End of an Era.

The OP paints Riley in a light that just isn't accurate.  He absolutely is an average coach with average results, the numbers don't lie and unfortunately his time here has been disappointing overall.  But Mike Riley the man, Mike Riley the coach, Mike Riley the recruiter....he doesn't deserve the backlash like that.  He came here and has tried to win games, change the culture and make the program proud.  The resuls haven't been much better than the rest of his career, this is true.  But this isn't us parting with a man that came to resent us and us likewise.

After Riley is gone, I'm not going to piss and moan about his tenure here.  He tried and came up short, but he did it with class and he did it like a professional.  In the long run I feel he is doing one thing he was hired to do, change this program for the future.  When the next guy takes the reigns he is leaving them a much better situation than some want to admit.

 
Redux said:
The OP paints Riley in a light that just isn't accurate.  He absolutely is an average coach with average results, the numbers don't lie and unfortunately his time here has been disappointing overall.  But Mike Riley the man, Mike Riley the coach, Mike Riley the recruiter....he doesn't deserve the backlash like that.  He came here and has tried to win games, change the culture and make the program proud.  The resuls haven't been much better than the rest of his career, this is true.  But this isn't us parting with a man that came to resent us and us likewise.

After Riley is gone, I'm not going to piss and moan about his tenure here.  He tried and came up short, but he did it with class and he did it like a professional.  In the long run I feel he is doing one thing he was hired to do, change this program for the future.  When the next guy takes the reigns he is leaving them a much better situation than some want to admit.
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Yeah, I get what you are saying...but think about what you are really saying.  You are saying that a coach with 40 years experience came here and did the job he was hired to do (except win, the most important part)...I mean really is it that big of a deal?  It is not like Riley took over KU football or SMU after the death penalty.  99% of coaches do it professionally, it really isn't something to be praised for...it is like holding the door open for the person behind you...it is sort of just expected. 

Bo didn't resent "us" he resented the bad guy fans...guess what...so does Riley and his staff.  So does every coaching staff.  Trust me...I have been on tons of them and we resent the hell out of the bad guy fans that yell out things at us during the game or send us emails 30 minutes after the game asking for a "meeting" about their son and his playing time.

There was no "culture" to change, that is a fan thing not a player thing.  There will be now...because now the culture is a losing one and that is more difficult to change.

 
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teachercd said:
Yeah, I get what you are saying...but think about what you are really saying.  You are saying that a coach with 40 years experience came here and did the job he was hired to do (except win, the most important part)...I mean really is it that big of a deal?  It is not like Riley took over KU football or SMU after the death penalty.  99% of coaches do it professionally, it really isn't something to be praised for...it is like holding the door open for the person behind you...it is sort of just expected. 

Bo didn't resent "us" he resented the bad guy fans...guess what...so does Riley and his staff.  So does every coaching staff.  Trust me...I have been on tons of them and we resent the hell out of the bad guy fans that yell out things at us during the game or send us emails 30 minutes after the game asking for a "meeting" about their son and his playing time.

There was no "culture" to change, that is a fan thing not a player thing.  There will be now...because now the culture is a losing one and that is more difficult to change.
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He's a good person and it's a shame he didn't come in with the right mindset to win and win big.  He took it over after a rocky firing and tried the way he knows, it didn't work out.  When he steps down, he will do it with class.

Bo resented a lot more than just the a holes, and I still like him as a coach to be honest.  He just made a lot of terrible coaching choices and let situations control his actions and emotions.  He shouldn't have had this be his first gig.

Culture comes in many forms, a pissed off team and angry fanbase is absolutely a culture.  Now the players may be used to losing, but that is an easy fix with the right hire.  Players will always want to win, the right staff with the right energy get over that hump quickly.

 
Redux said:
He's a good person and it's a shame he didn't come in with the right mindset to win and win big.  He took it over after a rocky firing and tried the way he knows, it didn't work out.  When he steps down, he will do it with class.

Bo resented a lot more than just the a holes, and I still like him as a coach to be honest.  He just made a lot of terrible coaching choices and let situations control his actions and emotions.  He shouldn't have had this be his first gig.

Culture comes in many forms, a pissed off team and angry fanbase is absolutely a culture.  Now the players may be used to losing, but that is an easy fix with the right hire.  Players will always want to win, the right staff with the right energy get over that hump quickly.
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I think we are basically saying the same thing.  

When you think how crappy Bo's staffs were it is even more amazing that he won the games he did.  I still shake my head at that.

 
krc1995 said:
You don't see the difference between the women's volleyball program and the football program? 
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I didn't say they were the same but I would say that Cook sometimes does less with more talent than about any other volleyball coach in the country.   We have had one of the top three most talented teams in the country about every year since Cook took over and yet we don't have that many titles.   I sometimes think the volleyball team may have too much talent at some places and not enough in others at times or Cook has trouble getting the all star team to play as a team.   

But, seriously, the football program is not what it should be but the NU performance in the conference standings is not exceptional either.   We should be in the top three in the all around standings but I don't believe we are anywhere close, are we?

 
84HuskerLaw said:
I didn't say they were the same but I would say that Cook sometimes does less with more talent than about any other volleyball coach in the country.   We have had one of the top three most talented teams in the country about every year since Cook took over and yet we don't have that many titles.   I sometimes think the volleyball team may have too much talent at some places and not enough in others at times or Cook has trouble getting the all star team to play as a team.   

But, seriously, the football program is not what it should be but the NU performance in the conference standings is not exceptional either.   We should be in the top three in the all around standings but I don't believe we are anywhere close, are we?
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You directly compare the two programs.  Cook has plenty of titles and plenty of success.  I just don't get the comparison. 

 
krc1995 said:
You directly compare the two programs.  Cook has plenty of titles and plenty of success.  I just don't get the comparison. 
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Two or three titles is good but I believe we have had enough talent to win 5 or 6 over that time.   Cook has roughly maintained a top notch program and I agree with that generally but i don't think he is not without his faults.   

Besides volleyball, what other NU program is truly "up to a top three of the Big Ten' standard.   I am not saying we should win every title in every sport but in the past, NU was one of the dominant athletic departments in the country by 'all around' comparisons.   I don't think we measure up that way anymore.  Football is not helping but it is not just football.   

 
84HuskerLaw said:
Two or three titles is good but I believe we have had enough talent to win 5 or 6 over that time.   Cook has roughly maintained a top notch program and I agree with that generally but i don't think he is not without his faults.   

Besides volleyball, what other NU program is truly "up to a top three of the Big Ten' standard.   I am not saying we should win every title in every sport but in the past, NU was one of the dominant athletic departments in the country by 'all around' comparisons.   I don't think we measure up that way anymore.  Football is not helping but it is not just football.   
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Wrestling + Track & Field are probably the closest but ever with wrestling it's tough with Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State there.  Baseball should be here but they've obviously struggled under Erstad.

Depending on what your definition of dominant is, one could argue Nebraska has never had a dominant all around athletics department as the best they have ever finished in the Sears Directors Cup is 4th and that was in 96-97.  Since the trophy was instituted in '93-'94 Nebraska has 4 finishes in the top 10 and none since 2000 which coincides quite a bit with Nebraska's football success.

Your statement on Cook not winning 5 or 6 national titles is frankly bewildering.  I mean, they're pretty hard to win and he seems to have Nebraska in the hunt just about every year.

 
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Redux said:
Bo had opportunity to change his staff and refused to even if it meant the difference to being successful.

Mike realized too late that he had to change things up to be successful.
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Not only that but he seems to have made things worse.  I think have a bunch of guys that had never worked together ended up being a mistake.  The DC probably should have mostly brought his people in.

 
shyndy said:
Not only that but he seems to have made things worse.  I think have a bunch of guys that had never worked together ended up being a mistake.  The DC probably should have mostly brought his people in.
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He tried with one and he died. 

 
Redux said:
...Mike Riley the man, Mike Riley the coach, Mike Riley the recruiter....he doesn't deserve the backlash like that...

...When the next guy takes the reigns he is leaving them a much better situation than some want to admit.
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teachercd said:
When you think how crappy Bo's staffs were it is even more amazing that he won the games he did.  I still shake my head at that.
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Redux said:
Bo had opportunity to change his staff and refused to even if it meant the difference to being successful.

Mike realized too late that he had to change things up to be successful.
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Excellent points, guys.  You are starting to make this thread readable.  Too bad I had to read through the rest of it first.

:thumbs

 
Kiyoat Husker said:
Excellent points, guys.  You are starting to make this thread readable.  Too bad I had to read through the rest of it first.

:thumbs
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Yea it is too bad, I don't think that people genuinely hate or dislike Mike Riley. I know from seeing him interview he seems like a real stand up guy. Bo was the antithesis of Riley.  Bo definitely did not embrace Nebraska. The stress of the job was too much for him to handle. He was very reluctant to hire competent coaches. Carl the coke head, Kaz the wife beater, John Papuchis yelling at fans at big red breakfast, Marv Sanders the philanderer, it was a strange cast to say the least. 

I think Riley's downfall is not so much of his fault. I think a good argument can be made  that Eichorst is more culpable for hiring a coach who was the wrong fit. Riley is a pro style likes to toss the ball around. That is not Nebraska football, and the AD should have known better.

I do admit I was a bit harsh on Riley. I do wish him the best, but I also don;t want him coaching this team next year...  

 
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