BuzzardBilly

Of course Urban Meyer said that. But if you read the quote completely, it wasn't a reflection of the NU program, but the bone headed athletic director. Urban said "Why would I want to go some place that just fired a coach that won 75 percent of his games?" Urban's question was a fair one. Any time you fire a coach who bats .750, it's going to be tough to find another. When everyone in the NFL figured out Jerry Jones's personality, how many hot shot prospects do you see lining up for a chance to coach Dallas, every time he fires someone? Zero. Yet Dallas is the most valuable team in the NFL in terms of market value.

If you don't feel it's a worthy topic, why not move on and let someone else post?

As I have thought back many times about the 2004 season, I have asked myself, in seriousness, did Callahan sabotage the season? First, what would have been his motive? To show that there was inferior talent and that there would be "a lot" of rebuilding needed, buying himself several years and setting himself up to be a hero at the same time. Remember, the very same was accused of him at Oakland by a number of players. Check out this statement from Wilkipedia: "Despite the success of his 2002 team, the 2003 Raiders had a losing record. After his team got off to a 2-5 start, many of his players, in particular Charles Woodson, publicly demonized the coach, even suggesting that Callahan was deliberately trying to sabotage the season. Apparently, his accusations of strife and mutiny within the clubhouse were corroborated by others, including veteran receiver Tim Brown. Callahan, his supporters claim, had recognized that the team was aging and needed younger talent. To get it, he would have to cut existing salaries, an assertion that did not sit well with many of the team's veterans." Think back about some of those games in 2004. There were a lot of times when running the football would have kept us in games, but instead Cally would chunk the ball. See Texas Tech, 70-10 as an example. At the time, we all in the stands, Tech and NU fans alike, were asking "what is this guy doing?" At the time, I thought "he's just trying to install his offense." But as time as gone on, I really wonder if he was deliberately sabotaging the season for the aforementioned motive. Am I way out of line here?

This is all so stupid. Ohio State is no step up from Nebraska. So they won a couple more games than NU did this year. If NU had been in the Little 10, they would have done just as well. Gimmee a break already. Ohio is smack in the rust belt. No one is going to bolt from Nebraska to Ohio State and consider it any sort of promotion. Pelini's here to stay, barring something bizarre. Bizarre is the most likely culprit of him leaving before he retires.

I was in Starkville, MS yesterday at the Holiday Inn near campus and I was pinching off a loaf in the lobby restroom. There was a guy right next to me doing same. What was weird was when I was washing my hands he came out and he had a Buffalo sidelines jacket on and he was African American. I'm almost sure it was Turner Gill. I didn't know what to say except I wanted him to tell me about his quarterback squat and he just called me a perv and walked out. What's wrong with asking a qb about his squat?

I can think of a few plays over the last decade that tilted the Husker program: The first was in 1998 I believe, when Dan Alexander was hurdling into the endzone at Texas...and fumbled the ball before he broke the plane. Solich's Huskers likely would have played for the national championship that year without the fumble. That might have given Solich a lifetime pass in Husker Nation. The second play was in 2006, when #1 Texas was in Lincoln. NU was leading and needed one more first down to ice the game. Nunn fumbles, Texas wins. I hate to say it, but a win here could have meant Cally was around for another year or two. The third play was last Saturday, when Henery kicked a highly improbably field goal. The fruits of the kick are many and will continue to unfold in the coming weeks, but it was on national TV and the nation got to see the Huskers pull one out in front of a frenzied crowd. A highly regarded KU commit decommitted and opted for the Huskers. NU got into the Gator Bowl instead of the toilet bowl, which provides for a huge springboard going into the final recruiting stretch and into next year. This program is going to be scary good, and maybe as soon as next year.

People have short memories around here. This team was a total basket case a year ago. We got pasted by the Aggies at HOME. Road games were almost certain losses under Cally. Get real. This is a miracle.

who's Crabtree?

Or maybe it was to get away from Callahan.

Good that means we can run it down their throats - the Nebraska way. Eat your heart out Clownahan.

I'll tell you how we lost it: This was the first legit team we played since the Callahan debacle and our kids' brains were still numb. Didn't know how to win and are in fact still learning. You don't shake the loser mentality overnight.

I was at the Astoria in the Meadowlands at a conference and several of the Jets coaches were there. I had to pinch off a loaf and went in to the bathroom and it so happens that Bill Callahan was dropping off some chocolates in the stall next door. I said "hey coach how about those Huskers!!!" He started mumbling a little bit and said "That was a heckufa fubol team. No question about it...heckofa fubol progam no question about it. We're hurtin' a 'lil bit right now. Our guys are really hurt'n right now no question about it but that was one heckuva fubol team out there." I said but Bill, we won the game against KSU by 10 points! He said "Oh yea, no question about it, that was coaching. That was good coaching. No question about it. Heckuva coaching job. Heckuva fubol team." Finally, I asked him if he did that mouth-open tick when he takes a dump, and he said only if it's a full load. then he does the double mouth open.

I would say they are equally talented. But when you have a block head for a coach like we've had for the last 4 years, it's hard to know. I know this, Cally burned a lot of good talent in this program.

Bill Callahan was a buffoon, and an arrogant one at that.

Who is Pickle?

Mine goes like this: 10 wins, 7 losses 1991 at ASU - W 1995 Orange Bowl - W 1996?? at Texas Tech - W 1996 Fiesta Bowl - W 1999?? at Texas A&M - L 2000 at Texas Tech - W 2000 at OU - L 2001 OU in Lincoln - W 2002 Rose Bowl - L 2003 Arizona State in Lincoln - W 2003 Penn State in Lincoln - W 2003 Kansas State in Lincoln - L 2004 Kansas in Lincoln - W 2004 at Texas Tech - L 2005 no games 2006 Texas in Lincoln - W 2007 USC in Lincoln - L 2008 at Oklahoma - L

Callahan was "done" in my book when he let the team get their a**es handed to them in Lubbock on that fateful night. The was an unforgivable sin in my book and a complete embarrassment to the university, the city of Lincoln, the state of Nebraska, and, what the heck, the whole world. As for Frankie, yes, had he won the Rose Bowl, he would be our coach right now. My luck on attending NU games hasn't been so good lately. Here are my last ones: 2008 - NU at OU - need I say more? 2007 - USC at NU - need I say more? 2006 - Texas at NU - we should have won this 2004 - KU at NU - we barely won 2004 - NU at Tech - need I say more? 2002 - Rose Bowl - need I say more? Just figuring in my head quickly, my last 6 Nebraska games, the score has been in the neighborhood of: Opponents: 286 NU: 130 I'm a bad omen for the 'Skers.

A few rambling thoughts about Callahan and some what ifs... 1. If we had beaten Texas in Lincoln in 2006, or Austin in 2007, would he still be our coach right now? 2. What was the "last straw" game that broke Billy's back? 3. What would our record be right now if Billy was coach? 4. I wonder what he thinks about NU now? 5. What was his fatal flaw (if you could just name one thing) Here are my answers: 1. Quite possibly 2. Oklahoma State 2007 3. One less win than right now 4. I bet he tries to forget about it, though I bet he watches NU 5. Obstinence. Trying to fit square pegs in round holes. Knowing full well you don't have the personnel to run a WCO, yet you run it anyway, even if it means you get blown out 70-10.

2004 was all about having an idiot for a coach, and nothing about the QB.

I think we're in good shape next year, depending on what your expectations are. While the QB question is an issue, we have a stable of capable QBs and I figure that will be well sorted out by the 2nd or 3rd game. Don't count out Spano. The other skill positions will be much more mature than this year, so there will be less pressure to have a QB firing on all cylinders in the first couple of games. That said, a seasoned QB could give us at least a shot at the MNC next year if the remainder of the team improves at its current pace. I do not look for us to be in the MNC hunt due to an inexperienced QB. But I do look for us to win the north and very possibly offer a highly competitive Conference Championship game. Maybe not a BCS bowl next year, but knocking at the door.

I don't know that this happened to any of our boys this year, but occasionally a player misses most of the season because he's behind bars. If they can grant a "medical" redshirt, what would be the harm in granting an incarceration redshirt? You hate to see a kid's season thrown away because he got drunk and violent at a party, etc.

Those guys... They can Ty Willingham and bring in Charlie - "the messiah" of Notre Dame football. In 2006, they LOCK DUDE UP for 10-years at an estimated $4 million per season. Meanwhile, they sink to the depths of the 1-A mediocre. It's going to take a lot of sheckles to buy this guy out. And then you have to go find your next "messiah". ND shot their wad on Charlie and they suck. WOW. We've got it good around here in Bugaha.

How easy the schedule is next year will depend on how good we are.

I know first hand that this was a lynch pin for getting BO "N" last year. Of the 8 fish they took from Baton Rouge, 7 of the eight have made it and are thriving. There was some coral that died in the move due to a little bit of a chemical problem. Coral is actually an animal not a plant. But as the aquarium matures and more fish are added, I hope that this will provide a sufficient deterrent when Ohio State comes calling. Happy days are here again.

Me, my wife, and our two kids (8 & 5) are driving over for the game from Amarillo. We would love to catch up with some fellow Husker fans. I didn't know if there was any kind of official Nebraska tailgating area or what but I thought I would ask.