The Niles Paul Thread

[dubsker]

Paul tries to block out critics

Posted by: Brian Christopherson on October 19, 2010 at 1:56PM CST

Husker senior wide receiver Niles Paul has taken his share of criticism for a couple dropped passes in the Texas game.

 

Paul said he tries to block out the criticism, but that was impossible after Saturday's game when a couple fans yelled "You suck" and "Texas can have you" as he and his family were walking to the car after the game.

 

"It hurts. It hurts," Paul said "When I was walking back to the car and people were yelling stuff at me, it's disrespectful. And as an athlete I have to keep my cool and just stay focused because I don't want to do anything to put my situation in jeopardy."

 

Paul said his brothers reacted angrily at first, but he calmed them and they just kept walking to the car.

 

The receiver also received a lot of negative feedback on his Facebook page after the game, so much that he just deactivated the account.

 

"I deleted it because I can't deal with that," Paul said. "If people are going to kind of use me as the scapegoat and say mean things to me on Facebook for making a mistake that receivers make or being human in the game, just kind of block it out."

Paul said Saturday's game and the criticism that came with it is especially difficult "because I know very well that I can make those plays. Some of those catches were a little hard, but great receivers make those catches. It's just me refocusing and doing little things to get my concentration back on catching the ball, tucking it and making those big plays."

 

Husker wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore told me Monday that he can't be any harder on Niles than Niles is on himself about a game.

 

I know Paul is a bit of a lightning rod because of some gaffes last year (Texas Tech backward pass, Iowa State fumble) and how up front he is about saying he wants the ball.

 

It's also important to note that Paul, whether it's a good game or a bad game, has almost always showed up to talk about what happened. He was there to answer questions after the Texas Tech game last year and he was the first guy at the podium after the Texas loss on Saturday.

 

Say what you will, but I give Paul a ton of credit for being a man about it on rough days. It's a lot tougher to stand in front of the cameras after a tough game than yell insults from a distance.

 

http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/paul_tries_to_block_out_critics.html

[HSKRNOKC]

I agree to some extent but when you sign on to play FOR Nebraska, you sign on to take the good with the bad. As a player, they need to understand they have to have two things: thick skin and broad shoulders. But do me a favor next time you see them. Tell them thanks for their efforts and to hold onto the damn ball.

 

Ya that.

[mmmtodd]

wow...Niles should learn to keep his freakin mouth shut then. its one thing to call for the ball more to your position coach...HE CALLED FOR THE BALL THRU THE MEDIA! who do the media report to? the people...so his little crybaby rant about not being able to take the criticism, from the people, is complete bs in my book. you give it, you take it. ive never felt more strongly about a player needing to be benched in my life.

[knapplc]

I can feel a thread merge coming on.

[zoogs]

Paul tries to block out critics

Posted by: Brian Christopherson on October 19, 2010 at 1:56PM CST

Husker senior wide receiver Niles Paul has taken his share of criticism for a couple dropped passes in the Texas game.

 

Paul said he tries to block out the criticism, but that was impossible after Saturday's game when a couple fans yelled "You suck" and "Texas can have you" as he and his family were walking to the car after the game.

 

"It hurts. It hurts," Paul said "When I was walking back to the car and people were yelling stuff at me, it's disrespectful. And as an athlete I have to keep my cool and just stay focused because I don't want to do anything to put my situation in jeopardy."

 

Paul said his brothers reacted angrily at first, but he calmed them and they just kept walking to the car.

 

The receiver also received a lot of negative feedback on his Facebook page after the game, so much that he just deactivated the account.

 

"I deleted it because I can't deal with that," Paul said. "If people are going to kind of use me as the scapegoat and say mean things to me on Facebook for making a mistake that receivers make or being human in the game, just kind of block it out."

Paul said Saturday's game and the criticism that came with it is especially difficult "because I know very well that I can make those plays. Some of those catches were a little hard, but great receivers make those catches. It's just me refocusing and doing little things to get my concentration back on catching the ball, tucking it and making those big plays."

 

Husker wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore told me Monday that he can't be any harder on Niles than Niles is on himself about a game.

 

I know Paul is a bit of a lightning rod because of some gaffes last year (Texas Tech backward pass, Iowa State fumble) and how up front he is about saying he wants the ball.

 

It's also important to note that Paul, whether it's a good game or a bad game, has almost always showed up to talk about what happened. He was there to answer questions after the Texas Tech game last year and he was the first guy at the podium after the Texas loss on Saturday.

 

Say what you will, but I give Paul a ton of credit for being a man about it on rough days. It's a lot tougher to stand in front of the cameras after a tough game than yell insults from a distance.

 

http://my.journalstar.com/post/Husker_Extra_Group/Husker_Extra/blog/paul_tries_to_block_out_critics.html

 

This is really sad. Any fans should be better than this.

[dubsker]

wow...Niles should learn to keep his freakin mouth shut then. its one thing to call for the ball more to your position coach...HE CALLED FOR THE BALL THRU THE MEDIA! who do the media report to? the people...so his little crybaby rant about not being able to take the criticism, from the people, is complete bs in my book. you give it, you take it. ive never felt more strongly about a player needing to be benched in my life.

 

So Niles is responsible for grown adults acting like dips***s. Check.

[Overland Park Husker]

Paul tries to block out critics

Posted by: Brian Christopherson on October 19, 2010 at 1:56PM CST

Husker senior wide receiver Niles Paul has taken his share of criticism for a couple dropped passes in the Texas game.

 

Paul said he tries to block out the criticism, but that was impossible after Saturday's game when a couple fans yelled "You suck" and "Texas can have you" as he and his family were walking to the car after the game.

 

"It hurts. It hurts," Paul said "When I was walking back to the car and people were yelling stuff at me, it's disrespectful. And as an athlete I have to keep my cool and just stay focused because I don't want to do anything to put my situation in jeopardy."

 

Paul said his brothers reacted angrily at first, but he calmed them and they just kept walking to the car.

 

The receiver also received a lot of negative feedback on his Facebook page after the game, so much that he just deactivated the account.

 

"I deleted it because I can't deal with that," Paul said. "If people are going to kind of use me as the scapegoat and say mean things to me on Facebook for making a mistake that receivers make or being human in the game, just kind of block it out."

Paul said Saturday's game and the criticism that came with it is especially difficult "because I know very well that I can make those plays. Some of those catches were a little hard, but great receivers make those catches. It's just me refocusing and doing little things to get my concentration back on catching the ball, tucking it and making those big plays."

 

Husker wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore told me Monday that he can't be any harder on Niles than Niles is on himself about a game.

 

I know Paul is a bit of a lightning rod because of some gaffes last year (Texas Tech backward pass, Iowa State fumble) and how up front he is about saying he wants the ball.

 

It's also important to note that Paul, whether it's a good game or a bad game, has almost always showed up to talk about what happened. He was there to answer questions after the Texas Tech game last year and he was the first guy at the podium after the Texas loss on Saturday.

 

Say what you will, but I give Paul a ton of credit for being a man about it on rough days. It's a lot tougher to stand in front of the cameras after a tough game than yell insults from a distance.

 

http://my.journalsta...ut_critics.html

This should have the recruits rolling in . Front page of ESPN and Rivals.

[HuskerinHouston]

Come on guys we are better than this, granted this is a very minute group or person but if it gets press then it reflects on all of us! This also can not help get future recruits either!

 

Updated: October 19, 2010, 3:20 PM ET

Nebraska's Niles Paul hears heckling

 

* Email

* Print

* Comments91

 

Associated Press

 

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Already down in the dumps after he dropped two touchdown passes against Texas, Nebraska's Niles Paul felt worse after a group of Cornhusker fans verbally abused him as he walked from Memorial Stadium to his car after the 20-13 loss.

 

Amid the buildup for last week's grudge match with the Longhorns, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and athletic director Tom Osborne implored fans to be nice to the visitors from Texas. Maybe they should have addressed the fans about their treatment of the home team.

 

Big 12 blog

 

Ubben ESPN.com's David Ubben writes about all things Big 12 in his conference blog.

 

• Blog network:

College Football Nation

 

"It hurts that people were yelling stuff at me. It's disrespectful," Paul said Tuesday. "As an athlete I have to keep my cool and stay focused because I don't want to do something to put my situation in jeopardy."

 

Paul's experience runs counter to the reputation of Nebraska fans, who are praised nationally for their knowledge of the game and the warm reception they give visiting players, coaches and fans.

 

Nebraska fans have a tradition of applauding visiting teams as they exit the field, win or lose. And above each stadium entrance reads a sign that says, "Through These Gates Pass the Greatest Fans in College Football."

 

As Paul walked with family members to his car after the game, he said, several Nebraska fans began harassing him.

 

"You lost us the game. Texas can have you," Paul said, recalling the taunts.

 

Paul said one of his brothers acted as if he were going to chase one of the hecklers, but Paul held him back.

 

Paul said he deactivated his Facebook page Saturday night because a number of nasty messages appeared.

 

"I can't deal with that," he said. "People kind of use me as a scapegoat and say mean things to me on Facebook for making a mistake that receivers make or being human in a game."

 

Paul dropped two passes that would have gone for touchdowns. Rex Burkhead and Brandon Kinnie each dropped TD passes, and the receiving corps combined for eight drops.

 

Paul said the verbal abuse surprised him.

 

"I have to realize I'm not playing for the fans," he said. "I'm playing for my coaches and the team and I was more upset I let down my team more than anything."

 

Pelini, like all coaches, has taken abuse from fans when things don't go as they hoped.

 

Does he ever want to punch hecklers?

 

"Yeah, honestly, you do want to," Pelini said.

 

But Pelini said he resists the urge and lets criticism bounce off him. He told Paul to do the same.

 

"Niles is a prideful guy," Pelini said. "He didn't have the type of game he wanted to have. It doesn't help the situation when that happens. It makes him even madder. He'll respond very well to the whole thing."

 

 

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

[SkerMin8r]

I've been keeping my distance from the board these past few days trying to deal with my own disappointment over Saturday's game...but this is WAY over the top. For God's sake people...he's a kid...playing a game. if he was getting paid to do what he does I'd understand the venom here. This just make Saturday's loss that much worse. Shame on you "fans" that would stoop to such a level...shame...

[ESPY]

"Niles is a prideful guy," Pelini said. "He didn't have the type of game he wanted to have. It doesn't help the situation when that happens. It makes him even madder. He'll respond very well to the whole thing."

Hope so. Maybe those hometown hecklers are just the boost he needs

[Jason Sitoke]

These people are just morons. That's what you chalk it up to. I'd be willing to bet that most of those in this forum would never heckle a player. For no other reason than it makes YOU look like an idiot for doing it.

 

Any player or coach will have to deal with a sprinkling of drunk parasites from time to time.

[95huskers]

calling him out and making personal attacks is crossing the line... b*tching about in on here is another thing. he played like sh*t we complain about it. but doing it to his face is crap.

[funhusker]

This is COMPLETE AND TOTAL BULL****!!!!

 

I wish Niles and his family would have beat the snot out of these pukes. You know they could have, the douchebags were probably 40 year old, overweight, drunken dirtbags that didn't even play football during recess!!!!

 

Remember Missouri last year(He was the hero), Niles helped Nebraska win the Big12 North. Yes, the ISU & TT games had bad plays, but he did NOT lose those games. Remember Arizona, remember the hometown Husker fan that had opportunities to play at a multitude of places but CHOSE to play in front of US!!!!

 

This kid deserves so much more than what we give him.

 

It hurts me that he isn't playing for US anymore. He's playing for his coaches, team, and family. A group of a**holes took that away from us.

 

Everyplayer that suited up for the game or practice prior to, deserves to be treated like a HUSKER!!!! It makes me sick that we take more pride in cheering Texas (or whomever) off the field, but feel it's OK to taunt our OWN players in the parking lot.

 

WHAT A JOKE!!!!!

 

What a sad, sad, sad, SAAADDDD life some people lead!!!! Worse things can happen, anyone who watched the Rutgers game knows that losing a game or dropping a ball is far better than some outcomes.

 

GROW UP PEOPLE!!!!

 

(caps lock off)

[Blackshirts007]

If anything they should have said texas can have the whole recieving core, not just him haha

[mmmtodd]

doesnt play for the fans, eh?

 

while i kind of understand the point he is trying to make...this isnt going to help him at all. who pays your scholarship, niles?