My
2 Cents
10/28/07
Texas Game Responses
Hi David. Nice pictures, especially with
Tom. Just to make you feel good, I was a sophomore in highschool in 1948
and graduated the year you were born. Worse year I can remember since
I started watching in 1951.
But I still watch, pay money even and have my Nebraska flag flying every
Saturday. As they say, from birth to earth, that's me,
Regards, Big Red Betty
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David,
Just a question, do you live in California? I live in Oregon, but haven't
been hooked up with the Orregonians for Nebraska for several years. Anyway,
I really enjoyed your commentary on the Texas game. I attended, and played
football at a small D3 school in Colorado. There I played with a guy who
was a big Texas fan, and from him I learned my intense hatred of Texas
football. This was in 1969, and at that time he subscribed to a magazine
called Texas Football. I couldn't believe a state would have a magazine
dedicated to it's own football (though that did include the Cowboys [NFL],
all Texas universities [most of the old SW conference at the time], and
even the high schools). My hatred of Texas football has continued to this
day, though as I have aged that hatred has mellowed a bit. I have traveled,
for business reasons, to Texas many times over the years, and sadly, I
have come to realize that the people in Texas are some of the nicest,
friendliest people I have ever met (it pains me so to admit that). It
is nice to hear how welcome they made you feel while you were there. It's
also nice to hear the comments about how well they were treated when they
came to Nebraska for games. As a former Nebraskan who now lives in Oregon,
I must say that I am every bit as proud of the reputation of the Nebraska
fans as I am of the reputation of our storied football program. Again,
I am happy to know that the Texas fans were as hospitable to our fans
as the Texas folks have always been to me on my business trips. And again,
thanks for your "2 cents worth", I look forward to your next
installment.
DC
PS: I have never been to Oklahoma, don't know any Oklahomans, so I still
hate them.
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Thanks for the great article on HuskerPedia.
I am 43 and remember the game of the century and then watched the Orange
Bowl vs Bama, it was my first time ever watching a game in color. I grew
up in Nebraska and bleed Scarlet and Cream.
I have been disheartened by what I have seen this year. Our defensive
coordinator once again proved he is incapable of making adjustments (see
4 quarter) and it seemed Watson was calling plays in the first half and
then Bill took over in the second half. I am sure you saw the difference
between the two halves on offense better than I.
I live in Kansas and am surrounded by Tigers, Jay Hawks and Cats. To a
person, they have all said to me.... 'what happened up there'. I can only
respond 'leadership'. I do not see we are talent deprived compared to
most of our opponents, we do lack leadership.
I have no respect for Bill. He takes on accountability for our struggles
this year (I am doing an excellent job in every way) and I saw him use
a very profanity laden response at a referee on Saturday, something I
am not used to as a NU fan.
I know there is a lot of speculation. I hope Watson stays, Bush perhaps
and that is it.
Who do you think will be the next coach?
I know there is talk of Turner Gill. I like the guy but he does not excite
me as a head coach. Pellini seems to me to be a good fit as he has done
well since leaving Lincoln and I feel he would really have the support
of the players and the fans.
I would love to hear your take.
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Max,
Thanks for the article. I lived in Texas for 6 years after college and still have lots of Aggie and Horn friends. I found that they “Get” college football. They root for their team, but like the history and tradition of Nebraska football. I too still get comments from them about the way we treated them in 1998, they hadn’t been to Lincoln in anyone’s recent memory at the time and expected it to be like Miami or something and were surprised about NU fans.
The game: Ok, all season we have been telling Callahan: Run More, Blitz More, Get them to play with more energy. What do you know, maybe we all know a little bit about football. We have as good of talent as almost any team in America, we just play poorly. I think that is what really upsets Husker fans. If you try hard and lose, we’ll all get behind you. If it looks like players could care less and then they lose, then they are not representing our university positively.
Cosgrove has the “D” so bad statistically that if Kermit the Frog was the Defensive coordinator next year he would look like Buddy Ryan. Do you think Bo Pelini would have the worst run defense in the country with these players. I doubt he would be last with high school players.
A side note: Do you think it’s ironic that Pederson had two of the nation’s hottest commodities (Turner & Bo) under the roof when he hired Bill.
I continue to wear my NU gear. I am a lot more excited to wear it this week.
Thanks for your site.
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I too feel Callahan should get another year .. without Cosgrove! We have
talent and more to come if T O would just come out and say .. Bill gets
another season! I absolutely dislike the booing going on, boo the refs
but leave the kids alone, golly they must be hurting. Crazy stuff going
on in CFB. Look at USC, 3 or 4 top recruiting classes year after year
and 2 losses! Florida, getting their choice of the kids around there and
2 losses and don't even mention Notre Dame. BC needs an O Coordinator
there is just too much going on but we need a new def coordinator in my
opinion. We just don't seem to do any adjusting at half time like most
team can and do.......AM
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David,
That was a very thoughtful comment about the game last Sat in Austin and it sounded like a great time at the game. The Charles kid from Texas reminded me of the OU backs about 30 years ago—you hold them down pretty well for awhile, but then just give them a couple cracks and they’re gone. I think our defense just wore down in the 4th quarter. They had to have been tired.
I just feel bad for the guys and coaches. For example, I read where Shawn Watson was in tears after the game. That hurts to know that everyone is putting their very best effort out there.
This is, as you said, a very difficult season. Thing is—and I’d get strung up if I said this at a sports bar—I don’t know if making wholesale coaching staff changes would necessarily be the answer. I didn’t agree with what happened to Frank and his 2003 staff, but I don’t think making a big change now would automatically send us back to the top of the heap.
Good thoughts again. You do a great job
with the web site.
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Great commentary.
I have also been a fan since '62 and am very glad that we both saw a true "HUSKER EFFORT" from the whole team. It is a shame about Sam Keller's injury and I do hope he bounces back quickly. He made a great effort not only during that game but this whole season. Joe Gantz is ready and will give KU all it can handle especially since there is no game film on him.
If Callahan can control his ego, there may be some hope for him. He changed his coaching style for this game and I do hope this trend continues forward. There is no hope for the defensive coordinator and if Callahan somehow keeps his job that position needs to be filled with someone who can adjust rapidly to change (as any good defensive coach knows).
My son (a Captain USMC) was back from Iraq (his second combat tour) for his two week R & R. He is a die-hard Husker fan and was so disappointed in the lack of effort this season. He returns shortly to Iraq feeling much better about this team and the Husker future. We are both planning on coming out to Lincoln next fall (hopefully he won't be deployed again that soon) to see the Huskers take on VA Tech. It will be his first visit to Memorial Stadium and he is looking forward to it. He will be getting married when he returns to the States early next Spring. He has already got Husker duds for any coming babies.
Keep up the good work and I agree with
the Colonel "Keep the Faith."
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Just wanted to give you my vote on the Texas fan Jerry Davenport survey.
I do have confidence in Coach Callahan to get things done and turn things
around for the Big Red. I said it when he first got here that we need
to give him 5 full seasons to get his system in and get the players to
run it. I expressed my favorable feelings about Callahan outside the stadium
after the A&M game. There wasn't anyone that shared my same feelings.
I tried to give them reasons why and it goes beyond trying to salvage
the '08 recruiting class.
My 2 cents.
The 1 YES vote for Callahan!
TS
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Mr. Max. I thought the team played very loose, It was just a matter of
time before Charles broke one with that many defenders in the box, but
overall I was pleased with the effort. I am just looking for the players
to play hard and do their best, if they do that I can handle getting beat.
Also I am curious if Joe Ganz starts if Keller can’t go if the team
will show more spark and play better, and if they do will it raise questions
about Keller’s ability. What are your thought towards this?
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Dave,
If there is any way to officially acknowledge
the contribution Keller paid to this team, please try and do so, where
you know he will see it. I can’t remember another player in a long
time who had that winning attitude (Zac Taylor had it but was pretty quiet).
And for Sam to be a transplant is even more outstanding. Now, we know
he had every intention of stepping into NFL under Callahan’s guidance
( and I hope he still gets there) but he led this team when no one else
has stepped up. It breaks my heart to hear that he was crying after the
game, knowing that he played his last down, maybe forever.
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Hey big red max matt here in new york huge husker fan. great to see the
effort on saturday against the horns. still like callahan even though
he's gone probably going to be gill or pelini. still like callahan 's
pro style. Cosgrove is really the problem does not know how to make adjustments.
it was really carriker more and stewart that carried him last year hopefully
joey can lead us to a bowl. that's my 2 cents worth maybe one day I'll
fly out and catch a game in lincoln. go big red!
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Great pictures and a good time for sure..The season has turned into a
mixed emotion of "I can't see this happening" But it has..We
can only hope for the best in what's left of this season..Win or lose,
I will be with them until the end..It's the year the Husker Fan takes
a gut check and hope to bounce back..It's really to bad for the kids!!
The coaching staff and the "PROGRAM" as a whole..It's a bit
embarrassing for the school..
We will see that things get turned around. I hope very soon..All schools
have the highs and the lows. All good programs do and will bounce back.
We have seen many this year and years gone past..If it's time to take
a turn then why not the Big Red Nation..All the records have but almost
fallen. The NCAA consecutive most this and that all but gone..It's a tough
pill to have to swallow..I will hope for the best with what's left of
the season, for the kids and the coaches and it's staff..I hope the best
for T.O. and still remember him saying "keep this tradition going"
it's all he asks...I hope the right moves go in the right direction, for
the school and this great program...Go Huskers...GBR..
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Obviously the team tried harder. The defense didn’t go south until
the 4th quarter & coupled with a little offense it made for a closer
game. But the defense did fold in the 4th quarter and the offense was
ineffective for the entire 2nd half with the exception of the opening
drive. The last score was against a Texas defense in prevent mode. Same
old same old we’ve been watching on offense since Callahan arrived
in Lincoln . Defensively the recruiting is lacking or coaching. Either
way it comes down to coaching in the end. That is my opinion. I do hope
the team will keep up the effort in the final three games and at least
spare themselves getting beat and just keep it at the losing level as
Adrian Fiala would put it. A loss is a loss is a loss and the beat goes
on. I don’t see that changing the rest of this season. That is what
I think.
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