Screw you complainers

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Someone on another thread claimed Bo Pelini teams just didn't handle success well.



I think that's spot on.

There were multiple games where the play-calling and talent lined up nicely, and the team appeared to have turned a corner.

So every season we played well enough to get into a couple Games That Mattered. The game that would show everyone Big Red was back.

Of course those games were against better teams, but to my eye Nebraska simply came out wound way too tight and beat themselves. On offense, on defense and on special teams. Players made unforced errors they didn't make in other games. Every meltdown looked the same. You couldn't blame a single position coach or coordinator, although we usually did.

Poor schemes and failure to make adjustments aside, when Melvin Gordon was rushing for 408 yards, he was running through the arms of defenders who had given up.

Head coaching is about attitude and chemistry. That's where I think Bo went horribly wrong. I don't mind a few kinks and a little experimenting this season if the chemistry and discipline is constantly improving. I also like to see the team having fun out there, cause it's still a game.

That's why I want to wait a full season and not attach a mandatory number of wins.

I think that's a pretty fair assessment, but I'd add that Bo Pelini teams didn't handle either end of the adversity-success spectrum well. They got too high when things were going well and got too low when things were going poor.

Against unranked and 3-2 Texas in 2010, Nebraska came into that game ranked #5 and was fresh off two shellackings of Washington and Kansas State. We were bound, set, and determined to exact revenge for One Second in 2009, and we came out and laid a giant egg. The explosive offense looked all out of tricks, all out of gas, and managed 2 field goals against a defense which gave up 34 to UCLA and 28 to Oklahoma. Fun fact, you'd have to go back to 2007 to find the last time the Nebraska offense scored a TD against the Longhorn defense. The QB at the time was a guy by the name of Sam Keller. The defense looked pretty good, but came up on the wrong end of several key plays. If it weren't for Eric Hagg, that game would've never been close. But the team persevered, winning their next 4 games and climbing back into the Top 10 (#9) before taking a trip to College Station to face the Aggies. Again, no offensive touchdowns. 16 penalties, an finger-poking-chest incident, and a 9-6 loss. Nevertheless, the Huskers still made the Big XII Championship Game and had a shot to walk out of the conference with the conference title, and the team looked bound and determined to win it, jumping out to a 17-0 lead against the Sooners before watching their lead slip to 20-17 by halftime. In the 2nd half, no touchdowns, no points, nothing. Oklahoma kicked two field goals and won the game, 23-20.

The team didn't look as sharp as it did in 2010, but they did enough to win all the non-conference games, climbing to #8 in the country before heading up to Madison to take on #9 Wisconsin. The game started close, and it looked like we were in for a closely contested match. You probably weren't alone in thinking Nebraska's going to make a nice statement when they responded to Wisconsin's score with one of their own to make it 14-7. Then Wisconsin scored 27 unanswered points; it was 34-14 and Nebraska was well out of the game before Brett Maher booted the football between the uprights. The game ended in a 31 point Husker loss, 48-17. But the team responded and rattled off wins against Ohio State, @Minnesota, and put on a dominant display against #9 Michigan State. Those wins saw us propelled back into the Top 10, at #9 before little ole Northwestern came to Lincoln. I was genuinely surprised when Northwestern scored first to jump out to a 7-0 lead and the Wildcats held the lead for the entire game; a couple of late Nebraska touchdowns gave the Wildcats a little scare, but they were in control of this one from start to finish. Things weren't the same for the rest of the season, the Huskers had a gutty 17-14 win against #12 Penn State who was arguably thinking about more important matters at the time, were once again demolished by Michigan 45-17, beat Iowa, and then closed the year with a bowl loss against South Carolina.

In 2013 (I'm skipping 2012 because not a lot happened that year, aside from a humiliating 70-31 loss against a 7-5 Wisconsin team in the Big Ten fChampionship Game), the Huskers jumped out to a 21-3 lead against #16 UCLA; they looked bound and determined to make up for their 36-30 loss the year before in a game that saw UCLA explode for 653 yards on offense. Something happened though, who knows what it was, but all of a sudden UCLA rattled off 38, that's THIRTY-EIGHT (5 TDs and a FG) UNANSWERED POINTS against a defense that had allowed just 3 up to that point. The Bruins, who had less than 100 yards of offense through nearly 2 quarters, wound up with over 500 yards of offense by the end of the game.

We were #11 in the country before the Wisconsin game last year; it seems like that game happened ages ago, and we all know how that game turned out.

The Nebraska hype machine can get turned up pretty quickly; we all saw the full force of it before the Texas game in 2010. I'm just wondering if the hyped-up nature of our fanbase puts any amount of added pressure on the players that, coupled with a volatile coach, saw them come out too tight and too stressed out to actually go out and perform.

 

[JJ Husker]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.

We were favored in game 1, and by a combination of execution and coaching, we lost the game.

In game 2, we played a much weaker opponent, and won handily.

There were things in each game we did well, and some we struggled with. Some of your points may be true, some may not, and some can not in any way be objectively measured at this point in time. I suggest a wait and see approach before crowning anyone.

Well I say the heck with the saunders approach.

There is nothing wrong with being biased against Pelini (he earned every bit of it) so, keep up the good work, I will.

The moments of hope and optimism over the last 15 years in this program have been few and far between. I say we enjoy this for now and celebrate it, even if some of it might be premature. We'll have plenty of time to turn on MR if things don't work out. It's almost like some people don't want us to be happy with our coach.

 

[JJ Husker]

Can we all just agree that opinions are not going to be changed from this thread and lock it up?

But this is fun.....

 

[Saunders]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.

We were favored in game 1, and by a combination of execution and coaching, we lost the game.

In game 2, we played a much weaker opponent, and won handily.

There were things in each game we did well, and some we struggled with. Some of your points may be true, some may not, and some can not in any way be objectively measured at this point in time. I suggest a wait and see approach before crowning anyone.

Well I say the heck with the saunders approach.

There is nothing wrong with being biased against Pelini (he earned every bit of it) so, keep up the good work, I will.

The moments of hope and optimism over the last 15 years in this program have been few and far between. I say we enjoy this for now and celebrate it, even if some of it might be premature. We'll have plenty of time to turn on MR if things don't work out. It's almost like some people don't want us to be happy with our coach.

Or.... perhaps it's that some people think anything that remotely resembles a critique of the current staff is because they want Bo back?

Some fans are doing exactly what fans did in comparing Bo to Bill Callahan (and Callahan to Solich). The blind optimism that some people have is hilarious. Unilateral statements like "we've improved at every position/coach" 2 weeks into the season is premature at best. It's the attitude of "everything the old guy did was the worst, and everything the new guy did was amazing" because of the false equivalency that change equals better.

We've played 2 games. If we can't have expectations this early (win x games to show improvement) then surely we can't pass out judgement on what this staff has done/can do with any sort of factual basis.

Now, if you wanna crown them, then crown their a$$. /Dennis Green

 

[RADAR]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.

We were favored in game 1, and by a combination of execution and coaching, we lost the game.

In game 2, we played a much weaker opponent, and won handily.

There were things in each game we did well, and some we struggled with. Some of your points may be true, some may not, and some can not in any way be objectively measured at this point in time. I suggest a wait and see approach before crowning anyone.

Well I say the heck with the saunders approach.

There is nothing wrong with being biased against Pelini (he earned every bit of it) so, keep up the good work, I will.

The moments of hope and optimism over the last 15 years in this program have been few and far between. I say we enjoy this for now and celebrate it, even if some of it might be premature. We'll have plenty of time to turn on MR if things don't work out. It's almost like some people don't want us to be happy with our coach.

+1000

 

[GSG]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.

We were favored in game 1, and by a combination of execution and coaching, we lost the game.

In game 2, we played a much weaker opponent, and won handily.

There were things in each game we did well, and some we struggled with. Some of your points may be true, some may not, and some can not in any way be objectively measured at this point in time. I suggest a wait and see approach before crowning anyone.

Well I say the heck with the saunders approach.

There is nothing wrong with being biased against Pelini (he earned every bit of it) so, keep up the good work, I will.

The moments of hope and optimism over the last 15 years in this program have been few and far between. I say we enjoy this for now and celebrate it, even if some of it might be premature. We'll have plenty of time to turn on MR if things don't work out. It's almost like some people don't want us to be happy with our coach.

Or.... perhaps it's that some people think anything that remotely resembles a critique of the current staff is because they want Bo back?

Some fans are doing exactly what fans did in comparing Bo to Bill Callahan (and Callahan to Solich). The blind optimism that some people have is hilarious. Unilateral statements like "we've improved at every position/coach" 2 weeks into the season is premature at best. It's the attitude of "everything the old guy did was the worst, and everything the new guy did was amazing" because of the false equivalency that change equals better.

We've played 2 games. If we can't have expectations this early (win x games to show improvement) then surely we can't pass out judgement on what this staff has done/can do with any sort of factual basis.

Now, if you wanna crown them, then crown their a$$. /Dennis Green

What's my one rule?

 

[JJ Husker]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.
We were favored in game 1, and by a combination of execution and coaching, we lost the game.

In game 2, we played a much weaker opponent, and won handily.

There were things in each game we did well, and some we struggled with. Some of your points may be true, some may not, and some can not in any way be objectively measured at this point in time. I suggest a wait and see approach before crowning anyone.

Well I say the heck with the saunders approach.
There is nothing wrong with being biased against Pelini (he earned every bit of it) so, keep up the good work, I will.

The moments of hope and optimism over the last 15 years in this program have been few and far between. I say we enjoy this for now and celebrate it, even if some of it might be premature. We'll have plenty of time to turn on MR if things don't work out. It's almost like some people don't want us to be happy with our coach.

Or.... perhaps it's that some people think anything that remotely resembles a critique of the current staff is because they want Bo back?
Some fans are doing exactly what fans did in comparing Bo to Bill Callahan (and Callahan to Solich). The blind optimism that some people have is hilarious. Unilateral statements like "we've improved at every position/coach" 2 weeks into the season is premature at best. It's the attitude of "everything the old guy did was the worst, and everything the new guy did was amazing" because of the false equivalency that change equals better.

We've played 2 games. If we can't have expectations this early (win x games to show improvement) then surely we can't pass out judgement on what this staff has done/can do with any sort of factual basis.

Now, if you wanna crown them, then crown their a$$. /Dennis Green

We don't have to be right and we don't have to be fair. We're fans, the fate of the universe does not rest in our hands. Of course we should be reasonable about it but there is nothing wrong with being a bit giddy and overly optimistic. We haven't had near enough chances at being happy as Husker fans for quite awhile. We don't (at least I don't) need somebody jerking every comment back to absolute reality. I say let some fans enjoy it while we can. We don't know yet if it is real or if it will last. I'm tired of being fed up with our coaches and cynical. Of course others can do what they want. I like the new guys and so far from I've seen they are a huge upgrade. Pelini and his supporters can suck it.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

We've played 2 games. If we can't have expectations this early (win x games to show improvement) then surely we can't pass out judgement on what this staff has done/can do with any sort of factual basis.

I still think signs of improvement don't have to be tied to your magic 9 win marker.

Especially with a young team, a new system, and virtually all our key players returning next season to hook up with Riley's first recruiting class.

 

[RADAR]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.

You are almost correct here, Harbaugh would have barely been an upgrade. but you are correct in thinking that I believe that 408 is a mouth breathing moron and I would boo him off the field should he ever return.

 

[zoogs]

I'm tired of being fed up with our coaches and cynical. Of course others can do what they want.

This is exactly how I feel. What criteria anyone has for being unhappy with the current coaches is their choice. I love this new era, win or lose, although I do think they'll do some good things in their time here.

Bo's maybe not some terrible coach (and it seems this needs to be repeated....), but the bad will he accumulated here, he earned in full measure. No pity for him. Is he getting the brunt of some logically unsound arguments from Husker fans? Boo...hooo...hooo

 

[Saunders]

Its time to put a stake through the Bolievers!

Qb play is much improved

Tackling is much improved

Receiving is much improved

O-line play is much improved

Linebacker play is much improved

Playcalling is much improved

Run defense is much improved

Half time adjustments, ah yes, half time adjustments again!

Team moral and chemistry is much improved

We have professionals that are teachers and not just yellers.

All this and we have yet to field a team at full strength.

If Riley could win a Conference Championship in his first year, hell any year, that would throw the final shovel of dirt on them.

They should build a statue of Eichorst for fixing one of Tom's biggest mistakes.

Thank you Shawn Eichorst, for making decisions to help make Husker football GREAT again.

Simmer down, now.

Even with McNeese State, some of us optimists saw all of the above last season, leading up to Michigan State in Game 6.

I'm high on Mike Riley, but in fairness to the advice I've given his critics, maybe we should all wait a season or three before declaring anything with bold assurance.

I am ok with waiting, but when there is stark evidence it is hard to ignore. In fairness, the optimists ignored 6 years of evidence that it was not going to get better under 408, some still don't see it after an NCAA record of 408 yards was set against NEBRASKA, not Southern Alabama or FAU or any other school that has fielded a pathetic football team in the last 130 years.

I think your bias is so strong against anything Bo Pelini, that you assume anything different is better.
We were favored in game 1, and by a combination of execution and coaching, we lost the game.

In game 2, we played a much weaker opponent, and won handily.

There were things in each game we did well, and some we struggled with. Some of your points may be true, some may not, and some can not in any way be objectively measured at this point in time. I suggest a wait and see approach before crowning anyone.

Well I say the heck with the saunders approach.
There is nothing wrong with being biased against Pelini (he earned every bit of it) so, keep up the good work, I will.

The moments of hope and optimism over the last 15 years in this program have been few and far between. I say we enjoy this for now and celebrate it, even if some of it might be premature. We'll have plenty of time to turn on MR if things don't work out. It's almost like some people don't want us to be happy with our coach.

Or.... perhaps it's that some people think anything that remotely resembles a critique of the current staff is because they want Bo back?
Some fans are doing exactly what fans did in comparing Bo to Bill Callahan (and Callahan to Solich). The blind optimism that some people have is hilarious. Unilateral statements like "we've improved at every position/coach" 2 weeks into the season is premature at best. It's the attitude of "everything the old guy did was the worst, and everything the new guy did was amazing" because of the false equivalency that change equals better.

We've played 2 games. If we can't have expectations this early (win x games to show improvement) then surely we can't pass out judgement on what this staff has done/can do with any sort of factual basis.

Now, if you wanna crown them, then crown their a$$. /Dennis Green

We don't have to be right and we don't have to be fair. We're fans, the fate of the universe does not rest in our hands. Of course we should be reasonable about it but there is nothing wrong with being a bit giddy and overly optimistic. We haven't had near enough chances at being happy as Husker fans for quite awhile. We don't (at least I don't) need somebody jerking every comment back to absolute reality. I say let some fans enjoy it while we can. We don't know yet if it is real or if it will last. I'm tired of being fed up with our coaches and cynical. Of course others can do what they want. I like the new guys and so far from I've seen they are a huge upgrade. Pelini and his supporters can suck it.

Nobody is saying you can't be happy or drink the koolaid. Just don't get mad (not you particularly) and start calling people "Bo lovers" or whatever other stupid thing because they question something that happened.

 

[JJ Husker]

Nobody is saying you can't be happy or drink the koolaid. Just don't get mad (not you particularly) and start calling people "Bo lovers" or whatever other stupid thing because they question something that happened.

I'm not mad and I don't think there are but a handful of Bo lovers on this board but, let's be clear, there are a few. I don't have a problem with people questioning things about the new staff unless it happens to be coming from within this small minority that have proven nothing Riley can do will ever be good enough for them. If they are unwilling to give him a chance then I am going to be just as unwilling to listen to their bullsh#t.

The last guy had 7 years. The least we can do is give the new guys a few years, or in some cases, at least more than 1 or 2 games. I'm fed up with the line of thought that Riley has already proven what his top end is because of his prior coaching jobs. It's only fair to see what he can do at Nebraska (not OSU), with Nebraska resources (not OSU resources), and with his systems and recruits (not Bo's recruits and partially implemented systems). Anybody who won't back it down to that level of reasonableness should expect to get called on the carpet every time they post their bullsh#t. And I'm not saying that is you but there are some; 74Hunter, TheSker, BigRedPowerWagon all come to mind. And there are still a few others who want to jump to wild conclusions based on the results of only 1 game or 1 quarter or 1 play. My tolerance level is not going to be good with them. I think we owe MR and the new coaches our support until they prove it is undeserved. They have not had the chance to prove it is undeserved yet.

 

[The Dude]

Can we all just agree that opinions are not going to be changed from this thread and lock it up?

At first I thought maybe opinions would be changed, but you changed my opinion on that.

 

[BigRedBuster]

I completely agree with JJs last few posts.

I have no problem with someone questioning something that happened this year like our secondary play. Discuss that and talk about Xs and Os. Thats fun.

But, after one game under the new staff that we lost on the last play and I come on here and the first title I see is something to the affect of...."well bo haters you got what you asked for"...well, I'll call that what it is, bull sh#t.

Fans are fanatical and that means many times we have unreasonable or unfounded optimism of a sports team. Good lord, why is it fun for some to be pissed and negative all the time?

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

But, after one game under the new staff that we lost on the last play and I come on here and the first title I see is something to the affect of...."well bo haters you got what you asked for"..

I had not seen that poster before, and I have not seen him since.