Finally! Blackshirt Talk

EDIT: Nevermind; it's been addressed. 

I'm encouraged by the steps that Lamar has taken since his benching. DB made mention this morning of how both Lamar and Ziggy can be great role models for guys like Cam Taylor and Mo Washington. 

 
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Personal anecdote: I feel like it's been a long time since we regularly heard players reference internal accountability between their peers. Admitting he didn't want to put it on because it would be a disservice to his "brothers" is a refreshing narrative.

 
Sometimes I feel like the guys who voluntarily take off their Blackshirt are the ones who deserve them most, or at least understand it best. I think back to Callahan's last season, when Zack Bowman stopped wearing his. He went on to play for eight seasons in the NFL, it's not like he didn't have the talent to be a Blackshirt. He probably understood the tradition better than his coaches did.

 
I appreciate Stille's attitude but he might want to back off the Wistrom/Peter standard just a hair. If the players need to get to that level for blackshirt, we may never have one again.

 
Enhance said:
This is mostly where I am, too; I'd probably say I'm neutral about it because I'm fairly neutral about the Blackshirts as a thing.

I think they're fun and a cool tradition, but what they mean needs to be balanced by what they are. In my opinion, a starting defensive player who handles his business off the field, practices to the best of his ability and plays to the best of his ability deserves a Blackshirt. Nothing more or less. Some players and teams have different ceilings.

In this case, if Stille feels he personally hasn't met one of those goals, I'm fine with him turning it down so long as it's not a big deal because (IMO) it shouldn't be. Bigger fish to fry, so to speak.
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I think this is right. As far as I know there really isn’t a written codex regarding what actually constitutes being Blackshirt worthy. If the standard is the Nebraska defenses of the 90’s then we probably won’t ever see them again. But as far as I know that’s not the standard. If it was literally none of the current players probably deserve one. I think it’s a nebulous tradition that probably does more to generate message board discussion then anything else. The fact of the matter is the players and coaches who are there every day know who they can count on. My guess is that matters more then the laundry 

 
JJ Husker said:
I appreciate Stille's attitude but he might want to back off the Wistrom/Peter standard just a hair. If the players need to get to that level for blackshirt, we may never have one again.
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Maybe he means more his attitude and aggression more than actual play?

 
Swiv3D said:
Maybe he means more his attitude and aggression more than actual play?
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Matching their attitude and aggression is maybe an even steeper hill to climb. :lol:   But like I said, I appreciate that he acknowledges it takes more than a pedestrian effort. I just hope he’s not setting the bar too high for himself. He seems to get it and seems deserving of the honor.

 
JJ Husker said:
Matching their attitude and aggression is maybe an even steeper hill to climb. :lol:   But like I said, I appreciate that he acknowledges it takes more than a pedestrian effort. I just hope he’s not setting the bar too high for himself. He seems to get it and seems deserving of the honor.
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Yeah I gotcha, although it's better to shoot for the stars and land on the moon than to never launch

 
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