"Diary of a Husker"

[DJR313]

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=2335619

 

 

 

NU Football: 'Diary' a view of Husker life

BY MITCH SHERMAN

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

 

 

LINCOLN - He showed up on campus at Nebraska in 1998 with the same hopes that walk-ons in the football program have shared for decades.

 

 

 

David Kolowski took near daily notes during his five years as a Husker and turned them into a 491-page, self-published book.There's just one difference between David Kolowski and the others.

 

Their stories largely went untold. Not his.

 

Kolowski, a backup center who played three years on the scout team and participated in five games before serving as the starting snapper for place kicks in 2002, kept a journal of his five tumultuous seasons at NU.

 

He has self-published his notes as a 491-page book, "Diary of a Husker," a sometimes-scathing account of the first five seasons of former coach Frank Solich's six-year reign at Nebraska. The compilation represents a departure from previously published material on NU football in that it was written by a self-described "no-name" who maintained near-daily writings on his collegiate life.

 

"I know I'm going to ruffle some feathers with some Husker fans," said Kolowski, a Millard West graduate, now 27 and studying at a chiropractic school in Davenport, Iowa. "But after five years of anything, every single day isn't going to be rosy.

 

"I hope people realize that this is a guy who kept track of his real life - his real thoughts, emotions and feelings. I basically bared everything. I'm laying it all out there."

 

Kolowski said the idea to write a book was born early in his collegiate career. With encouragement from his parents, Bonnie and Millard West principal Rick Kolowski, David decided before his first day at NU to keep a journal.

 

It just so happened that his five years coincided with a historically significant time in the program. Nebraska, which won a share of the national championship a year before Kolowski arrived, slipped from national prominence late in his career.

 

A shakeup on the coaching staff preceded Kolowski's final game, the 2002 Independence Bowl, and Solich was fired a year later.

 

"When I got done playing, everybody would always ask what happened," Kolowski said. "What happened to Solich? Why is the team in disarray right now? And here I am, I have this diary of five years of highly detailed information.

 

"It answered everything, in my mind. I had to get it out."

 

Among the notable aspects of the book:

 

• Kolowski describes Solich as a poor communicator and blames a lack of leadership among players in the post Grant Wistrom-Jason Peter era for essentially softening the team.

 

The author explains that the Huskers didn't respond with the expected angst after losses in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

 

Wistrom and Peter, the defensive captains on the 1997 title team, "didn't really train a protg," Kolowski writes, "so their influence stopped when they left."

 

Peter, though, did show up to speak to the team before the 2002 Rose Bowl against Miami. In a pregame pep talk, he offered a $1,000 reward, according to Kolowski, to any defender who could knock UM quarterback Ken Dorsey out of the game.

 

• Kolowski offers some insight into the publicized removals by Solich of high-profile players DeAngelo Evans and Randy Stella. The writer also discusses some of the internal problems caused by controversial lineman Richie Incognito.

 

• Kolowski describes the extravagant bowl-game perks and details the monetary, dietary and material benefits - all legal under NCAA rules - available even to the walk-on players.

 

• Kolowski writes about players showing up drunk and hung over to practice on December mornings, when the coaches worked the Huskers extra hard to "show off" for visiting recruits.

 

• He describes how the offensive linemen, on the team bus home from Manhattan, Kan., after a 49-13 loss in 2002, consumed pre-made containers of Long Island Iced Tea and whiskey-and-cola concoctions.

 

Much of the book involves Kolowski's evolution from wide-eyed freshman to disgruntled upperclassman. He writes of how he blamed himself for the 27-24 home loss to Texas in 2002, in which NU bungled two field-goal attempts in the first half.

 

The book features a foreword by 2001 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Eric Crouch. The five pages of writing by Crouch include an admission he was "morbidly depressed and homesick" in his 1997 redshirt year.

 

Crouch said Wednesday he had not read the book but that he supports Kolowski, whom he considers a friend.

 

"I knew that it was probably going to be edgy from his standpoint," Crouch said, "but that's the way he has to present it, because that's how he felt. I don't think he had any hatred. It was written how he felt and probably represented a big percentage of people on that football team."

 

Nebraska players and assistant coaches did not know of Kolowski's journal. He said he told Solich in passing but primarily kept it a secret so as not to compromise the integrity of his status on the team.

 

Former Nebraska offensive line coach Milt Tenopir said Wednesday he was not aware of the book. Tenopir went out after 29 years with Kolowski at the end of the 2002 season. He described Kolowski as "a great kid."

 

"He wasn't the type of athlete who was going to be a star athletically," Tenopir said. "But he worked hard all the time, and he was a good snapper. I didn't have any negativism toward Dave."

 

After his career, Kolowski did inform NU compliance director Gary Bargen of his intentions to write a book. Bargen "begged me to let him read it first," Kolowski said.

 

Kolowski agreed. He heard back from Keith Zimmer, NU assistant athletic director for student life, who suggested Kolowski reconsider some of his decisions. Kolowski made no major changes as a result, he said.

 

"He's entitled to write it, and that's what I told him," Zimmer said. "I told him that it's great to share your personal account, but also to think about the relationships that you built. You wonder if some of his teammates and coaches are going to appreciate some of these interactions that were made public. But I do hope it goes well for him."

 

The book alleges no NCAA violations. Kolowski said he witnessed marijuana use among some football players but no steroids.

 

Kolowski remains hopeful he can find a publisher for the book. He said he initially sent proposals, but no manuscript, to "about 40" companies. None wanted to help him advance the idea. So he reworked his diary into book form and published it himself.

 

The book went on sale in December. Kolowski said he was unsure how many books are in print, because stores order it on a by-need basis. Kolowski plans a book-signing tour at five stops next week in Kearney, Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha.

 

While in Lincoln, he said, he hopes to deliver copies to Athletic Director Steve Pederson and coach Bill Callahan.

 

"I think Steve Pederson will enjoy it," Kolowski said. "I know there's quite a contingent out there who still feel Solich got a raw deal. My belief is that (the firing) was called for.

 

"I'm just hoping fans are open to this view of the program. I hope they keep in mind it's just one guy's experience. I know somebody else might have had a much more positive experience. I had fun, but also I put in a ton of energy and effort and had a lot of frustrations and hardships. I tried to portray that in the book."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I am interested to read this book. An insider's view that shows that Solich NEEDED to go. Refreshing.

[Offspring2099]

hmmm sounds interesting. Thanks for the info.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Might be an interesting read. He would have had insights and been privy to many things as the team tried to transition from Coach Osborne to Coach Solich. Maybe a cross between Rudy and the Basketball Diaries?

 

Also, don't you think Crouch should have actually read it if he is going to lend his forward to the book?

[HuskerJosh82]

Sounds like a pretty interesting book, need to get that one.

[TrueHuskerFan]

Looks like a decent read for any Husker fan. I looked and it is on amazon.com.

[HUSKER 37]

Saw it on ebay already..

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1

[Nigel87]

Saw it on ebay already..

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...p;rd=1&rd=1

 

Won't ship to me, but that's okay I'll wait until a few used copies start floating around (it'll be cheaper then). And I don't think I have enough room on my bookshelf as it is.

[DaveH]

I'll need to pick me up a copy.

[Eric the Red]

• Kolowski writes about players showing up drunk and hung over to practice on December mornings, when the coaches worked the Huskers extra hard to "show off" for visiting recruits.

 

• He describes how the offensive linemen, on the team bus home from Manhattan, Kan., after a 49-13 loss in 2002, consumed pre-made containers of Long Island Iced Tea and whiskey-and-cola concoctions.

 

You always kind of thought NU players did this kind of high school crap, but for some reason you just hoped they didn't.

 

Every single schools got'em

[coyeote]

Most of these things could better be titled Diahrea of a husker but I heard an interview with the author on the radio the other day and this book sounds pretty interesting. Not a gripe book or trying to cause trouble just a good recount of what it was like. Sounds pretty interesting.

[rawhide]

It's all in how you say it.

 

One of the d00d's where I bought my m/c was a Husker O lineman in the 80's. He told some pretty funny stories.

[np_husker]

Have any of you read this book by David Kolowski? I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book. I find it interesting, mostly about how much work the players have to put into it and still might not get to play.

 

So far I haven't read anything too shocking.

[DaveH]

http://www.huskerboard.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15062

[Eric the Red]

Anyone read it yet?

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

http://www.huskerboard.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=15062

Now that the topics have merged this is a gate way to a continuous loop.