Who left the biggest black eye on the Program?

[T_O_Bull]

Its funny to see we are split on who was worse. A man that cost us alot of losses, or a man who raped and pillaged as he pleased and who recently tried to run over some high school kids after losing a pick-up game of football.

 

Don't recall a rape.

T_O_B

Let's not quibble over the difference between physically assaulting a woman way and rape. One or the other doesn't much matter besides arguing semantics. Both are horrible crimes.

 

Agreed.

T_O_B

[VA Husker Fan]

This has been a good thread and a great debate. IMHO or IMNSHO LP would have vanished into the past long ago if ESPN hadn't continually referred to him as "former University of Nebraska I-Back, Laurence Phillips," every time he got into trouble. He was a major contributor to 1994 National Championship. (For those who don't remember that was the year that Tommie was injured in the third game of the year and didn't play again until the Orange Bowl.) The next year LP was basically on his way to the Heisman (He had just run for 250 yards against Michigan State, at Michigan State.) when the incident with his girlfriend happened. He was then suspended for the next 6 games and returned late in the season. His suspension obviously cost him a great deal when you consider what he had to look forward to. His Fiesta Bowl performance was second only to the game played by Tommie Frazier. The rest of his problems came after he left Nebraska at the end of his junior year. As stated before ESPN continued to refer to him as a former Husker whenever he made the news. He was never referred to as "St. Louis Rams running back" nor was he ever connected to any of the other NFL teams he subsequently played for. I firmly believe that ESPN had an axe to grind with UNL and Coach Osborne and consequently took a shot at the University and T.O. by continually linking LP and his problems to them. There were, ofcourse, problems at other schools (FSU for one but Bobby Bowden was always a good interview.) Michael Vick is referred to as a former Atlanta Falcon, Plaxico Burress is a former NY Giant, Gilbert Arenas is a Washington Wizard. Anybody know who they played for as collegians? LP has been continually crusified by the sports media and he is always connected to the University of Nebraska. Thunder Collins committed a much more henious crime but outside of the Husker Nation who really remembers him? It's time for Husker Nation and the rest of the world to realize that this young man has paid an enormous price for his actions, is even now serving time in prison for some of those actions and will probably continue to pay for the rest of his life.

T_O_B

I disagree. For one thing, Phillips did virtually nothing as a pro, so when the press writes a story and wants to identify him in a way people will remember, they are going to associate him with his college career.

 

And check out this top hit I got at ESPN googling Phillips:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4392900

 

SAN DIEGO -- Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips was convicted of assault and other felony charges Tuesday in San Diego.

 

Way down at the bottom it gives one sentence on his Nebraska career, and two more on his pro career.

[T_O_Bull]

This has been a good thread and a great debate. IMHO or IMNSHO LP would have vanished into the past long ago if ESPN hadn't continually referred to him as "former University of Nebraska I-Back, Laurence Phillips," every time he got into trouble. He was a major contributor to 1994 National Championship. (For those who don't remember that was the year that Tommie was injured in the third game of the year and didn't play again until the Orange Bowl.) The next year LP was basically on his way to the Heisman (He had just run for 250 yards against Michigan State, at Michigan State.) when the incident with his girlfriend happened. He was then suspended for the next 6 games and returned late in the season. His suspension obviously cost him a great deal when you consider what he had to look forward to. His Fiesta Bowl performance was second only to the game played by Tommie Frazier. The rest of his problems came after he left Nebraska at the end of his junior year. As stated before ESPN continued to refer to him as a former Husker whenever he made the news. He was never referred to as "St. Louis Rams running back" nor was he ever connected to any of the other NFL teams he subsequently played for. I firmly believe that ESPN had an axe to grind with UNL and Coach Osborne and consequently took a shot at the University and T.O. by continually linking LP and his problems to them. There were, ofcourse, problems at other schools (FSU for one but Bobby Bowden was always a good interview.) Michael Vick is referred to as a former Atlanta Falcon, Plaxico Burress is a former NY Giant, Gilbert Arenas is a Washington Wizard. Anybody know who they played for as collegians? LP has been continually crusified by the sports media and he is always connected to the University of Nebraska. Thunder Collins committed a much more henious crime but outside of the Husker Nation who really remembers him? It's time for Husker Nation and the rest of the world to realize that this young man has paid an enormous price for his actions, is even now serving time in prison for some of those actions and will probably continue to pay for the rest of his life.

T_O_B

I disagree. For one thing, Phillips did virtually nothing as a pro, so when the press writes a story and wants to identify him in a way people will remember, they are going to associate him with his college career.

 

And check out this top hit I got at ESPN googling Phillips:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4392900

 

SAN DIEGO -- Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips was convicted of assault and other felony charges Tuesday in San Diego.

 

Way down at the bottom it gives one sentence on his Nebraska career, and two more on his pro career.

 

OK. Maybe once in print (To quote Egon, "Print is dead.") but when its on Sports Center he's always linked to Nebraska. I don't condone any of his actions by any means, but some of the things he has done don't warrant the attention they have gotten. Sorry man but,

T_O_B

[VA Husker Fan]

I don't buy that ESPN has a big bias against Nebraska because I don't see what their motivation would be. If they were to pick a team to bag on, wouldn't it be Notre Dame? A lot of people hate them, so it'd be a popular choice, plus they have a TV contract with another network. I get that we wouldn't be a big favorite, being in a small market, but that's it.

 

Anyway, I picked Phillips in the poll. Right or wrong, it made Osborne look like he started ignoring character when recruiting athletes, and like he reinstated Phillips to win a championship. He was a high-profile poster child (unlike Baldwin). You can say that we didn't need him to beat Florida, but before the game, nobody could have stated that with confidence. Osborne may have believed that he was helping Phillips by giving him the structure of football in his life, but that didn't work out so well.

[JTrain]

Detrimental to what? If you mean the programs reputation and national perception, LP x 1000. If you mean success in terms of wins and losses, it would be SP (with help from Cally).

[skersfan]

Again I think it is the locals.

 

Ask anyone in Georgia, Ohio State, SC, Florida who embarassed Nebraska, I doubt there would be a single person mention SP. To me what does the most damage to our name is what people think it is. People outside of the state of Nebraska. I doubt you could find one in a hundred that would even know his name if asked.

 

Mention LP and they all know about him and how Coach Osborne went to win at all cost.

 

Destroying that man's name is enough for me to think the jack as should have been put to sleep before he ever got here, unfortunately that does not happen. He is, was and always will be a low life piece of crap, that did and continues to do damage to this program, this state and to one of the finest human beings in the world. I have spoken to Coach Osborne about it and he cringes every time the name is mentioned.

 

Lawrance Phillips the gift that just keeps on giving.

[T_O_Bull]

Its been over 14 years since LP played his last game at Nebraska. Maybe we should just quit beating ourselves up and move forward.

If some jerk from Ohio State brings up LP just throw the name Woody Hayes back at him. When Hayes was coach he went on to the field and close-lined an opposing player who was running towards the end zone with an intercepted pass. West Virginians can be reminded that the former West Virginia QB, Michael Vick ran a dog fighting ring and on top of that killed dogs in various ways. Vick's younger brother once stomped on an opposing players leg during a game. Tennessee had three players who were involved in an armed robbery last year. Bobby Bowden has had several scandals at FSU, shoes and cheating on tests come to mind. Oklahoma has had problems with players bringing guns into the dorms. Every program has its problems. Like I said its time to move on.

T_O_B

[zoogs]

TO I'm not sure anyone is necessarily blaming NU for Lawrence Phillips, and you're absolutely right, every program has these nutters. It's just that, how else do you introduce the guy? Michael Vick is the former VT/Atlanta QB. Lawrence Phillips is the former Nebraska RB/first round bust. He gives us a black eye just by association. Even if we have moved on from the fact, any time LP is brought up, Nebraska has to be brought up with him. That won't ever change.

[Touchdown Tommie]

TO you do bring up some valid points. I do agree it is easy for us to see that ESPN/media outlets always tag former Nebraska running back to their stories. This is where people know he was a standout and it is easy for them to remember. I do disagree that it is the locals who only think that SP/BC ruined the program. I have friends that do not follow Nebraska football and will bring up how BC sucked and why was he allowed to coach there.

[MCAT800]

No way should LP be leading this poll, this is Steve Pederson's race to win 100%

[huzkerbob]

To me this question comes down to this. What is worse, having a criminal forever associated with the university's football team? Or having a completely irrelevant football team AND university?

 

 

After much deliberation I had to vote Peddy. Sure LP was a stain, but SP almost sunk the whole ship!

[zoogs]

Pedey? Really? Let's look at the last 8 years of Nebraska football.

 

2002: 7-7

2003: 10-3

2004: 5-6

2005: 8-4

2006: 9-5

2007: 5-7

2008: 9-5

2009: 10-4

 

The bolded years obviously occurred after SP was fired.

 

Where is the black eye? I don't see it.

 

I just don't see where in this run we have been so outstandingly bad that it was a black eye left on the program. Yeah, we had some tough years where we barely dipped under .500. So?! This happens to every program. Alabama, USC, Texas. They've ALL been through worse stretches. It's hard staying at the top, at the high level we did under Devaney/Osborne for so long. Sooner or later, you run into bumps and lulls and bad seasons. Honestly, we didn't do so badly.

 

And for a "huge black eye" that left our program in tatters, we sure bounced back quickly. If SP really left us in such a disastrous state, we have no business being so optimistic just one year, two years later. It's not like he purposely tried to destroy the program either. He tried to make his mark and his style for what he thought was best, didn't work out here. Failure is common at this level and his was by no means epic or un-recoverable.

 

LP is an extraordinarily bad case of a "trouble athlete" - not that we made him that way, but his undeniable association with the program gives us a bad name. As skersfan has said, nobody really cares about Steve Pederson.

[T_O_Bull]

This has been a stimulating thread and I will confess that I take the position of the Devil's advocate more often than not. I have also always felt for LP, he had such an incredible talent but was also saddled with an upbringing that has so contributed to the problems he has had through out his life. He now sits in a California Correctional facility and I can't believe he will come out after his incarceration and become a rehabilitated, contributor to our society. His story is truly an American tradgedy.

T_O_B

[HUSKER 37]

LP is probably the obvious choice to the casual fan.

In that, I mean, you'll probably hear negative stuff from some wanker in a bar over him because he's the one that got all the pub.

 

But as far as the most damage to our rep. as far as attracting other coaches..or even donor$$...

Ped really hurt us.

 

He cost us winning seasons and ended streaks.

 

We've had other players give us black eyes..more so durring the '90's..

But Pedey gave us a brain tumor.

 

We were VERY fortunate to have T.O. surgically remove that tumor and have someone as good as B.P. speed up the rehab.

[WCHusker]

If Thunder had ever been anyone, his conviction would have gotten as much press as LP-even though it's not like they killed a guy trying to steal a couple kilos of blow from him. Oh wait, yeah it is.