Chatelain: Pelini, Martinez have reached pivot point

[Hercules]

 

Are we seriously going to have journalists questioning Martinez's loyalty every time we lose a game?

 

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“There's not a lot of gray in my world.”

 

Bo Pelini occasionally makes that proclamation. It describes him as well as anything he's ever said.

 

Pelini doesn't waste time with introspection or self-analysis. He has very strong opinions of right and wrong. He speaks of concepts like integrity and loyalty and accountability without ever defining the terms.

 

Black and white. No explanation or negotiation necessary.

 

Pelini's no-nonsense worldview has served him well as a football coach. He compares his team to a family. Players work hard for him. They believe in him. They win.

 

Which makes the relationship between Bo Pelini and Taylor Martinez puzzling — and a little ironic.

 

Pelini's quarterback — the face of his team — apparently can't decide if he's fully committed to Nebraska. Part of the family or not.

 

What should Bo do about it? That's where the situation turns hazy.

 

Martinez has a once-in-a-decade skill set. You don't find his speed at the quarterback position. He's an 80-yard touchdown waiting to happen.

 

But right now, he might be a threat to team chemistry. And if Bo allows Martinez to operate under a double standard, he risks credibility with the players who hold him in high esteem.

No player — no matter how fast his 40 time — is worth cracking the foundation of a program.

 

Martinez, after a wild weekend, was back on the practice field Monday afternoon. He didn't participate because of his ankle injury, but watched in his red practice jersey.

 

He laughed with coaches, including Pelini. All seemed well. Bo says he'll play Friday if healthy.

 

But things have happened this fall that raise questions about Martinez's commitment.

 

Here are the basics.

 

• There's reason to believe that Pelini's very public confrontation with Martinez at Texas A&M occurred because Taylor contacted his father via phone from the NU locker room. That's a breach of protocol at this level of college football. Communication with those outside the team waits until the game is over.

 

• It wouldn't have been the first time Martinez has talked to his dad during a game. With 1:20 left in the Texas game, after coaches pulled Taylor from the game, Casey Martinez walked down from his seat in the east stadium, met Taylor behind the bench and spoke to him until the clock ran out.

 

• Martinez missed Sunday afternoon's “shakeout,” an informal stretching and running session. Technically, the workout is voluntary, but almost every member of the team attended. Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

 

• In August, Martinez missed a practice. Questioned about it the next day, Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

 

• In each of the latter two cases, Martinez may have quit the team temporarily, or considered quitting the team. At the very least, he left teammates wondering aloud about his status.

 

I imagine almost every football player at every school in America has considered quitting at one point or another. Some cases make the news, some don't.

 

In 1999, a disillusioned Eric Crouch quit the team, then returned to NU and won the Heisman two years later. Husker I-back DeAngelo Evans pulled a similar stunt in '99, but wasn't welcomed back.

 

Each situation calls for a different response. A coach doesn't treat every player the same.

 

But at what point is the drama too much?

 

Every good football team has talent. The great teams have the glue connecting the pieces. Nebraska's offense doesn't have the glue. And Martinez hasn't helped.

 

In California, he wore three different uniforms his final three years of high school. In Lincoln, he still comes across too often as an independent contractor — a mercenary.

 

After the Texas loss, Martinez was the last one off the field and into the tunnel because he was taking pictures with family.

 

He's quiet, sometimes distant. He hasn't made a lot of close friends around the Osborne Complex.

 

That's fine. Some great football players never won a popularity contest.

 

But the leadership standards for Nebraska's starting quarterback are extremely high. The responsibilities are heavy. The starting quarterback cannot have commitment issues.

 

If teammates question his allegiance, they won't follow him. In a tight game, when Nebraska needs one drive to win, he won't be able to rally the troops.

 

Worse, if teammates think Pelini has a different set of rules for Martinez, team unity could take a hit. Perhaps players start questioning their own commitment.

 

Look, Martinez is 20 years young.

 

Dropped far from home in the middle of a Big Red circus. Facing new challenges on the field and off.

 

He wouldn't be the only player to think twice about working for Bo after that expletive-laced tirade on national TV.

 

But it doesn't give Martinez license to miss a team function the day after a gut-wrenching loss.

 

Even if he never considered quitting, what message does that send to teammates about his dedication?

 

In a perfect world, you want Taylor Martinez somewhere on your football team. No question. He's too talented. But his personality and intangibles don't fit the profile of a starting quarterback.

 

At least not right now.

 

There's no easy solution for Pelini.

 

Nebraska hasn't developed a productive alternative to Martinez at quarterback, or a power running game to bear some of the burden. It says a lot that Pelini went with a hobbled Martinez over Cody Green in the second half at Texas A&M.

 

It says Martinez IS the offense.

 

I'm sure Bo doesn't want to try to win a Big 12 championship (such a critical goal for the program and its fan base) without his full arsenal. Or enter the Big Ten Conference with his fourth starting quarterback in four years.

 

But long-term consequences of Martinez's behavior — and Pelini's response — shouldn't be ignored.

 

Pelini runs a pretty tight ship. Maybe he's handling the situation behind closed doors, as he indicated Monday.

 

Maybe these incidents are finished.

 

Maybe Martinez will respond and flourish the way Crouch did.

 

Or maybe Bo and Taylor are waiting for the offseason, when they can part ways without cameras capturing every move.

 

Martinez finds a new school, where he becomes a star. Nebraska hands the keys to Brion Carnes or Bubba Starling or Jamal Turner. A new face directs the offense with more composure, continuity and toughness.

 

Almost any outcome seems possible.

 

But the clock is ticking.

 

If Martinez can't commit unconditionally, then at some point Pelini must make the decision for him.

 

Remove the gray.

[zoogs]

As much as I have become a serious fan of Taylor's playing ability, I think the rumblings about this being an issue have been too loud to really ignore.

 

Nobody will like hearing something like this, but Dirk Chatelain wrote an unpopular article earlier in the season on Taylor that also had good points in it. I would hate for this situation to actually be reality, but I guess it is hard to question that there is something here: and the possibility that as gifted as Taylor is, the program may be better off without him. More than a couple closer to the situation have hinted as such, which is pretty saddening to me because of the insane highlights we have seen from Taylor this season. Why can't everyone just fall in line and get along?

 

I don't think Bo went off on Taylor for nothing, last game.

 

I guess these are the kinds of articles that, in moderation, are so important to have. I say in moderation because honestly, I like cheering for this team and feeling good about it, so I don't mind 80% fluff.

 

And there is actually some good information here, that hasn't really surfaced in other articles I've seen but have made the rounds through the grapevine; draw what conclusions from it you may wish.

 

• It wouldn't have been the first time Martinez has talked to his dad during a game. With 1:20 left in the Texas game, after coaches pulled Taylor from the game, Casey Martinez walked down from his seat in the east stadium, met Taylor behind the bench and spoke to him until the clock ran out.

• Martinez missed Sunday afternoon's “shakeout,” an informal stretching and running session. Technically, the workout is voluntary, but almost every member of the team attended. Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

• In August, Martinez missed a practice. Questioned about it the next day, Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

• In each of the latter two cases, Martinez may have quit the team temporarily, or considered quitting the team. At the very least, he left teammates wondering aloud about his status.

 

And of course, the disclaimer:

 

I imagine almost every football player at every school in America has considered quitting at one point or another. Some cases make the news, some don't.

In 1999, a disillusioned Eric Crouch quit the team, then returned to NU and won the Heisman two years later. Husker I-back DeAngelo Evans pulled a similar stunt in '99, but wasn't welcomed back.

[FLU]

The media are obviously looking and hoping for a story, and the thing that bothers me is that they appear to be attempting to plant the seeds of affliction in Taylor's mind.

[Hercules]

As much as I have become a serious fan of Taylor's playing ability, I think the rumblings about this being an issue have been too loud to really ignore.

 

Nobody will like hearing something like this, but Dirk Chatelain wrote an unpopular article earlier in the season on Taylor that also had good points in it. I would hate for this situation to actually be reality, but I guess it is hard to question that there is something here: and the possibility that as gifted as Taylor is, the program may be better off without him. More than a couple closer to the situation have hinted as such, which is pretty saddening to me because of the insane highlights we have seen from Taylor this season. Why can't everyone just fall in line and get along?

 

I don't think Bo went off on Taylor for nothing, last game.

 

I guess these are the kinds of articles that, in moderation, are so important to have. I say in moderation because honestly, I like cheering for this team and feeling good about it, so I don't mind 80% fluff.

 

My main problem with an article like this is that it seems to carry about as much credible weight as a poster on this board. Where's the source? Where are the inarguable facts, or data? It's just hearsay.

 

"There's reason to believe that Pelini's very public confrontation with Martinez at Texas A&M occurred because Taylor contacted his father via phone from the NU locker room." What is that? Dirk brings that up as if Pelini hadn't denied it two days earlier at a press conference. You wanna call Bo a liar, that's fine, but at least acknowledge that's what you're doing.

[zoogs]

Yeah, I didn't like that, either. Dirk posted that like he read it as a rumor off of some message board. But I do think it is evident that some of the stuff, he knows what he is talking about. And his conclusion of course, is pure opinion.

 

I think this article will just plain get to too many people who will want to ignore it, because honestly, who wants to hear about junk like this. It SHOULDN'T be public and should be stuff that just comes on the hush-hush from so-called message board insiders. Bo has always had Taylor's back, including now and I don't imagine he would be too happy to have something like this out there. At the same time, I appreciate one journalist for putting something out that's straight-laced and critical amidst a sea of rah-rah. It jives a lot with what some posters here have said about Taylor, too. Pretty curious.

 

I will say this though, it's one hell of a depressing article.

[Pedro Guerrero]

Oh no a not so promising article about everyones favorite quarterback. I thought it was a pretty decent article and it is about time Dirk wrote about something besides Shawn Watson.

[Hercules]

 

And there is actually some good information here, that hasn't really surfaced in other articles I've seen but have made the rounds through the grapevine; draw what conclusions from it you may wish.

 

• It wouldn't have been the first time Martinez has talked to his dad during a game. With 1:20 left in the Texas game, after coaches pulled Taylor from the game, Casey Martinez walked down from his seat in the east stadium, met Taylor behind the bench and spoke to him until the clock ran out.

• Martinez missed Sunday afternoon's “shakeout,” an informal stretching and running session. Technically, the workout is voluntary, but almost every member of the team attended. Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

• In August, Martinez missed a practice. Questioned about it the next day, Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

• In each of the latter two cases, Martinez may have quit the team temporarily, or considered quitting the team. At the very least, he left teammates wondering aloud about his status.

 

And of course, the disclaimer:

 

I imagine almost every football player at every school in America has considered quitting at one point or another. Some cases make the news, some don't.

In 1999, a disillusioned Eric Crouch quit the team, then returned to NU and won the Heisman two years later. Husker I-back DeAngelo Evans pulled a similar stunt in '99, but wasn't welcomed back.

 

I disagree that that's "good" or "new" information. "In each of the latter two cases, Martinez may have quit the team temporarily, or considered quitting the team. At the very least, he left teammates wondering aloud about his status."

 

Let's break that statement down. "Taylor may have quit the team temporarily, or considered quitting the team." Where's the evidence to back that up? What's to stop me from saying, "Taylor may have just wanted to get ice cream with his girlfriend, and was therefore excused from the shakedown because he couldn't participate anyways." Or, "Taylor may have broken his left foot, explaining the boot that was on it at practice." Or how about 30 other scenarios I could just make up.

 

"At the very least, he left teammates wondering aloud about his status." Again, where's the evidence to back this up? The only statement I heard about that came directly from a teammate on Sunday when the $h*t was hitting the fan, was from Eric Martin, who said that Martinez was still on the team. Does Dirk have sources on the team who told him that they weren't sure of Martinez's status? If so, name them, or at least say "unnamed sources close to the team." But he's got nothing, not even anonymous sources. If he had them, he would've said so.

 

So, what the heck is this article? Dirk could be right about all of this, but it's still a piece of trash from a journalistic standpoint.

[zoogs]

I am suggesting that Dirk knows the same thing about that situation that some other people close to the program do, but is putting suggestions in print that have previously been in the domain of take-it-or-leave-it message board fodder. So it'd only be new in that sense, unless other outlets actually hinted that Taylor had a foot out the door back in August. I don't think it's speculative, because I believe people who have said otherwise. You are treating it as pure guesswork which explains why we are coming from different places there.

 

I would say this article is pretty editorial in nature, as lots of sports commentary is.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

As much as I have become a serious fan of Taylor's playing ability, I think the rumblings about this being an issue have been too loud to really ignore.

 

Nobody will like hearing something like this, but Dirk Chatelain wrote an unpopular article earlier in the season on Taylor that also had good points in it. I would hate for this situation to actually be reality, but I guess it is hard to question that there is something here: and the possibility that as gifted as Taylor is, the program may be better off without him. More than a couple closer to the situation have hinted as such, which is pretty saddening to me because of the insane highlights we have seen from Taylor this season. Why can't everyone just fall in line and get along?

 

I don't think Bo went off on Taylor for nothing, last game.

 

I guess these are the kinds of articles that, in moderation, are so important to have. I say in moderation because honestly, I like cheering for this team and feeling good about it, so I don't mind 80% fluff.

 

And there is actually some good information here, that hasn't really surfaced in other articles I've seen but have made the rounds through the grapevine; draw what conclusions from it you may wish.

 

• It wouldn't have been the first time Martinez has talked to his dad during a game. With 1:20 left in the Texas game, after coaches pulled Taylor from the game, Casey Martinez walked down from his seat in the east stadium, met Taylor behind the bench and spoke to him until the clock ran out.

• Martinez missed Sunday afternoon's “shakeout,” an informal stretching and running session. Technically, the workout is voluntary, but almost every member of the team attended. Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

• In August, Martinez missed a practice. Questioned about it the next day, Pelini said Martinez was “excused.”

• In each of the latter two cases, Martinez may have quit the team temporarily, or considered quitting the team. At the very least, he left teammates wondering aloud about his status.

 

And of course, the disclaimer:

 

I imagine almost every football player at every school in America has considered quitting at one point or another. Some cases make the news, some don't.

In 1999, a disillusioned Eric Crouch quit the team, then returned to NU and won the Heisman two years later. Husker I-back DeAngelo Evans pulled a similar stunt in '99, but wasn't welcomed back.

 

I've said it before, if there is an issue here and he's unhappy and wants to leave, let him. We'll have to have somebody step up next season and take his place and that's very possible with some of the back-ups. He's a great talent, the starting QB as a freshman for Nebraska.............what else could he want? Of course there may not be an issue and there may just be an assumption on the media that there is an issue. I really don't like how closely "daddy" is with this whole situation. The guys 20 years old, let him make his own decisions and give your opinions when he asks.

[Hercules]

I am suggesting that Dirk knows the same thing about that situation that some other people close to the program do, but is putting suggestions in print that have previously been in the domain of take-it-or-leave-it message board fodder. So it'd only be new in that sense, unless other outlets actually hinted that Taylor had a foot out the door back in August. I don't think it's speculative, because I believe people who have said otherwise. You are treating it as pure guesswork which explains why we are coming from different places there.

 

I would say this article is pretty editorial in nature, as lots of sports commentary is.

 

I just think that if he's got sources, he should say so. Otherwise, it looks like he doesn't have sources, and that he's just speculating like any of us are. The problem I have with that is that he's a journalist. If he wants to speculate like us, sign up for Huskerboard, it's free. But I have a serious problem with the journalistic world moving towards the message board world, just like I have a problem with the news media world moving towards the entertainment world.

[zoogs]

What if it's more or less first hand? If that is the case, I wouldn't be too surprised if plenty of people anywhere around the program got some wind of it, including journalists, who haven't printed it since it would be (and IMO still sort of is) pointless to print. I think I'm just playing Devil's Advocate at this point.

[TripleOption]

This article is more than a little unsettling. I'd like to thinks that's it's just unwarranted speculation, but after this past week I'm tempted to believe that there's something real happening here. Here's hoping Taylor can work this thing out -- He really is an amazing, phenomenal athlete.

[blackshirts5115]

The general idea of this article is right on. Whoever doesn't admit it is just afraid. I'll always root for whoever our starting QB is, but come this off-season I hope Carnes, Turner, or Starling will take over. Not because Bo favors them over Taylor, but because they earned it. I'm just worried that chemistry will be poor with Martinez. But once he is named the starter, I'm still 100% rooting for him.

[Hercules]

What if it's more or less first hand? If that is the case, I wouldn't be too surprised if plenty of people anywhere around the program got some wind of it, including journalists, who haven't printed it since it would be (and IMO still sort of is) pointless to print. I think I'm just playing Devil's Advocate at this point.

 

Yeah, I don't really know. That's why I don't like the article. I mean, I don't like the idea of the content, I'd rather Martinez be the second coming of Frazier. If that's not the way it is, then so be it, but I just don't get this article.

 

I mean, part of me wonders if Chatelain is pussyfooting around instead of making definitive statements and naming sources because he's so afraid of the consequences that would come down from Bo. I don't get it. Some of Chatelain's stuff is purely commentary, and I usually enjoy that, but this is in some netherworld between commentary and reporting, and I can't get on board with that.

 

If Chatelain's got something, he should say so definitively. This reads like mere speculation, to me at least.

[nemajordude]

Chatty writes some pretty good stuff but my opinion of him and his material is always framed by an article he wrote a a couple of years ago. I don't remember the game but Chatty wrote about Bo's decision to kick a field goal rather than go for it. Paraphrasing, he said "I've had 3days to think about it, and I finally decided that Bo should have gone for it to make a statement." I've always thought this was lame considering that we won that game, and that he pondered it for a long time before deciding Bo should have "made a statement." The guy seems to hover around reality so that you're not always sure what he's saying is substantial.