HuskerFaithful

If you take my comparison, Jimmy Johnson was 1-15 in his first season. I'm sure everyone on the Cowboys boards sounded a lot like a former fan after that year. But I'm sure those former fans came back once the 'boys won the Bowl. Are you going to do the same, FF? BTW, blaming Illinois' mediocre record on the OL coach is absurd. Taking another man's team to the Super Bowl is absurd too. If Gruden is such a great coach, where was his team the last couple of years. I guarantee if you ask any head coach in the NFL how easy it is to get to a Super Bowl game, they're going to look at you like you're an idiot. It's not easy at all.

Winning them over one by one.

FF, is your real name Charles Woodson or Tim Brown? Anyway, here's a comparison for you....the Dallas Cowboys when Jerry Jones took over. Remember how unpopular he was for firing Landry and hiring Jimmy Johnson? During Johnson's first year, the Boys were 1-15. The next year they were 7-9. In 1991, they went 11-5 and got into the playoffs with a wild card. In 1992 AND 1993, they made it to the SUPER BOWL and WON. The Cowboys improved quickly through the draft. Nebraska is going to do it through recruiting. These parallels shouldn't be ignored. Mark my words, we will have the same trajectory as the Cowboys did.

As for the show this thread is referring to, Travis Justice is trying too hard to stir the pot (as a previous poster said). For some reason, in today's society all news and talk programs have become "in your face" and "you're completely wrong because" types of shows. It's the Fox News/Bill O'Reilly model. Of course, he pulls it off much better than Justice. And Zatechka isn't exactly poignant. A step above Tommie Frazier maybe. I caught about 5 minutes of the show once, and that was enough for me. I'm glad that everyone has an opinion, but sometimes people want the facts instead.

FormerFan, I don't know how long you've been a fan but I can remember after the 1987 game against Oklahoma that quite a number of Husker fans were calling for Osborne to be fired or for him to step down. He "couldn't win the big one", etc. Remember those days? From 1973-1997 he never won fewer than 9 games and yet fans wanted him out of there because he couldn't beat Oklahoma. The 1987 loss was the fourth year in a row he lost to them. I think Osborne understood that getting the right players would keep the program at a high level and one day (hopefully "sooner" rather than later) lead to a national title. He kept the program at a high level upon taking over for Devaney, which is something that Frank didn't do. Frank's first couple of years were good because he had the benefit of TO's recruits. Solich's first recruiting class were seniors in the 2002 season, which was the memorable 7-7 campaign. Callahan is getting the program back on track by implementing a modern offense which makes it easier to get the country's top talent. College football is becoming more and more like college basketball, which is to say that it is basically a springboard to the next level. High school studs will want to play for Callahan because of his pro experience and WCO. Have faith people. It will all come together.

As a side note, I can remember Nebraska losing to Oklahoma 17-7 in 1987. I was 12 years old and an impressionable young Husker fan. To this day I can hear Husker fans calling for Osborne to be fired or at least retire. This was the fourth year in a row that the Huskers lost to OU and the "faithful" were ready for a change. Luckily for us fans, Osborne was kept on and he was able to build a successful program. Success spoils fans. Coming off the 1983 Orange Bowl and a narrowly missed National Championship, expectations were very high going into the next couple of seasons. When the results weren't the same, the fans were disappointed. I hope our fans understand that rebuilding a program in a short period of time involves some volatility, but if we get behind the current staff and give them a chance, we will be successful.

Apples and oranges, FormerFan. I'm starting to wonder if you're last name begins with S-O-L and ends with I-C-H. It's hard to argue against the fact that Frank's best season was in 1999. That year NU was 12-1 with a loss at Texas. Comparing Frank's six seasons to Callahan's one is hardly a fair comparison. Over those six seasons, Frank was 1-4 vs Texas and 2-4 vs K-State. Given more games against OU he would have had similar numbers. Frank couldn't win the big game on the road. Given the amount of time that Osborne had to correct that problem isn't possible these days. There's too much at stake. Let's be honest FormerFan, the recruiting fell off the table under the Solich regime. Callahan is rebuilding the team so as to be able to get the top recruits to get us back to the elite of college football.

Amen craigsker. I think this year we'll have more to cheer about, but you're right. The 12th man was on IR for most of last season. Having a confident QB should help us this year.

That has to weigh heavily in the minds of future QB prospects. Who wouldn't want to learn from the best passing QB in the game right now? Great for Zac, for NU, for BC and staff, and for us, the fans.

To Diehard: You've obviously heard of the newcomer of the preseason award handed out at the end of every season. It's a prestigious honor bestowed upon a player by sportswriters and weathermen. They get together at the annual Wild Guesses Passed Off As Predictions conference.

If he's committed to doing it for himself, then good luck to him. If he's doing it because he feels he let people down by quitting a couple of times, then he should move on with his life. To be honest, I don't know how dedicated he is. Only he knows. At least he's not Ricky Williams-ing his career, taking prolonged weed breaks, driving across the country, and then deciding he wants to return to the team he left twisting in the wind. Crouch has class. His one weak moment though was his "going out clubbing" attire at the Heisman Trophy presentation last year.

Perfectly on cue, DaveH. Thanks for the pizza reco's from the Chicagoans on the board.

As a college football fan, I'm excited to see it. I hope we are competitive enough when we play out there. A good showing would definitely be a confidence builder. As far as the game here in '07, I think we win that one, on our way to a BCS bowl game. ESPN College Gameday will be here. It would be comparable to the Notre Dame game as far as attention, but much more competitive. Looking forward to it.

I agree with Pillen in that Octavien and Taylor will step up and assume leadership roles. Taylor, if nothing else, will lead by example. I think he can get it done. That will breed confidence in the players around him. I don't think the team has had confidence in a QB since Crouch.

Very cool, dude. Kind of freaky like you said. Thanks for the link.

To FormerFan: Grandma just called and said you're supposed to go home. She said she doesn't want you here when she gets back because you've been ruining everybody's lives and eating all our steak. But on a serious note, in defense of Callahan, he is a damn good coach. And in defense of Blake, he is a damn good recruiter. Callahan took a team to the Super Bowl that Jon Gruden couldn't. And as for the mutiny that occurred, you get that in pro sports because of the economics. When players make 10 times what the coach does, it breeds an "I'm bigger than you" mentality, which meets any kind of criticism by refusing to play for that coach. Blake recruited something like 18 of the 22 starters on the 2000 national championship team. He never had a chance to coach them because he was fired. He wasn't given the time to rebuild the team. Ole Bobby Stoops takes over and everyone thinks he's a genius. He's a great coach, but he took over a team that was stacked, something that Callahan didn't have the luxury of doing. One more question though, if you're a former fan, shouldn't you move on with your life? Kind of like a breakup.

For some reason, I'm picturing Homer Simpson saying "Mmm!!, butter garlic dip."

Thunderstruck is taken by the Lincoln Stars is it not? Enter Sandman brings memories of Mariano Rivera coming on to blow yet another save against the Red Sox. Which actually warms my heart. I'm in favor of keeping the song the same. It still sends chills down my back and I'm sure the players and pretty much everyone else in the stadium. How about playing some really weak, soft song when the other team comes out?

I'm surprised at the number of early commits to Texas and Ohio State. Not that that means a whole lot, but these are pretty highly ranked recruits. Those are two good programs but I can't remember these teams dominating like the Huskers of 94-97.

StuckInChicago, what are your thoughts about Giordano's? That was my first experience with Chicago deep dish pizza and I've been back numerous times. Somehow blood stills flows into and out of my heart after eating there.

For a beer and pool game, Old Chicago is good. If you're looking for good food, try Lazlo's, Fireworks, Vincenzo's, and pretty much any other place not named Old Chicago. If you can't find a hotel room downtown, there are several just off I-80 on 27th Street, which are just a short drive or cab ride from downtown.

No "Pam-eo"?

Just curious as to how hopeful Husker fans are going into the next couple of seasons.

1) How long have you been a member of Husker Nation? 29 years 2) What/who led you to The Nation? My Dad works for the University and I've been going to the Stadium since I was 5 or 6 years old. 3) Where are you from originally? Lincoln 4) Where do you live now? Lincoln 5) Favorite Husker memory? On TV...1995 Fiesta Bowl victory. Live...Nebraska beating Notre Dame in South Bend...OR...Nebraska beating Colorado in 1994. 6) Worst Husker memory? Watching CU run up the middle every freakin' play and smoke us 62 to something. 7) Number of home games attended? I figure about 100. 8) Number of away games attended? 7 9) Favorite Husker memorabilia/apparel? GO BIG RED t-shirt from HuskerFaithful.com 10) Favorite place to watch a Husker game? (section in Memorial, bar, friends house etc.) Memorial Stadium Section 2, a couple rows from the field. 11) Favorite all time player? Peter Brothers 12) WCO or Option? Mid-west Coast Offense 13) Stevie Pederson or Billy Byrne? Pederson 14) Lil Red or Herbie Husker? LR 15) Favorite Husker play? Stuntz to Crouch vs OU 16) Favorite game-day beverage? Cliff's Sharkwater 17) How did you find HuskerBoard? (referral source) Google Check out www.huskerfaithful.com for the latest in Husker t-shirts and apparel.

That should help the team as far as scholarship spots for this year. If I recall they were trying to reconfigure this year's class because they offered more scholarships than were allowed. Can't recall if those two WR's were on scholarship though.