When 9 wins a year isn't the whole story.

[Junior]

Whether it is or isn't doesn't really matter. The question was, how can what we say here be constructive for this team, and that question is answered by the fact that the players and recruits read what's written here.

Allow me to help. Players: STOP READING MESSAGE BOARDS. And if you think it is bad at Nebraska... Well, if you have NFL aspirations, I promise you, it will only get worse at the next level.

While I would agree with you that this would be a wise thing to do, the kind of person who would thrive as a D1 athlete often comes with an ego the size of Guam. Those people are not prone to ignore talk about them. Even normal couch-potato people are curious when someone is talking about them - these guys can barely resist.

In that case, use the criticism as motivation to get better. If your ego is too fragile to do that, you likely aren't going to last, regardless of what is or isn't said on a message board.

This is an easy thing to do, which is why there's never any arguments here, and nobody ever gets upset about what others write about them here.

How many posters here are Division 1A athletes?

 

[knapplc]

I would venture to guess that more posters here are college graduates and in their 30s than D1A athletes, yet somehow those grown people with degrees and everything still, somehow, become angsty when criticized, or disagreed with.

It's a good sentiment, and again I agree with you, but it's not likely to happen. They'll always read this stuff, and the papers, and watch ESPN, and read twitter, and they'll always take at least some of it to heart. It's human nature.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

A problem with them? A problem with the team? Or a problem with both?

Please choose #3

Probably both. Priorities change, I suppose.

Good. I was hoping you weren't going to view that from one side and not both.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Whether it is or isn't doesn't really matter. The question was, how can what we say here be constructive for this team, and that question is answered by the fact that the players and recruits read what's written here.

Allow me to help. Players: STOP READING MESSAGE BOARDS. And if you think it is bad at Nebraska... Well, if you have NFL aspirations, I promise you, it will only get worse at the next level.

While I would agree with you that this would be a wise thing to do, the kind of person who would thrive as a D1 athlete often comes with an ego the size of Guam. Those people are not prone to ignore talk about them. Even normal couch-potato people are curious when someone is talking about them - these guys can barely resist.

It's not even limited to just D1 athletes. Everybody wants to know what other people think of them. If you're doing something you love to do, you need to know how you're doing. And part of that comes from how other people evaluate your performance.

As far as not even reading message boards or Twitter in the first place, that's much easier to say than do. It's impossible to shut someone who is so heavily dependent on social media out of social media.

Can they handle negative criticism better? I think they handle negative criticism well enough; I don't think that's the issue. I think when we call out that Nebraska has a turnover problem that it doesn't come as a surprise to the team and offends them. The issue, I believe, comes when we say Kenny Bell sucks because he has an afro; maybe if he would get a better haircut he would catch passes better. Stuff like that.

 

[Junior]

I would venture to guess that more posters here are college graduates and in their 30s than D1A athletes, yet somehow those grown people with degrees and everything still, somehow, become angsty when criticized, or disagreed with.

It's a good sentiment, and again I agree with you, but it's not likely to happen. They'll always read this stuff, and the papers, and watch ESPN, and read twitter, and they'll always take at least some of it to heart. It's human nature.

Well I thought we were talking about D1A players and their Guam sized egos. I agree, they have a special mentality needed to compete and succeed at the highest level. A mentality not present in a 30-something desk jockey, such as myself.

That said, it's also human nature to criticize something you care about when you see flaws. Sure, that can manifest itself in a negative way at times, but I think the volume (strictly as a matter of size) of the criticism is smaller than some seem to be making it out to be. Or, we have a disagreement about what constitutes an overly negative criticism. Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

The worst thing that can happen to Nebraska football is having people stop posting on the message boards. Because that means they've stopped caring. That means they'll stop buying tickets, buying t-shirts, and watching games on TV. Then the program is really in trouble.

 

[Cina]

It's not even limited to just D1 athletes. Everybody wants to know what other people think of them. If you're doing something you love to do, you need to know how you're doing. And part of that comes from how other people evaluate your performance.

As far as not even reading message boards or Twitter in the first place, that's much easier to say than do. It's impossible to shut someone who is so heavily dependent on social media out of social media.

Can they handle negative criticism better? I think they handle negative criticism well enough; I don't think that's the issue. I think when we call out that Nebraska has a turnover problem that it doesn't come as a surprise to the team and offends them. The issue, I believe, comes when we say Kenny Bell sucks because he has an afro; maybe if he would get a better haircut he would catch passes better. Stuff like that.

Agreed. It's when Bob McFootball misses the game-winning catch and someone makes a post about the merits of pushing him in front of a train. And thankfully Huskerboard frowns on that.

 

[Saunders]

Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

Sure you can post it, just don't get mad if people tell you to STFU because you don't know what you're talking about, and question your knowledge and motives.

Sports fans are generally irrational. Case in point: http://www.thevictoryformation.com/2014/01/07/florida-state-fans-were-freaking-out-on-message-boards/

 

[kchusker_chris]

Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

Sure you can post it, just don't get mad if people tell you to STFU because you don't know what you're talking about, and question your knowledge and motives.

Sports fans are generally irrational. Case in point: http://www.thevictor...message-boards/

i'm guessing you aren't serious, just pointing out the typical response to negative criticism from the sunshine pumpers.

 

[Junior]

Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

Sure you can post it, just don't get mad if people tell you to STFU because you don't know what you're talking about, and question your knowledge and motives.

Question my knowledge? Cool, whatever. I really don't care. Question my motives? That makes no sense. But question away.

 

[carlfense]

How many posters here are Division 1A athletes?

This is the internet . . . so I was. Hell of an athlete, really.

 

[Saunders]

Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

Sure you can post it, just don't get mad if people tell you to STFU because you don't know what you're talking about, and question your knowledge and motives.

Question my knowledge? Cool, whatever. I really don't care. Question my motives? That makes no sense. But question away.

Sure it does. Question whether the person is trolling, or just stupid.

 

[StPaulHusker]

Is it about the wins and losses or lack of conference championships/big name bowl games?

Lets say he is 10-2, misses the conference championship game and loses in the Fiesta Bowl. Finishes 10-3. Are we happier than if he goes 8-4, misses the conference championship game but wins the Capital One Bowl and finishes 9-4?

 

[Count 'Bility]

What if we go 12-1, and dont even play in the conference championship game? Cuz that is every bit as possible as well.

 

[Junior]

Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

Sure you can post it, just don't get mad if people tell you to STFU because you don't know what you're talking about, and question your knowledge and motives.

Question my knowledge? Cool, whatever. I really don't care. Question my motives? That makes no sense. But question away.

Sure it does. Question whether the person is trolling, or just stupid.

That seems like you are simply questioning my knowledge again. Or maybe I'm just stupid.

 

[Saunders]

Can I say "Quincy Enunwa dropped too many passes this season. At times I wondered why he was on the field, because his hands were too unreliable"? He might take offense to that, but I hate to break it to him, it's true.

Sure you can post it, just don't get mad if people tell you to STFU because you don't know what you're talking about, and question your knowledge and motives.

Sports fans are generally irrational. Case in point: http://www.thevictor...message-boards/

i'm guessing you aren't serious, just pointing out the typical response to negative criticism from the sunshine pumpers.

wat?

Sounds like a victim mentality...