Ivan Maisel 3-point stance: Huskers' nice timing

[Nexus]

1. If Nebraska kick-starts a new round of expansion on Friday, I say the guy responsible is coach Bo Pelini. He breathed life into the Huskers program that didn’t win enough under coach Bill Callahan. Pelini has made Nebraska football relevant again, and reminded everyone in the Big Ten what a winning Huskers program can be. Given the Big Ten’s decision late last year to look into expansion, Pelini turned around the Huskers at just the right moment.
2. The Pac-10 Conference has been known for its conservative nature. When other leagues play eight league games, the Pac-10 plays a nine-game, complete round-robin, in part because of the message it sends about a “true” champion. Yet now the Pac-10 presidents have given commissioner Larry Scott authority to move on expansion. The league is conservative no more, and that is a stunning change.

3. Oregon’s dismissal Wednesday of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli sheds new, flattering light on LeGarrette Blount. The former Ducks back gets suspended for throwing a punch at Boise State. He meets requirements set by coach Chip Kelly and gets reinstated for the final two games. Masoli gets suspended for next season for his role in a campus burglary. Kelly sets requirements for Masoli to meet. He didn’t even make it to the summer. Blount grew up. Masoli? Not so much.

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[Fuzzy]

This artcile really made me think. If Nebraska was not so successful under Pelini and I will give credit to the other athletic programs, would a Big 10 invite still be on the table?

 

[Husker_x]

This artcile really made me think. If Nebraska was not so successful under Pelini and I will give credit to the other athletic programs, would a Big 10 invite still be on the table?

I would think so. Nebraska makes insane money off of football win, lose or tie. Our position is certainly stronger than it was in 2007, the peak of irrelevance, but NU has been a brand for decades that draws a crowd. And that's been the bottom line all along.

 

[Nexus]

This artcile really made me think. If Nebraska was not so successful under Pelini and I will give credit to the other athletic programs, would a Big 10 invite still be on the table?

I would think so. Nebraska makes insane money off of football win, lose or tie. Our position is certainly stronger than it was in 2007, the peak of irrelevance, but NU has been a brand for decades that draws a crowd. And that's been the bottom line all along.

:yeah

I'll use Penn St. as an example to put it into perspective. In 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004, Penn St. had losing seasons. I remember the media reporting the heat being put on Paterno's job during that 5 year stretch. Yet last year, Penn St. ranked ahead of us (3rd = PSU, 4th = NU) in the Forbes "Most Valuable Football Programs" edition published a few months back. It just goes to show that their fanbase stuck by them even in the worst of times.

 

[junior4949]

This artcile really made me think. If Nebraska was not so successful under Pelini and I will give credit to the other athletic programs, would a Big 10 invite still be on the table?

I wonder if the better question isn't: If Pud was still the AD at Nebraska would a Big 10 invite still be on the table and would he have been for it?

 

[ticks]

I don't think there is any question. The way expansion is playing out, it is apparent that Delany is jumping on the opportunity to add Nebraska while the opportunity is there. It seems to me that the ultimatum is what essentially forced the rapid departure of Nebraska. The ultimatum forced the decision-makers at Nebraska to make their decision while the Big 12 was in an ever-increasingly precarious position going forward. The Big 10 still seems to be taking their time with the process otherwise.