should have never got rid of Frank Solich and if it
was absolutely necessary to do so because of reasons the fans don't know
then the replacement should have been a Husker. Solich made some very
difficult decisions during his last season which would have paved the
way for a bright future. Getting rid of and hiring the coaches that he
did was an extremely difficult but well thought out deal.
I am saddened by the state of Husker football and like so many other fans
demand change. We must find a coach that understands and relishes the
tradition of Nebraska football. Steve Pederson has done some major damage
to this great institution known as Nebraska football and the University
of Nebraska. Many people, whether their priorities are straight or not,
believe deeply in what is taking place and are not in the least bit satisfied
with the direction we are heading. We are beyond slipping into mediocrity.
We are disgruntled beyond belief.
Lastly, why don't we hear anything from Pederson on what he thinks of
what is going on and how would he describe the current state of the program?
What is his spin on this debacle?
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Max,
Enjoyed your comments...especially the closing comment.
I was born and raised a Husker and I am a member of the Husker Nation
at large. As a member of the Miami Valley Huskers in Dayton, Ohio and
as is our tradition, we meet at the Fox n Hound to watch games.
As the game ended and we stood around talking, one of our members seemed
especially sullen. I dont know if it was the general direction of the
team, this loss in specific, or the generally negative atmosphere.
I told this person, "there are better times ahead"
We will get there. It may be painful, but we will get there.
GBR
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I think the biggest frustration is that we feel that a bunch of outsiders
have come in here and destroyed our proud tradition. I'm not so sure that
if Frank Solich was still coaching and had a 8-4 season people would be
that upset about it. You can't be great forever but to see really no response
or an almost zombie like response from the upper office / coaching staff
makes the problem 1,000 times worse. Coaches should be calling positions
out. Doing something to inspire this team, much like the Wide Receiver's
coach for USC did about Dwane Jarrett last year. When Bowman was the only
person to remove his Blackshirt and nobody else followed, that made me
real nervous. That seemed to signal that there was some serious discontent
amongst the players.
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I have been told that all of the plays in Nebraska's playbook is a mile
long with each little virbage designating a blocking scheme, play direction,
so on, and that the system is so complicated that players are needing
to decipher going into the play way too many responsibilities that they
have to carry out. No different than all football players but I understand
that the Big Red's is so complicated that players don't fire out and push
the metal to the pedal. Do they need too think too much on the mental
side of things.
Is this true or rumor?
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Interesting commentary, but not on par with how to fix the problem. I
now subscribe to Sam McKewon’s theory that if you want change you
have to help initiate it. And it starts with your wallet. As bad as it
sounds – and I realize it probably won’t happen – I’m
for the sellout streak ending this year. Why? Because empty seats mean
no revenue. Changes will come in a heartbeat.
Your article says ‘Will the problem be fixed?’ Yes – and only by those fans (and yes we ARE fans) who choose to spend our hard-earned money on other things. I’ve been supporting this program since I went to college there. I flew to Winston Salem for the game this year (and have been to a least one non-conference/conference away game each of the last 6 years) …buy all the gear…go to all the home games. But at some point you can’t take the BS we’ve been fed any longer and are forced to make tough decisions. No more games this year for me. And the circle of friends I have are all saying the same thing.
It’s very interesting that Steve Pederson does his weekly radio show…and the last 2 weeks (when times have been tough) he refuses to take callers to the program? Who’s supporting the program and its fans/customers?
It’s very interesting that Paul Meyers “resigns” from the program he so deeply loves and has worked tirelessly for in raising funds – and makes NO statement when he leaves. SP gives us the canned lines about his service and how he’ll be missed.
Things are not right. Believe me it hurts and it no doubt would be sad to see the sellout streak come to an end. But for a program that’s already seen the fall of some great records, I’m over it. It’s just another one that can go down in flames.
We
see it differently then. But in my book, anyone who supports this thing
you call “football” in Lincoln is doing the disservice and
negligence to the program. By not supporting it, we serve its proud history
and will help return it to where it belong.
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