Hercules

‏@mitchsherman

Interesting move w/the Blackshirts. Bo's pushing lots of buttons this year. He must have a real good feeling or he's worried. Find out soon.

 

 

I'm praying for the former. Bo seems different this year. Seems like he's got more confidence, less "us against the world" about him.

 

Maybe he's just including more people in that "us"

 

He never really struck me as an orgy kinda guy.

Well, let's keep an eye on him. If he grows a mustache and starts wearing all sorts of robes and lotions, we'll know for sure.

My reasoning is the following - and it is bulletproof:<br />

<br />

1. Nebraska has never seen a quarterback the likes of Brett Smith. <br />

... copy/pasted from our QB graveyard thread...

Josh Fields, Oklahoma State, Aug. 30, 2003 - 13/28 (46.4%) - 97 yards - 1 TD - 3 INT

Zack Mills, Penn State, Sep. 13, 2003 - 16/33 (48.4%) - 159 yards - 0 TD - 1 INT

Dustin Almond, Southern Miss, Sep. 25, 2003 - 4/24 (16.6%) - 68 yards - 0 TD - 2 INT

Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M, Oct. 18, 2003 - 7/19 (36.8%) - 77 yards - 0 TD - 3 INT

Jeff Smoker, Michigan State, Dec. 29, 2003 (Alamo Bowl) - 21/39 (53.8%) - 0 TD - 3 INT

Robert Griffin III, Baylor, Oct. 25, 2008 - 9/20 (45%) - 134 yards - 0 TD - 0 INT

Josh Freeman, Kansas State, Nov. 15, 2008 - 7/18 (38.8%) - 114 yards - 1 TD - 0 INT

Cullen Harper, Clemson, Jan. 1 2009 (Gator Bowl) - 17/37 (45.9%) - 206 yards - 2 TD - 2 INT

Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech, Sep. 19, 2009 - 12/27 (44.4%) - 192 yards - 1 TD - 0 INT

Blaine Gabbert, Missouri, Oct. 8, 2009 - 17/43 (39.5%) - 134 yards - 0 TD - 2 INT ***** Oct. 30, 2010 - 18/42 (42.8%) - 199 yards - 1 TD - 1 INT

Landry Jones, Oklahoma, Nov. 7, 2009 - 26/58 (44.8%) - 245 yards - 0 TD - 5 INT

Todd Reesing, Kansas, Nov. 14, 2009 - 19/41 (46.3%) - 236 yards - 1TD - 0 INT

Colt McCoy, Texas, Dec. 5, 2009 - 20/36 (55.5%) - 184 yards - 0 TD - 3 INT

Nick Foles, Arizona, Dec. 30, 2009 - 6/20 (30%) - 28 yards - 0 TD - 1 INT

Nathan Enderle, Idaho, Sep. 11, 2010 - 16/31 (51.6%) - 141 yards - 1 TD - 5 INT

Jake Locker, Washington, Sep. 18, 2010 - 4/20 (20%) - 71 yards - 1 TD - 2 INT ***** Dec. 30, 2010 5/16 (31.2%) - 56 yards - 0 TD - 0 INT

Garret Gilbert, Texas, Oct. 16, 2010 - 4/16 (25%) - 62 Yards - 0 TD - 0 INT

Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State, Oct. 23, 2010 - 18/35 (51.4%) - 283 yards - 2 TD - 1 INT

Quinn Mecham, Kansas, Nov. 13, 2010 - 3/13 (23.1%) - 15 yards - 0 TD - 1 INT

Kirk Cousins, Michigan State, Oct. 29, 2011 - 11/27 (40.7%) - 86 yards - 0 TD - 1 INT

James Vandenburg, Iowa, Nov. 25, 2011 - 16/35 (45.7%) - 182 yards - 0 TD - 1 INT ***** Nov. 23, 2012 - 11/24 (45.8%) - 92 yards - 0 TD - 2 INT

Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State, Sep. 15, 2012 - 16/32 (50.0%) - 138 yards - 0 TD - 0 INT

Kevin Yost, Idaho State, Sep. 22, 2012 - 16/34 (47.1%) - 123 yards - 0 TD - 2 INT

Trevor Siemian & Kain Colter, Northwestern, Oct. 20, 2012 - 16/37 (43.2%) - 121 yards - 2 TD - 0 INT

Denard Robinson & Russell Bellomy, Michigan, Oct. 27, 2012 - 9/27 (33.3%) - 93 yards - 0 TD - 3 INT

Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State, Nov. 3, 2012 - 9/27 (33.3%) - 123 yards - 1 TD - 0 INT

Matt McGloin, Penn State, Nov. 10, 2012 - 18/37 (48.6%) - 240 yards - 1 TD - 1 INT - 1 Safety

Philip Nelson, Minnesota, Nov. 17, 2012 - 8/23 (34.8%) - 59 yards - 0 TD - 2 INT

I am disappointed in this board. I love listening to Bobcat make the rounds on podcasts, he always has tremendously funny stories to tell.

 

Also, have you guys seen his recent movies? He's become a fairly notable independent writer/director - nobody makes dark comedies like he does.

 

Not going to debate that with you, I know he has done a lot of directing as of late. But, he burned a lot of bridges with fans and Hollywood types with his antics. He has spent a lot of time digging out of the hole he created by setting a couch on fire on national TV and his blatant bizarre behavior. He has been rude and nasty to a lot of people over the years. I guess he thinks/thought it was funny.

 

My whole point in starting the thread was just to say how far someone can fall after being a pretty big star. His standup show was ok IMO it wasn't great, but not too bad.

 

 

So is that little clip suppose to exonerate him from doing what he did? That stunt and the Arsenio Hall stuff didn't really endear him to a lot of people. It just looks staged to get a rise out of people.

No, it's not supposed to "exonerate" him. I didn't even know about that those stunts before you mentioned them, so I went and looked it up and stumbled on to that video, which I thought was interesting and funny.

I also don't understand why he needs to be "exonerated." Were the stunts childish and immature? Absolutely. But why would anyone besides maybe some stuck-up Hollywood types take offense?

To return to your OP, you're right, he is not as famous as he was during the Police Academy days. But he's probably far more respected now in smaller circles then he ever was back then.

I am disappointed in this board. I love listening to Bobcat make the rounds on podcasts, he always has tremendously funny stories to tell.

 

Also, have you guys seen his recent movies? He's become a fairly notable independent writer/director - nobody makes dark comedies like he does.

 

Not going to debate that with you, I know he has done a lot of directing as of late. But, he burned a lot of bridges with fans and Hollywood types with his antics. He has spent a lot of time digging out of the hole he created by setting a couch on fire on national TV and his blatant bizarre behavior. He has been rude and nasty to a lot of people over the years. I guess he thinks/thought it was funny.

 

My whole point in starting the thread was just to say how far someone can fall after being a pretty big star. His standup show was ok IMO it wasn't great, but not too bad.

I am disappointed in this board. I love listening to Bobcat make the rounds on podcasts, he always has tremendously funny stories to tell.

 

Also, have you guys seen his recent movies? He's become a fairly notable independent writer/director - nobody makes dark comedies like he does.

His movie "God Bless America" is on Netflix streaming. Haven't seen it. Any good?

 

Watched it based on TNT's review I heard one morning.

 

Very dark comedy, it's kind of like "Falling Down" with Michael Douglas, but this guy takes it out on reality TV stars.

I found it very entertaining, but I could see how one could hate it if you are offended easily.

I watched it just now. It was okay. Not great, but okay. I found myself identifying with the main character's views of reality TV stars. Not to the extent that I would go on a cross country killing spree. But enough that I sometimes roll my eyes and switch channels.

I'm with Stu, I find that movie very entertaining. The killing spree is obviously the storyline, and even if you agree with the movie's stance on the media, you're going to find it really preachy at times. I think those two things could keep a lot of people from enjoying the movie. What makes the movie for me is the writing/dialogue. Scenes like this:

I am disappointed in this board. I love listening to Bobcat make the rounds on podcasts, he always has tremendously funny stories to tell.

Also, have you guys seen his recent movies? He's become a fairly notable independent writer/director - nobody makes dark comedies like he does.

Sipple implied the media access was cut back because of the booster that may or may not have been critical of Bo.

The media access has been changed twice - if I've followed everything correctly, the first practice with media availability was moved back because of the fan day incident (Dirk being Dirk, allegedly). Then later that week, the booster article came out, and Bo changed media access again on the following Monday.

Also did that with Ed Stewart, who ended up winning the Butkus Award.

Did Ed start at safety too? He must have switched early on, because he was a linebacker for several seasons if I recall correctly.

"@JoshHarveyFOX: #Nebraska is experimenting with Nate Gerry at linebacker. More to come on @BigRedReport #huskers"

Boom. Saw that coming, but not so soon. Hopefully speaks to the staff's confidence in the other guys we have at safety. I know I just said Gerry could be something special at safety in another thread, but I think he could be an even better OLB. He has first round ability at that position imo.

Didn't Osborne do this quite a bit in his days? Take a big athletic safety with some speed and move them to LB.

Yep...Jamal Williams. Remember him blowing up the Florida QB for a safety in the 96 Fiesta Bowl.

I believe Troy Dumas also made the switch from safety to linebacker for the 94 team.

Good to hear about SJB. He was in position to create a bunch of turnovers last year, if he had just made a play on the ball - if the light has truly come on, he could be a big time playmaker for us.

Matt O'Hanlon gets name-dropped a lot, but let's face it - there wasn't a single player anywhere on last year's defense who would have been starting on that 2009 defense.

edit: and even that 2009 defense suffered from the same mental breakdowns that have plagued all of Pelini's teams. O'Hanlon's bust against Virginia Tech, anybody? Asante's collar penalty against Texas?

Watched a couple of the games last night that BTN and ESPN were replaying, and I couldn't help but notice that we are more than likely upgrading at every position with maybe the exception of caveman. It's going to be fun to watch the wolves be released this fall.

I was watching too, and would agree about the defense. I'm starting to become optimistic that our defense will be better.

Our offense, on the other hand... It's getting a lot of hype, but man - they made TONS of mistakes last year. They were explosive enough to overcome them much of the time, but they didn't really play like a championship offense last year. I know they're working on eliminating mistakes during fall camp, but when the season starts are Taylor and Ameer really going to stop putting the ball on the ground? Is the offensive line really going to be better at reading the blitz? Is Andrew Rodriguez really going to stop committing three crucially timed penalties per game?

I hope the offense is as good as everyone thinks it will be, but it's been making the same mistakes over and over again for several seasons now.

Just awesome. I have no idea how they will finish it.. because the writers are so creative, you just have no idea where they will take it...

 

 

Brilliant.

Everybody dies. The only good way for it end.

They hinted at that earlier in Season 5, when Walt and Junior were watching Scarface.

"Everyone dies in this movie."

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

 

2) I hear this saying a lot - "You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays."

 

Is there any actual example of a guy being like this? I'm trying really hard to think of a defender over the last 5 years where coaches raved about the way he practiced, started him, and then it didn't show on gameday.

 

Besides, everything that happens on gameday is earned in practice. Everyone here knows that the 90's are never going to happen again, but that doesn't mean there's less truth to the idea that in those days, the practices were tougher than the games. That's why those defenses looked so bloodthirsty on Saturdays - they were like that every single day. If the defense hasn't earned their Blackshirts by the way that they're practicing, then they're not going to suddenly turn into Blackshirts on gameday. They've got to learn to treat every day like gameday if they're going to live up to the tradition.

 

Marcus Mendoza, Zack Lee, and Sam Keller are good examples.

None of those guys were Blackshirts. Sam Keller lost his starting job to an injury. Zac Lee lost his job in practice, not on gameday, and I don't think Marcus Mendoza ever earned a starting position.

1) So how should it have been handled his first year here? Did you agree that they should have had to earn it in 08 after the debacle that was 07??

 

2) We hear people all the time say, "Wait and see." How do you know how good you are if you haven't played a game? So how do you know if they'll play in games like "BlackShirts?"

 

I believe that they were handed out at the appropriate time in 2011. We hammered MSU and their offense never had a chance to sniff the endzone.

 

Trying not to let the last two games cloud my opinion of our defense's body of work last year, I would say after the Michigan game. As Bye Bye showed us, we had times of good play as a defense last year. We weren't absolutely awful every game.

 

 

1) He shouldn't have changed the way it's been done. That's pretty obvious.

 

2) If the defense isn't ready to wear Blackshirts after Fall Camp, whose fault is that?

 

1) I'm fine with this tradition evolving. I don't think it's as much of a distraction than any other weird or redundant question any reporter asks.

 

2) I understand what you are saying, however how do you decipher whether or not they are ready to play at that level yet??? You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays.

2) I hear this saying a lot - "You can be the best practice player in the world but it means nothing if you don't do it on Saturdays."

Is there any actual example of a guy being like this? I'm trying really hard to think of a defender over the last 5 years where coaches raved about the way he practiced, started him, and then it didn't show on gameday.

Besides, everything that happens on gameday is earned in practice. Everyone here knows that the 90's are never going to happen again, but that doesn't mean there's less truth to the idea that in those days, the practices were tougher than the games. That's why those defenses looked so bloodthirsty on Saturdays - they were like that every single day. If the defense hasn't earned their Blackshirts by the way that they're practicing, then they're not going to suddenly turn into Blackshirts on gameday. They've got to learn to treat every day like gameday if they're going to live up to the tradition.

Jesus where did all the rush ends go...

A ton of old school blue-haired responses in this thread that sound a tad Jason Peter-ish

 

And your examples of this are? I think it's been a pretty good discussion but I might be one those old school blue hairs to which you are referring. Sometimes it's not "old school blue hair" to suggest that traditions revert back to how they used to be. Those times IMO would be when the new way is not accomplishing anything and may possibly be providing negative motivation. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I think it's time to shake it up by taking the blackshirt tradition back to the way it used to be. Maybe just maybe it will help provide more blackshirtesque results on Saturdays. I don't see how it could hurt.

 

In 09 if you remember correctly, Bo tried to give them out after we beat Mizzou. The Defense said no. We need to do it one more game and that game was against Texas Tech. We gave up 31 points (7 of which were when Niles Paul fumbled) and only 259 yards against a Mike Leach offense that had usually owned us. They earned them. It has been that way since '08 and I absolutely have no problem with that.

 

Remember in '07? They were given out in camp. That defense towards the end of the year appeared to not even care. I remember watching them and screaming the rhetorical question "Are you even trying?" Over and over at the TV after about the Okie State game that year. I don't recall them ever not getting to wear their black practice jerseys. You tell me. What is a bigger "break in tradition?" A team like the 07 team that ( again to my knowledge) never had to give theirs up. Or a team that comes together and works to earn it and agrees upon it?

 

Again, the players know the deal and they know the standards they are being held to and have agreed upon them. No issue with the way this tradition is being handled.

 

For all your concern about the "old school blue hairs," you seem to have entirely missed the tradition of the Blackshirts. Which is not surprising knowing how youthful you are. But these examples pale in comparison to the Blackshirts the "old school blue hairs" know.

 

I understand that you know a few of the players. That's great. Almost every one of them was born in 1990 or later, and none of them were old enough to really understand this tradition, where it came from and why it means so much to people today. Using these players as examples of how it should be entirely misses the point. They're young men - they have neither the experience nor the memories of the great Blackshirt defenses.

 

There's a predatory aspect to the real Blackshirts that these guys know nothing of. Certainly they don't evince that aspect of the tradition, aside from a few players here and there over the past, say, ten years or so. There were more "true" Blackshirts on the 1993 defense than in all of the 2000s.

 

So you'll have to pardon us "old school blue hairs." Those of us who weren't still crapping our diapers when the last few real Blackshirt defenses played. I guess we just don't understand like you.

Give it to the fullback!

 

Jason Peter should be our DC!!!!!

 

We weren't too far off from this are we??

 

What?

 

A ton of old school blue-haired responses in this thread that sound a tad Jason Peter-ish

If you have an opinion, why not just make a reasonable statement that adds to the discussion, like everyone else in this thread has done, as opposed to accusing everyone you disagree with of being old?

Give it to the fullback!

 

Jason Peter should be our DC!!!!!

 

We weren't too far off from this are we??

What?

You guys may want to start looking at Stanton to back up Taylor this year.

 

Umm...why?

Thought I would chime in again and tell you what I meant now that the news is out that Tommy had additional surgery to clean up his knee. Questionable as to when he will be ready to go again as he has been held out of practice.

Pelini and the reports all made it sound pretty routine. Said that Armstrong wasn't "full-go" yet, but all indications seem to be that he will still be competing for that #2 spot with RKIII.

In 2011, Rex got 284 (I think) carries while we had 3 talented FR backs who could have taken some of the carries from him. He was visibly wore out at the end of the year, or did you forget?

 

Same with last year, the only reason Rex wasn’t ran into the ground again was because he was hurt. But while he was hurt, they ran Ameer into the ground even though they had Heard who could have taken some of that load. Much like Rex the year before, he was noticeably wore out at the end of the year. Even Ameer said something to the effect of “Braylon at 100% is better than Ameer at 80%.”

 

 

I will give you 2011. Which is one instance (even though the other backs got about 8 carries per game - not a ton, but definitely much more than none).

 

However, Braylon wasn't 100% last year. He also had over 50 carries on the season, and Taylor had more as well (throw in 55 carries for Imani as well).

 

So one season we ran a runningback noticeably harder than we should have. Five we didn't.

Gotta agree with 74Hunter on this one. Ameer was overworked last year, and wasn't nearly 100% down the stretch. When he was fresh against Georgia, the difference in his play was shocking, at least to me.

The run at 3:18 in this video - that's Abdullah at 100%. Looks like a small Lawrence Phillips. We need that guy in November/December, and we didn't have that last year. Especially with how loaded the offense is this year and how easy the schedule is, there's no reason for Abdullah to be worn down by the Northwestern game.

I agree with you. Blackshirt are traditionally handed out to the first string D. Over the course of a few yrs, the name blackshirts became so much more, the proud tradition of wearing a black shirt in practice became legendary. It has nothing to do with how good you are as a D, it's that you are the First String Defense for the University of Nebraska, even if you aren't as good as some before you. We're spoiled by years of success with BD, TO. legendary coaches aren't replaced easily. This D will be the most improved in the B1G this year. If the season begins and you're starting D, you should get a blackshirt. Pride has been know to win games at times. GBR

 

I believe the tradition may have started as the entire first team defense getting them but I think the tradition has evolved since the beginning. I think the Blackshirts mean much more than that now. It has evolved into a representation of something fierce and powerful. An intimidation factor in ways.

 

Plus, if I'm not mistaken, isn't Bo himself the one who changed the tradition by not handing them out to the starting defense? So in that itself it has clearly evolved, from the Osborne era and again in Pelini's short time here.

You're right that the tradition has changed over time, but that doesn't necessarily mean that every change has been for the better.

I think the biggest problem with Bo's policy is that it is fickle, and the last few seasons have undercut the symbolism that he's trying to convey. He's attempted to turn the blackshirts into something that must be earned over time, with great defensive performances on gameday that live up to the great Blackshirt defenses of the past. That was cool in 2008-2010, when Bo's defenses got better each week and actually had great performances against great teams that did live up to the Blackshirts of the 70's-90's.

However, in 2011-12, they just handed out blackshirts after the first game where the defense looked halfway decent against a respectable opponent (in 2012, a Bellomy-led Michigan squad). The idea that the defense had somehow "arrived" in that game was later completely blown apart as they gave up an average of 30.5 points per game the rest of the season.

If Bo's only going to hand out Blackshirts once they have supposedly been "earned" by on-field performance, he better be willing to take them away when those standards aren't met, and he better be willing to go entire seasons without distributing Blackshirts (2012 should have been one of those).

I'd prefer a return to the old tradition. If you're on the #1 Defense, you wear a Blackshirt. You're expected to perform like a Blackshirt from day one, not starting halfway through the season. I also love the stories from former players about their first fall camp and seeing the top defense in those things, setting the tone from day 1. THAT'S intimidating.

Over the current policy, I'd even prefer they hand out individual Blackshirts as those players earn them, even in Fall Camp. Ciante Evans should have one from day 1. That might be a nightmare in reality though, practicing with a unit of guys wearing different colors.

Looking at those pictures I see our defense may have even gotten worse at tackling....

I totally agree. I also noticed that Taylor's throwing motion has completely regressed.

See?

Are you sure you Sanders voters are not being influenced by Barry's pro career or Tommies stories of asshattedness since his playing days? Maybe I've got too much built in homer but I don't thinl it's a stretch at all to pick Tommie.

I've seen this several times, and I can only imagine that the people asking this question don't know how good Barry Sanders was in college, much less the NFL. He still owns the record for most rushing yards in a season with 2,638 yards, averaging 238.9 yards per game (240 rushing yards in a single game wasn't great - it was AVERAGE).

I repeat - 2,638 yards - in eleven games. He didn't have 14 games, like modern RB's do, and still there won't be anybody who breaks that record any time soon (this was also before they counted stats from bowl games in records - over 12 games, Sanders had 2,850 rushing yards).

I love me some Tommie Frazier, but he was a system player surrounded by Lawrence Phillips, Ahman Green, some of the best offensive lines of all time, some of the best blocking receivers in the country, and the offenses he led were complimented by nasty defense.

Barry Sanders had Mike Gundy (it's worth noting that not a single Oklahoma State offensive lineman from that 1988 team was ever selected in the NFL draft).