Bo: No blackshirts, yet

[knapplc]

Maybe he's waiting for Oklahoma to come to town.

[huskered17]

I think not giving out blackshirts to the defensive starters in the first place is odd. If you are a defensive starter for NU you should get one ... it is up to the player to have pride in it and live up to what it stands for. Having them withheld until the defense is at a certain level seems a bit odd. Oh well, I guess it is motivation, but wouldn't the desire to live up to the tradition also be motivation? Why not just give them out to certain players then, like Suh or other standouts, that makes just as much sense as not giving them out at all.

 

 

I agree with you. I guess Bo knows more about the tradition than Bob D or TO

 

GBR!!!

[Paul in WI]

I think not giving out blackshirts to the defensive starters in the first place is odd. If you are a defensive starter for NU you should get one ... it is up to the player to have pride in it and live up to what it stands for. Having them withheld until the defense is at a certain level seems a bit odd. Oh well, I guess it is motivation, but wouldn't the desire to live up to the tradition also be motivation? Why not just give them out to certain players then, like Suh or other standouts, that makes just as much sense as not giving them out at all.

 

 

I agree with you. I guess Bo knows more about the tradition than Bob D or TO

 

GBR!!!

 

This isn't Bob, Tom, Frank or Bill's team anymore. They had their time at the helm and created and changed tradition as they saw fit. Now it is Bo's time and we'd better start getting used to it. He's done an awesome job of respecting traditions, reinstating programs, bringing former players and coaches back into the fold, etc., so I think it is pretty hard to fault the guy in that regard. However, Bo is his own man and defense is Bo's "thing", so if he wants to use the Blackshirts as a motivational tool, so be it. It is his tradition to modify as he wishes. With the job he's done turning this mess around in such a short time, I'll be the last person to tell him to do this or that.

 

You know......maybe if poor old Frank got to be his own man instead of feeling like he had to be a little Tom clone, we wouldn't have had this decade-long mess. The point? The point is that you need to let these guys be their own people instead of trying to force them into a mold. The Blackshirts will be given out when Coach Pelini sees fit and all of the p*ssing and moaning here isn't going to make it happen any sooner. ~passes out Midols for everyone~

[HuskerTrucker]

I like Bo's approach....but if they go in to Mizzou, and have a good game, I am betting that they come out.

 

Otherwise, it may be the Texas Tech or Oklahoma game when they get them, if they do well. Late? Maybe, but it is time for the Blackshirt to have meaning again...to be earned.

[Captain K]

I think not giving out blackshirts to the defensive starters in the first place is odd. If you are a defensive starter for NU you should get one ... it is up to the player to have pride in it and live up to what it stands for. Having them withheld until the defense is at a certain level seems a bit odd. Oh well, I guess it is motivation, but wouldn't the desire to live up to the tradition also be motivation? Why not just give them out to certain players then, like Suh or other standouts, that makes just as much sense as not giving them out at all.

 

 

I agree with you. I guess Bo knows more about the tradition than Bob D or TO

 

GBR!!!

I agree. The shirts were for winning a starting position. There is still motivation after it being handed out. You could still lose it.

It is not like anyone outside of the program really sees this stuff. It isn't like the D comes out in opposing stadiums wearing them in pregame warmups flexing their muscles etc., then getting half-a-hundred hung on 'em. Having said that, I couldn't care less what he wants to use them for. I wouldn't have even thought about it if the board or media didn't bring it up. The only down side would be if some walk-on Sr. from Podunk, NE earned a start in one of the games before the shirts were handed out and never actually got to say he was a blackshirt. I think the kids should be able to find motivation other than in some dye put in a jersey. But it is Bo's call.

Maybe the players should practice topless until they earn them. See np, my classlessness is an equal opportunity offender.

[Hunter94]

Bo is awarding the shirts in his own time, a little different than in the past, can't say i defend the change nor disagree either one, but there is no traditional timing with the presentation of the shirts now, not sure i really like the idea, and if he waits too long, what is the point?

[Gimme Red Til Im Dead]

Win the north then we see if they are worthy of them!!

[admo]

I think what Bo is trying to do, is set the standard that we'll come to expect week after week. When that type of play is finally established consistently (against good teams, not just the fluffy puff ones), it wont become a yearly question. They'll get handed out at the beginning of the season.

 

Its one of the main reasons he was brought here, defense. And that's a reflection on him.

[sd'sker]

Bo is awarding the shirts in his own time, a little different than in the past, can't say i defend the change nor disagree either one, but there is no traditional timing with the presentation of the shirts now, not sure i really like the idea, and if he waits too long, what is the point?

I guess the question is if the blackshirts should be used as a motivator or reward? both have pros and cons, but I guess we just have to allow Bo Pa to do what he believes is best.

[WCHusker]

hold MU to a shut out...the second game in a row...and I say the entire defensive unit get 'em!!!!

GBR

 

Yup!

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I think it's obvious that we are much better as a defensive unit this season, but we still aren't where we could be. I think once we reach that level, you'll see the shirts handed out. If we hold Missery to a small amount of yards and points in their house you may see them.

[Fuzzy]

Bo seemed to mention in the press conference today, that he feels the Blackshirts are handed out when as a defense or as a unit that he feels they should be handed out.

 

To me it sounds like right now he feels that there are players on the defense that are doing a great job and worthy of the Blackshirt, but as a unit, they are not quite there yet. In the retrospect, i fully agree with Bo.

 

Our defense, as a whole is not up Blackshirt standard, and i think what he stresses is that its not about numbers its about execution on defense. Its not a matter of shutting out a team, or beating a higher ranked team than us. Its a matter of seeing the defense as whole functioning to perfection and the high standards that he has made.

 

If you think about it, every game that our defense has made, there has been atleast one negative thing that we or even the players have said about the defense. Bo wants perfection in his defense before handing them out.

[irafreak]

Actually when Bo was first here in 03 he did it this way or tried to. He got a lot of questions about it and got tired of hearing it (distraction!) and just gave em out but I remember he held out for a while before the season got going.

[Fuzzy]

When you sit down and really think of how the Blackshirts were given out back then and how they are given out now, its actually much better this way.

 

Back then, Bo mentioned that Blackshirts were given to the starters at the beginning of the season. The defense earned them through fall camp, instead of actual games.

 

I like the new way, Blackshirts are such a great tradition you don't want to give them out because you have to. You want to give the Blackshirts to the players and defense when they deserve them. As Suh put it during the press conference Monday, its makes them more valuable when we get them.

[Danimal]

I'd imagine Bo is waiting for the D to play well in a big win, if not for the last series I gotta think they'd have been handed-out after VT.

 

Hopefully they're on next week.