Holiday Bowl from Arizona's perspective

[REDSTEEL]

And the 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 Cornhuskers. Over those 4 years, the bowl score was 131 points scored by our opponents to our enormous scoring total of 41! What I find ironic about it all is the fact that TO caught more heat for how we performed in the 70's rather than how we performed in the late 80's and early 90's. In the 70's, we finished the season top 10 in at least one poll every year. From 1988-1992, we only finished the season top 10 in at least one poll once.

 

Ok, now look up the ranking of Nebraska and their opponent before the bowl games were played those four years. People who complained that Nebraska lost those years had very unrealistic expectations. If I remember right Nebraska was ranked at least 6 to 7 or worse spots down from their bowl opponent (usualy playing in their own back yard).

 

This would be the equivalent of Nebraska in their glory days (National Championship years) playing the number 8th ranked teams and down in a bowl game. Now would those games even been close? No, but what would you think if those teams fans if they complained about losing to them and not scoring very much if at all?

[mmmtodd]

What a joke. These athletes have one thing to do-play for the school that is providing them not only an education but room, board, food and all the other perks that come along with playing at this level.

 

What do they do? Make excuses for their excuses. If Im Mike Stoops, anyone that even hints at the wanting to be home for xmas or any of that other crap as to why they did not fulfill their responsibility to the university or its fanbase would be running stairs at Arizona Stadium every day until next Christmas.

[sarge87]

And the 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 Cornhuskers. Over those 4 years, the bowl score was 131 points scored by our opponents to our enormous scoring total of 41! What I find ironic about it all is the fact that TO caught more heat for how we performed in the 70's rather than how we performed in the late 80's and early 90's. In the 70's, we finished the season top 10 in at least one poll every year. From 1988-1992, we only finished the season top 10 in at least one poll once.

I don't know what your age is but were you around during that era of the 70s and 80s?

 

The fans were frustrated royally with our performances in bowl games and countless letters to the Voice from the Grandstands column calling for T.O.'s and McBride's heads. As a result, McBride saw the writing on the wall and completely retooled his defensive philosophy to what we saw in the 90's.

[skersfan]

Tom really was on the hot seat a lot. We tend to only remember the positives, but many questioned his thinking, pretty much from the UCLA loss.

 

McBride changed and so did Coach Osborne, but not because they decided to. Bobby Bowden showed them how to be better, and faster, speed kills and we never had the level that the bowl teams we played did.

 

Coach Bowden is almost as respondible for Nebraska's mid 90 run as Coach Osborne.

[Ohio Pete]

Tom really was on the hot seat a lot. We tend to only remember the positives, but many questioned his thinking, pretty much from the UCLA loss.

Yep. Big joke then was hoping the bowl game was against LSU ('82, '84, '86) since those were the only bowl wins in the 80s.

[huskered17]

Most people I have talked to here in Tucson, don't think it was Nebraska's team that beat them so bad. All they think is that their kids weren't ready to play. That they were partying to much in San Diego and didn't get their heads into the game. That Stoops didn't do enough to get them ready. Every excuse you can think of was and is still, being used. Husker fans can also complain when we lose, but at least we give credit to the other team and coaches, when we have had a little time to wind down. They are still blaming players, coaches, night life, any thing else they can come up with, except giving Nebraska much credit. lol..

This will be a real test for them this year. They lost a couple good coaches.

 

GBR!!!

[knapplc]

How was the 98' team unmotivated during the bowl game?

 

After having played for the MNC in four of the past five years they were disappointed with how the 1998 season unfolded. I would have to google for days to find an article but I remember reading one that said the team was disappointed with playing in the Holiday Bowl that year.

[Joe_5700]

Funny in the article there is absolutely no mention that Nebraska has a good team. The loss was all blamed on what Arizona didn't do and not a thing about what Nebraska did. The reason Arizona stunk up the holiday bowl was because of Nebraska. Plain and simple. It was the same when we got trampled by Missouri and Oklahoma in 2008. It was the things they did to us that we could not defend.

[Chucktown Husker]

don't think it was Nebraska's team that beat them so bad.

 

That makes a lot of sense. I also think that in addition to thier "lack of focus" they severely underestimated our team. There seemed to be a lot of jaw-jacking from their players before the game and once they got behind, they became frustrated. On another note, after the game I attempted to congratulate a few of their fans and you would've thought that I kept their daughter out past curfew or something. I was just surprised by some comments and can understand the frustration, but pointing fingers doesn't solve the problem.

[junior4949]

And the 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991 Cornhuskers. Over those 4 years, the bowl score was 131 points scored by our opponents to our enormous scoring total of 41! What I find ironic about it all is the fact that TO caught more heat for how we performed in the 70's rather than how we performed in the late 80's and early 90's. In the 70's, we finished the season top 10 in at least one poll every year. From 1988-1992, we only finished the season top 10 in at least one poll once.

I don't know what your age is but were you around during that era of the 70s and 80s?

 

The fans were frustrated royally with our performances in bowl games and countless letters to the Voice from the Grandstands column calling for T.O.'s and McBride's heads. As a result, McBride saw the writing on the wall and completely retooled his defensive philosophy to what we saw in the 90's.

 

Of course I was around in the 70's and 80's. People around here in SW Nebraska were a lot more pi$$ed about our performance in the late 80's and early 90's than they were in the 70's. The high school kids were wearing CU apparel of all things. The running joke was what's the difference between TO and Dan Reeves from cheerios? Cheerios belong in a bowl. The game against Iowa State in 1992 was as big of kick in the balls to a lot of fans around here as Clownahan's dismall beatings he took from KU and TT. A lot of the older fans around here firmly believe that TO gave into his urges to win and threw his ethics and morals out the window which is what led to the great run of the 90's. They also believe Solich was named HC with the understanding that he clean up the program. This might shed some light as to why TO lost in every voting precinct but one within the tri-county area here when he was running for Gov.

[74Hunter]

They also believe Solich was named HC with the understanding that he clean up the program. This might shed some light as to why TO lost in every voting precinct but one within the tri-county area here when he was running for Gov.

Didn't the 3rd district give Dr. Tom about 90% of the popular vote when he was running for congress? I think that him losing in his run for governor was due to the fact that he was running against a very popular, very successful incumbant, who happened to be more conservative than Dr. Tom.

 

IMHO

[Igetbored216]

That makes a lot of sense. I also think that in addition to thier "lack of focus" they severely underestimated our team. There seemed to be a lot of jaw-jacking from their players before the game and once they got behind, they became frustrated. On another note, after the game I attempted to congratulate a few of their fans and you would've thought that I kept their daughter out past curfew or something. I was just surprised by some comments and can understand the frustration, but pointing fingers doesn't solve the problem.

 

You don't point the finger, you point the thumb.

[HUSKER FREAK]

Tom really was on the hot seat a lot. We tend to only remember the positives, but many questioned his thinking, pretty much from the UCLA loss.

 

McBride changed and so did Coach Osborne, but not because they decided to. Bobby Bowden showed them how to be better, and faster, speed kills and we never had the level that the bowl teams we played did.

 

Coach Bowden is almost as respondible for Nebraska's mid 90 run as Coach Osborne.

You are mostly right here, but you forgot to add that Dr. Tom also was the one that showed good ole Bobby some blocking schemes for a better running game and the option. So in a way Doc Tom is also responsible for Bobby's sucess as well.

[74Hunter]

Tom really was on the hot seat a lot. We tend to only remember the positives, but many questioned his thinking, pretty much from the UCLA loss.

 

McBride changed and so did Coach Osborne, but not because they decided to. Bobby Bowden showed them how to be better, and faster, speed kills and we never had the level that the bowl teams we played did.

 

Coach Bowden is almost as respondible for Nebraska's mid 90 run as Coach Osborne.

I disagree to a certain extent. Embarrassing losses to FSU, Miami, UCLA, and Ga Tech showed Dr. Tom that even though his teams could beat up and win the Big 8, it could not do the same to the southern teams that had great speed. So he did what any smart coach would do, emulate the best in the business at the time. He slowly changed from the read and react 5-2 to an attacking 4-3, but it took TO and McBride a few years to get the proper players and to get the schemes figured out.

 

Yes, TO and Bobby were pretty good friends and consulted each other regularly, but it's not as if Bobby Bowden drew up a whole new play book for NU's defense, and should be given credit for the 90's succcess.

[Enhance]

Penini Bros. 2-0, Stoops Bros. 0-2.

Interesting excuses.. Regardless of seeing your family the culmination of the entire season would be motivated enough.. if i was good enough to make D1 and make an excuse like that, my entire family would want to kick me in the balls. What a joke.

 

Good luck AZ next year. Dear lord.

I think you mean Stoops Bros. 1-2. Bob beat us in 2008.