hanging on to the good days

[chucker21]

I was sitting back today after the loss and the phone calls and i was just thinking. I am a junior in highschool so i am probably a few years younger then a few of you and i get a totally different perspective on things.

 

I have lived in Nebraska all my life and i have been born and raised a husker fan. My dad was a fan and always loved to watch the games so i grew up watchin them along side him and my brother.

 

Everyday at school when we talk about football i always pipe up for the huskers and i stand strong with all my comments. It seems almost that this state is getting over run by texas fans and miami fans.

 

I was unfortunate enough to miss the true glory days of the huskers.And i am sure that is where alot of you gained so much respect for the huskers and the program and really you started to follow them.

 

What i am tryin to say at 1 oclock in the morning is i think husker pride is dieing in our young people.

 

what will happen to our attendance records when the people that lived through the glory days move on?

 

Let us all pray we become truely dominate again, let us hope that we get back to the days where texas and oklahoma truely feared us

 

Because husker tradition is dieing in the young people and that is where we are goin to need it most.

[Blackshirt]

Great post. I think you make some interesting points for any age, and the fact that you are still in HS makes them even more impressive.

 

I guess we just have to hope that the new era of Husker fans have as much respect & class as the current and past eras. We have to hope the current era has not been jaded too much by the big business-esque mentality College Football has begun to assume, and continue to raise tomorrow's generation to have strong values and pride, as its obvious your Dad has done a good job of Chuck.

 

All I can say is keep the faith, keep the pride, and keep the spirit b/c we WILL be back at the top brutha - we have the karma, we have the will, and we KNOW THE DAMN WAY to the TOP. Husker Nation is too strong and has worked too hard to just fade off into CF oblivion - that spot is reserved for Kstate.

 

Stay strong - stay red. peace

[Red November]

It is a very critical time right now for the Huskers. And for some of us its hard us to realize what's happening the younger folks. One thing I can tell you is listen to all those stories, ask questions, and have fun with it. If someone ask you why are you still a fan, you say because this is my home state and this is my hometown University.

 

Also even with some knew Miami and Texas fans here, you have to realize that the Alumni base for Nebraska is great, I'll put every last dollar that NU has more fans in Miami than there are Miami fans in Nebraska, some can be said for Texas.

 

These types of bandwagon fans always go in trends. When Nebraska starts winning a lot again all those fans will flop back to NU.

 

I have also notice that when people move away frm Nebraska they will become big NU fans even though when they resided in the state they weren't. It's as if they look for some kind of connection back to their home state.

[DaveH]

I have been an NU fan all my life and will continue to be and I see where you are coming from. From my point of view, its hard to be a football fan in Nebraska and not be a Husker fan. I know people who have moved here from other states and become fans shortly after the move.

 

I am certainly not in touch with people your age anymore, although I am probably only 7 years older than you. There will always be fans like you and I who have always been fans and always will be. These fans usually come from family history. Hopefully, families keep passing the tradition on.

 

Go big red.

[Redout]

Yeah these things always seem to go in cycles. It'll come back

[junior4949]

I'm not a lot older than you, but I was there during the glory days of the mid-90's attending college at UNL. However, I also remember struggling with my ties to Nebraska football during the mid to late 80's when we would inevitably meet up with a Florida school in a bowl game and get pounded. Dr. Tom was never given anything and for most of his career was even considered a joke by many. Nebraska at that time could even be compared with K-State by lining up patsies to play on Saturdays just to pad their record. Dr. Tom nearly took the Colorado job back in the mid-70's because of the heat he was getting. How did he turn everything around? He began actively recruiting excellent athletes who had questionable characters. These guys were more readily available because most schools didn't want the problems associated with them. Dr. Tom was very good at keeping these guys out of trouble until Nebraska found success once again. We all know what happened next.

 

In my opinion, Frank Solich was hired to head Nebraska with the main reason being to clean up the team. For the most part, he did achieve this. However, we couldn't compete with the top tier teams again because the "cleaner" athletes just weren't as good as the Lawrence Phillips's, Tyrone Williams, etc. Totally giving up on the program, Steve Pederson decided to make a change. After struggling to get anyone to even consider taking the job, we finally land a NFL burnout who went from being a hero to a zero in the NFL in just two short years. Steve Pederson took a program that had been developed and maintained by coaching longevity and cohesiveness and turned it totally upside down.

 

For the life of me, I'm surprised that you think it is wrong now to root for another teams. I'm alumni, and I can't bring myself to root for Nebraska. I was born here and have lived here my entire life, yet I just can't accept that we gave one man enough power to totally destroy Nebraska football. I will root for anyone other than Nebraska until Bill Callahan is gone, Steve Pederson is gone, and Harvey Pealman is gone. These three will eventually KILL Nebraska football.

 

Unfortunately for us native Nebraskans, football is pretty much all we have. Lincoln Nebraska is extremely difficult to bring recruits into. Once we fade into a mediocre team which we're well on our way, I'm not sure it will ever come back. Unlike Texas, Colorado, and even Oklahoma; we just don't have the recruiting base even in our home state.

 

In my opinion, Nebraska football is in a lose lose situation. If Bill Callahan struggles and posts a losing record, obviously he will be fired. If Bill Callahan is successful, he will be gone also heading back to the NFL. So, why did we hand the keys to our football program to a guy who will be gone within 5 years no matter whether he's successful or not? To me, this is why a lot of fans are abandoning Nebraska right now. Pederson could have rectified the situation by giving Bo Pelini or Turner Gill a chance. Now, he just has to hope and pray Callahan leaves because of success rather than failure. Next week after we lose to Pitt., I can truely say "welcome to Nebraska Bill"!

[RedCountry]

Interesting post jr and welcome to the board. altho it seems the fire for NU football has somewhat dimmed within you, I hope you still share your opinions on things around here b/c IMO seeing both sides of the dichotomy of an NU fan is important.

 

However I must respectively take exception to a number of points you made. 1) Altho I dont agree with the way SP handled the situation, all programs are virtually put into the hands of one man - NU is no different here - unfort handling a college team like a big business is just a sign of the times, and its time most NU fans took a peak from outside their Big Red glasses and recognized we are in a different era.

2) I dont see Callahan leaving NU if he is successful. Maybe Im just being blissfully oblivious here myself, but I think he's genuine when he says he wants to retire at NU. And if he isnt successful - well he will get a bit more of a chance to right things than most would - b/c he is "steves guy" - but yes you are right he would be run out of town upside down - but not by SP - by the very own "Husker fan".

3) You said SP could have fixed the sit by giving Bo P the reins - this contradicts your earlier statements - he is no less an outsider that could potentially abandon NU for the NFL than BC - even more so in many opinions b/c he has outwardly stated he has HC NFL aspirations.

 

Anyway I digress. Im sure some others will have some itnersting responses as well.

RC

[DaveH]

I'm not a lot older than you, but I was there during the glory days of the mid-90's attending college at UNL.  However, I also remember struggling with my ties to Nebraska football during the mid to late 80's when we would inevitably meet up with a Florida school in a bowl game and get pounded.  Dr. Tom was never given anything and for most of his career was even considered a joke by many.  Nebraska at that time could even be compared with K-State by lining up patsies to play on Saturdays just to pad their record.  Dr. Tom nearly took the Colorado job back in the mid-70's because of the heat he was getting.  How did he turn everything around?  He began actively recruiting excellent athletes who had questionable characters.  These guys were more readily available because most schools didn't want the problems associated with them.  Dr. Tom was very good at keeping these guys out of trouble until Nebraska found success once again.  We all know what happened next.

 

In my opinion, Frank Solich was hired to head Nebraska with the main reason being to clean up the team.  For the most part, he did achieve this.  However, we couldn't compete with the top tier teams again because the "cleaner" athletes just weren't as good as the Lawrence Phillips's, Tyrone Williams, etc.  Totally giving up on the program, Steve Pederson decided to make a change.  After struggling to get anyone to even consider taking the job, we finally land a NFL burnout who went from being a hero to a zero in the NFL in just two short years.  Steve Pederson took a program that had been developed and maintained by coaching longevity and cohesiveness and turned it totally upside down.

 

For the life of me, I'm surprised that you think it is wrong now to root for another teams.  I'm alumni, and I can't bring myself to root for Nebraska.  I was born here and have lived here my entire life, yet I just can't accept that we gave one man enough power to totally destroy Nebraska football.  I will root for anyone other than Nebraska until Bill Callahan is gone, Steve Pederson is gone, and Harvey Pealman is gone.  These three will eventually KILL Nebraska football. 

 

Unfortunately for us native Nebraskans, football is pretty much all we have.  Lincoln Nebraska is extremely difficult to bring recruits into.  Once we fade into a mediocre team which we're well on our way, I'm not sure it will ever come back.  Unlike Texas, Colorado, and even Oklahoma; we just don't have the recruiting base even in our home state. 

 

In my opinion, Nebraska football is in a lose lose situation.  If Bill Callahan struggles and posts a losing record, obviously he will be fired.  If Bill Callahan is successful, he will be gone also heading back to the NFL.  So, why did we hand the keys to our football program to a guy who will be gone within 5 years no matter whether he's successful or not?  To me, this is why a lot of fans are abandoning Nebraska right now.  Pederson could have rectified the situation by giving Bo Pelini or Turner Gill a chance.  Now, he just has to hope and pray Callahan leaves because of success rather than failure.  Next week after we lose to Pitt., I can truely say "welcome to Nebraska Bill"!

Welcome to the board.

 

1. Frank Solich was hired because Tom retired and basically appointed him. The idea that he was hired to "clean up the team" is asinine in my opinion. You make it sound like the University forced Tom out of his position. I have not read or seen anything that suggests this.

 

2. This is football, not a character contest. Nebraska still has many, many academic all Americans every year and will continue to do so. Even though I think the character argument is BS, I will go with it a bit. There are plenty of players that have decent character. Let's see. Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green, Eric Crouch, Scott Frost are just a few off the top of my head. Any team is going to have it's problem players. Again, this is football and not a character contest. Moreover I think Callahan's indefinite suspension of Icongnito shows that the team will not put up with horrible behavior even if he is key to the team. He was our most experienced lineman and has great talent. He seems to be too much of a jarhead for his own good.

 

If you think this doesn't go on anywhere else you are fooling yourself. If you want to have a team in which everyone is of the highest character at all times, you might consider opening your own school. I don't know of one that exists.

 

3. Callahan’s history at Oakland has more to do with Al Davis and a scenario where he let a few members of the team dictate the direction of the team. Al Davis is the biggest prick in the whole deal. Do some research.

 

4. It's not wrong to root for another team.

 

5. Fans abandoning Nebraska? Did you see the volumes of people tailgating and hanging around before the Western Illinois game? Did you miss the roar when Callahan led the team out for the first time or when the first play from scrimmage was run? Sweet Sweet abandonment.

 

5. I am sick and tired of "fans" with this attitude. These people who are constant nay sayers and continue to live in the past and wallow in your pity for the team, the program and the state in general. I am sorry you insist on feeling this way, but save it.

 

6. Kind of unrelated to your post, but, any realist understands that introducing a new style of offense and a new staff is going to take time. That means we are probably going to lose some games in the first few years. Anyone who thinks otherwise isn't in touch with the reality of the situation and is better off touching base in a couple years. In the mean time, the rest of us will be enjoying watching the new era take hold.

 

News flash. Bill Callahan will not be fired for a losing record this year.

 

Sorry for being somewhat harsh, it's just how it is.

[AR Husker Fan]

One point I'd like to address is the issue of the coaching staff - particularly Calahan - leaving if he's sucessful.

 

Yes, that may happen. I can't deny it. But the point I think there are two points that need to be considered:

 

1. We don't know that he'll leave - certainly, his coaching history doesn't indicate that he's any more or less of a nomad than any other coach. A lot depends on what Callahan wants. But consider this - how many jobs are out there that are better than the head coach at NU? The fan support is unmatched; the resources are unmatched. Yes, recruiting may be more difficult than a Miami, USC or Texas - the base may not be there - but with the tradition NU has, it sure isn't impossible. If a coach is really looking for a place where he'll be given every opportunity to be sucessful and to have longevity, NU's the place if anyplace is.

 

2. The college football landscape has changed. The days of a Tom Osborne, a Vince Dooley, a Bear Bryant, or a Darryl Royal are long gone. There are myriad reasons for it - scholarship limitations and parity, "instant gratification" in society, and so on. The likelihood of any coach making an entire career at any institution is remote. But I think that NU is one of the few schools that might be able to pull it off.

 

But more to the point - if it isn't possible to have longevity anymore, what I want is a coach who wants to win so he can move on as opposed to one that wants to do just enough to hang on.

 

Living in Arkansas now, I've been exposed a lot to the Razorbacks. One thing that I noted is that number of assistant coaches that Frank Broyles had move on to head coaching positions when he was the Arkansas head coach. His philosophy is he wanted assistants that were hungry to get a head coaching position. Why? Because they'd do everything in their power to win and to prove they should move up.

 

It's regrettable that this mentality has pervaded the head coaching ranks - Steve Spurrier is the perfect example. But if it has to happen, give me a head coach that's hungry to get the opportunity by winning at his current job.

[junior4949]

You give the fans way too much credit in my opinion. In 1995, I saw and heard boos from the crowd when Tommie Frazier sat down and Brook Berringer came in. This showed a lot of class from our fans after he basically handed us our chance of even getting to the championship game in 1994. These were the same fans who fell all over themselves sending cards, money, flowers, etc. after Brook was killed in an airplane crash. Fans are fickle. Believe me, if we have a losing record a majority of the "fans" will be calling for Callahan's job.

 

As far as your academic all-americans are concerned, what percentage of these were walk-on players? Callahan has single handedly killed the walk-on program. If you go back through the years, you will find that a lot of these academic all-americans were in fact walk-on players.

 

I've always been of the belief if "it ain't broke, don't fix it". The old era wasn't broke. We just came off of a 10-3 season, and we were nationally ranked. In my opinion, we were far from being broke and mediocre as Steve Pederson would say. Here's a news flash for you, Frank Solich was given two years after playing for a national championship. Bill Callahan will be given the same. If we have a losing record this year, we had better win the Big 12 next year or he's done!

[rawhide]

Didn't Solich recruit Mr. Incognito? Is that cleaning up the program? There have been other problem children in the past. Two Heisman trophy winners weren't given good citizenship papers with the HT. J. Rodgers needed some pull by B. Devaney to stay out of jail and on the team. The top twenty teams all have people that you wouldn't want marrying your sister/daughter (son) etc.. Look at BYU or AFA with the problems they are dealing with today. Even teams without as much publicity or notoriety recruit people that have problems. Granted, Miami recruited that guy that had 15+ felony arrests whoops. Is that win at all costs, depends on your point of view. Gary Barnett and Rick Neuheisel come to mind also. Have problems leave the program and go to another. You can rant and rave all you want about Nebraska football and the ills they may be suffering right now. I will always be proud to be a Husker born and raised, and having lived in California for twenty years I'm still proud of being a HUSKER GBR Nobody on this board or any other board except the Board of Regents makes the determination of who stays or goes. I think the majority of the fans in Nebraska and around the country are a little more inclinded to give Coach Callahan the benefit of the doubt for more than two years.

[DaveH]

You give the fans way too much credit in my opinion. In 1995, I saw and heard boos from the crowd when Tommie Frazier sat down and Brook Berringer came in. This showed a lot of class from our fans after he basically handed us our chance of even getting to the championship game in 1994. These were the same fans who fell all over themselves sending cards, money, flowers, etc. after Brook was killed in an airplane crash. Fans are fickle. Believe me, if we have a losing record a majority of the "fans" will be calling for Callahan's job.

 

As far as your academic all-americans are concerned, what percentage of these were walk-on players? Callahan has single handedly killed the walk-on program. If you go back through the years, you will find that a lot of these academic all-americans were in fact walk-on players.

 

I've always been of the belief if "it ain't broke, don't fix it". The old era wasn't broke. We just came off of a 10-3 season, and we were nationally ranked. In my opinion, we were far from being broke and mediocre as Steve Pederson would say. Here's a news flash for you, Frank Solich was given two years after playing for a national championship. Bill Callahan will be given the same. If we have a losing record this year, we had better win the Big 12 next year or he's done!

1. Where was I giving the fans any credit? I know fans as a group are fickle. The fans that reside here are not fickle. That's who I am talking about. They and I will be around for a very very long time. The same fans that would be calling for Callahans job are the same that are still hanging on to the idea that somehow Frank will come back. I think some of these people work at LJS, after reading a couple articles posted here.

 

2. What percentage are walk on players? I don't know off the top of my head. You brought the topic up, you back it up. The fact is that most of the team wasn't made up of walk-ons before and even less now. Either way I don't see the cutting of the walk-on program effecting this. Callahan himself has said that walk-ons are still accepted but you have to bring something to the team. Some walk-on's in previous years have been nothing but filler really.

 

3. Sure, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. However, whether it was broke is debatable. I think we were settling into mediocrity and recruiting was lacking. That's one thing that we will never know and debating it further is futile. Where were you in January and February? This was dicussed at extreme length.

 

4. Two losing seasons is one thing. I stated that he wouldn't be fired after this season, IF it is losing, because I really believe it won't be a losing season. Call it being a fan, but I have some faith in the team and the staff.

[DaveH]

Didn't Solich recruit Mr. Incognito? Is that cleaning up the program? There have been other problem children in the past. Two Heisman trophy winners weren't given good citizenship papers with the HT. J. Rodgers needed some pull by B. Devaney to stay out of jail and on the team. The top twenty teams all have people that you wouldn't want marrying your sister/daughter (son) etc.. Look at BYU or AFA with the problems they are dealing with today. Even teams without as much publicity or notoriety recruit people that have problems. Granted, Miami recruited that guy that had 15+ felony arrests whoops. Is that win at all costs, depends on your point of view. Gary Barnett and Rick Neuheisel come to mind also. Have problems leave the program and go to another. You can rant and rave all you want about Nebraska football and the ills they may be suffering right now. I will always be proud to be a Husker born and raised, and having lived in California for twenty years I'm still proud of being a HUSKER GBR Nobody on this board or any other board except the Board of Regents makes the determination of who stays or goes. I think the majority of the fans in Nebraska and around the country are a little more inclinded to give Coach Callahan the benefit of the doubt for more than two years.

Word!

[DaveH]

One point I'd like to address is the issue of the coaching staff - particularly Calahan - leaving if he's sucessful.

 

Yes, that may happen. I can't deny it. But the point I think there are two points that need to be considered:

 

1. We don't know that he'll leave - certainly, his coaching history doesn't indicate that he's any more or less of a nomad than any other coach. A lot depends on what Callahan wants. But consider this - how many jobs are out there that are better than the head coach at NU? The fan support is unmatched; the resources are unmatched. Yes, recruiting may be more difficult than a Miami, USC or Texas - the base may not be there - but with the tradition NU has, it sure isn't impossible. If a coach is really looking for a place where he'll be given every opportunity to be sucessful and to have longevity, NU's the place if anyplace is.

 

2. The college football landscape has changed. The days of a Tom Osborne, a Vince Dooley, a Bear Bryant, or a Darryl Royal are long gone. There are myriad reasons for it - scholarship limitations and parity, "instant gratification" in society, and so on. The likelihood of any coach making an entire career at any institution is remote. But I think that NU is one of the few schools that might be able to pull it off.

 

But more to the point - if it isn't possible to have longevity anymore, what I want is a coach who wants to win so he can move on as opposed to one that wants to do just enough to hang on.

 

Living in Arkansas now, I've been exposed a lot to the Razorbacks. One thing that I noted is that number of assistant coaches that Frank Broyles had move on to head coaching positions when he was the Arkansas head coach. His philosophy is he wanted assistants that were hungry to get a head coaching position. Why? Because they'd do everything in their power to win and to prove they should move up.

 

It's regrettable that this mentality has pervaded the head coaching ranks - Steve Spurrier is the perfect example. But if it has to happen, give me a head coach that's hungry to get the opportunity by winning at his current job.

Good post.

 

I thought Callahan had said that he wants NU to be his last stop? Correct me if I am wrong.

[rawhide]

Dear Dave,

 

 

Thanks for addressing all the issues that needed answering. I don't get the LJS anymore. The Husker HotPak got to California the day after they played the next game and I get better coverage on the web with Huskers.com and all of the great chat boards and sports sites.