Mutiny in Huskerland

[brotherofalatehusker]

Well boys and girls the exodus picks up speed AND negative conotations with the latest desertions!!! Pud has got this so Phooked up I can't believe it. Flame me if you want but, when a starting Captain bails you have to admit there's TROUBLE!!

[Eric the Red]

Pittman says he's gone too. Birkel and pilkington as well noted in other threads.

[Utah_Husker]

I'm sure everyone has read this already, but I think it's very telling...especially what Birkel said at the very end of the article. Granted these comments are coming from departing players, so it could just be sour grapes. I guess we'll see in the next couple of years.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/foot...s.ap/index.html

[DaveH]

Well boys and girls the  exodus picks up speed AND negative conotations with the latest desertions!!!  Pud has got this so Phooked up I can't believe it.  Flame me if you want but, when a starting Captain bails you have to admit there's TROUBLE!!

Pilkington said nothing bad about the staff (that I have read), he is staying in school to finish his degree and he isn't transfering. That says to me that the kid made the decision to put the rest of his life and his education in front of football. I would guess that at a point after some of the injuries he has sustained and the posibility for more, he has to think about the future and whether football is a part of it. Good for him.

 

As for Birkel, **** Andy Birkel. I guess he figured the only way is going to have an effect on the program is to leave and spew a bunch of sweeping generalizations about "most of the players don't like what's going on". When the root of his discomfort is the fact that these aren't your Dad's Huskers anymore. Why not call the players out? You're on your way out, to probably a Div-1AA school, anyway. I guess having a full ride to a Div 1-A school and the opportunity to play football isn't good enough. Like I said before, I have no respect for people who burn bridges. See ya, Andy. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[Utah_Husker]

Pilkinton did say that the team didn't feel like a family anymore. That combined with other players' comments about the way Callahan handes himself is very disconcerting to me. Although if we just want to be a football factory, I guess its ok.

[IrishAZ]

As for Birkel, **** Andy Birkel. I guess he figured the only way is going to have an effect on the program is to leave and spew a bunch of sweeping generalizations about "most of the players don't like what's going on".  When the root of his discomfort is the fact that these aren't your Dad's Huskers anymore.

Granted the kid's comments could go either way (either he's whining, or Calahan had something against him) - but given that this is, what...the 5th player to leave the team?...that seems to indicate there's something up that's not all that great in Lincoln under this guy.

 

Wouldn't you think that lends more creedence to Birkel's comments?

 

IRISH!

[Blackshirt]

I agree with both sides of this to an extent.

On one hand I usually dont give much merit to parting shots like this for a couple reasons -

1) you don't know what context they were in - did the reporter "lead the witness" for the sake of a hot quote?

2) Was there more than meets the eye - which is always the case - what was Callahan's side to this? Most of the time a player who doesnt see the field never fully agrees with that decision - if not they probably wouldnt have made it to that level to begin with b/c they dont have a competitive fire.

 

With that said, Im still not thrilled with hearing this stuff regardless of the above points - especially when different sources corroborate the same stories. And I think most would agree that the below quotes arent what you really ever want to hear from one player, let alone multiple.

 

"I asked him what I did or what I didn't do to never be given an opportunity," Birkel said. "His response was, 'I'm not going to go there.'

 

"It's sad to see some of the stuff that's going on anymore," Birkel said.

[Eric the Red]

Pilkinton did say that the team didn't feel like a family anymore. That combined with other players' comments about the way Callahan handes himself is very disconcerting to me. Although if we just want to be a football factory, I guess its ok.

I am starting to agree with Utah Husker. This has got to raise some concerns. But then again, I would like to get a A&M perspective or even a OU side to this, when they had coaches leave, were there players that followed???

[DaveH]

Granted the kid's comments could go either way (either he's whining, or Calahan had something against him) - but given that this is, what...the 5th player to leave the team?...that seems to indicate there's something up that's not all that great in Lincoln under this guy.

 

Wouldn't you think that lends more creedence to Birkel's comments?

 

IRISH!

No, I don't think it lends more to his comments. We're talking a 19-20 year old kid here. I wonder what his parents think.

 

What did Birkel want out of the team? To be handed the top spot at his position? He obviously got a chance to show something. He was the #2 player at his position. Instead of trying to work harder he decides to bail. Great. His comments about this not being the NFL are revolutionarily obvious. No, it isn't the NFL. However, this isn't high school anymore either. If he wanted to seriously persue a career in the NFL, I think learning a thing or two from a staff who has NFL experience would be a good step. I don't know, makes sense to me.

 

As far as players leaving, I think it's a combination of the coaching staff changes and kids somehow feeling slighted and uncomfortable with the staff. If they want to throw their scholarship away and potentially pay for school elsewhere, more power to them. After all, getting an education is/should be paramount considering not ALL of the kids have a future playing professional football.

 

Keep in mind that the kids who have left didn't leave for all the same reasons.

 

Wecome to the board, BTW

[Benard]

Well boys and girls the  exodus picks up speed AND negative conotations with the latest desertions!!!   Pud has got this so Phooked up I can't believe it.  Flame me if you want but, when a starting Captain bails you have to admit there's TROUBLE!!

Pilkington said nothing bad about the staff (that I have read), he is staying in school to finish his degree and he isn't transfering. That says to me that the kid made the decision to put the rest of his life and his education in front of football. I would guess that at a point after some of the injuries he has sustained and the posibility for more, he has to think about the future and whether football is a part of it. Good for him.

 

As for Birkel, **** Andy Birkel. I guess he figured the only way is going to have an effect on the program is to leave and spew a bunch of sweeping generalizations about "most of the players don't like what's going on". When the root of his discomfort is the fact that these aren't your Dad's Huskers anymore. Why not call the players out? You're on your way out, to probably a Div-1AA school, anyway. I guess having a full ride to a Div 1-A school and the opportunity to play football isn't good enough. Like I said before, I have no respect for people who burn bridges. See ya, Andy. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Pilk said that with solich and ron brown it was family and these guys it never was.

[roadrat]

Maybe Callahan can't keep track of all the players. Remember last year he only wanted 70 guys to warm up before the game? This guy is an ass. People keep saying it's just players crying over spilled milk, well you know what? This is a disturbing calling card Bill seems to be leaving everywhere. Players questioning what the hell he is doing etc..Birkel was the athlete of the year in NE. and this moron couldn't find a play or two for him to run? I'm surprised he didn't think Ruud shouldn't play here either. Callahan and Pederson apologists better get your heads out. It's not solely about talent. 2005 looks worse than this year.

[IrishAZ]

Thanks for the welcome Dave

 

I haven't posted with Huskers since Huskerpedia went pay, so I was really happy to see a nice volume of NU fans on this board - it's nice to talk football with people who are both knowledgable about the game and aren't insane (read NDNation if you think I'm joking ).

 

About Birkel...I haven't followed his story that closely this year, but some of his comments suggested he was trying to improve or at least find a way to compete. My impression is that this isn't sour grapes so much.

 

I mean, think of it this way...someone who is willing to leave a prominent 1A program to go to a 1AA or II school so as to not lose a year of eligibility is serious about playing. If someone is *that* serious about playing football (probably wants to play on Sundays), why would they leave a program with an NFL-style coach where there would be much greater visibility if he thought there was even a chance to play?

 

From our own experience, after Willingham took over (with a radically different scheme as well) no players left at all - so I have to think that changing systems of play wouldn't have that much of an impact. Especially considering Calahan brought in the Wine & Cheese Offense which *features* WRs, and typically uses quite a few of them in rotations.

 

Where's there's smoke, there's fire, I'm afraid.

 

IRISH!

[DaveH]

Well boys and girls the  exodus picks up speed AND negative conotations with the latest desertions!!!  Pud has got this so Phooked up I can't believe it.  Flame me if you want but, when a starting Captain bails you have to admit there's TROUBLE!!

Pilkington said nothing bad about the staff (that I have read), he is staying in school to finish his degree and he isn't transfering. That says to me that the kid made the decision to put the rest of his life and his education in front of football. I would guess that at a point after some of the injuries he has sustained and the posibility for more, he has to think about the future and whether football is a part of it. Good for him.

 

As for Birkel, **** Andy Birkel. I guess he figured the only way is going to have an effect on the program is to leave and spew a bunch of sweeping generalizations about "most of the players don't like what's going on". When the root of his discomfort is the fact that these aren't your Dad's Huskers anymore. Why not call the players out? You're on your way out, to probably a Div-1AA school, anyway. I guess having a full ride to a Div 1-A school and the opportunity to play football isn't good enough. Like I said before, I have no respect for people who burn bridges. See ya, Andy. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Pilk said that with solich and ron brown it was family and these guys it never was.

Yea, I guess that happens with you play with them FOR A YEAR. Ron and Solich were there since Jesus was a kid. I am sorry that some guy don't feel warm and fuzzy anymore. I thought this was football?

[Benard]

I think it's more about the kind of person you are, these coaches just aren't the same breed. Last years new coaches fit in well, these don't davie.

[DaveH]

I think it's more about the kind of person you are, these coaches just aren't the same breed.  Last years new coaches fit in well, these don't davie.

Then we should expect the rest of the current players to quit as well? It's more about what kind of person you are rather than if you know football?

 

I think this is getting way more attention than it is worth right now, Benardie