UPDATED: Beebe not in Lincoln... Will hand over death threat e-mails to authorities

[nemajordude]

Beebe's remarks don't point to a conspiracy to me. It was however a very stupid thing to say. They indicate that he does not choose his words carefully. This to me is a sign of a poor leader.

[hack]

 

this is the face of the enemy, people. know it well. memorize the smug look on his face.

 

it will make winning the big xii championship that much sweeter.

[kansas husker]

as everyone else has stated the people who made those threats (especially to his daugher) are classless people who deserve jail time. I just cannot get over the slap in the face he gave us. Some other ways the trophy presentation could have been done have the Nebraska national guard give the trophy, have a someone from the uinversty do it like Pearlman or TO.

 

Bebe has blown this way out of proportion and the whole situation reminds me of the demise of the SWAC. Arkansas left and was kind of cast off (if you read the history it sounds like they left for similar reasons as Nebraska) three years later the conference fell apart. One thing to point out is the SWAC fell apart with good leadership imagine what will happen to the big 12 as the clearly lack good leadership.

[cscott2win]

A complete lack of professionalism being displayed by Bebee. I did enjoy TO's statements concerning the subject. Actually we can all thank Bebee for throwing a little more fuel in the tank of the Big Red machine.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

The real story here is not the usual stupid crap some idiot fans do it's that the commissioner has just 1-upped them with his refusal to even send a representative and cry to the media giving specific details about some emails/calls. CLEARLY an attempt to be the victim. If you need further convincing of how wrong Beebe is in all of this just read TO's comments on the issue.

This. If Beebe felt threatened, why not send a representative from the Big 12? Instead, this was clearly an attempt by Beebe to put Nebraska in a more unfavorable position/light. Not too mention, how many times has he received these types of calls/emails from other fanbases but it never seems to deter him.

 

f#*k you Beebe...f#*k you. Do us all a favor and not even show up Saturday night.

[Lil' Red]

Some of the stuff sent to Beebe is very disturbing and anyone who sent that is a disgrace to Husker Nation. That being said the Big 12 should have sent the trophy. I wouldn't blame Beebe for not handing it over but they could have sent somebody.

[nowhereman]

I think before people start self-hating because of e-mails and phone messages from cranks, think about this: Do you really think this is the first time those types of letters have been sent to the Big-12? The volume may have been higher after last week, but I guarantee Beebe's received those messages from nutters going back to December of last year - or even earlier. I am also sure he's received wacko-mail from other fan bases who have felt wronged.

 

So why hold them up to the light now? More importantly, why go to the media with details of those letters? Would it not be far more responsible and wise to remain vague so as not to fan the flames even more - especially if you really do plan to turn them over to the police?

 

There's no excuse for stupid people to be haranguing the Big-12 office, but to HONESTLY expect to be under threat just coming to Lincoln is ridiculous. Even if Beebe believed that, he just has to send an underling with the trophy. Are Nebraska fans going to go after a Big-12 office intern? I seriously doubt that. In fact, fans would not even need to know Beebe was at the game. Last year's trophy award took place in the locker room. It's not like it was going to be presented at the 50-yard line for people to boo Beebe and pelt him with hot garbage.

 

This was ultimately a PR stunt by the Big-12 to give the finger to Nebraska and simultaneously shift blame to those crazed meanies in Lincoln. It also serves to take the heat off of Beebe & Co. for the shady stuff they're pulling - and those on this board and others preoccupied with shaming Nebraska fans for the actions of a few cranks are playing right into the Big-12's game.

[kansas husker]

I retract some of my comments after reading this Beebe did let Osborne know early in the week so I retract my comments about him not letting us know earlier. However I'm still in the camp that considers this a gutless, classless move.

 

Shatel: Big 12's Beebe absent, cites threats from fans

By Tom Shatel

WORLD-HERALD COLUMNIST

 

LINCOLN — And now, here to present the final Big 12 North trophy to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe.

 

Mr. Commissioner? Is anybody from the Big 12 office here?

 

Nope.

 

There was no Big 12 North trophy presentation on Friday afternoon after NU sealed the deal with a resounding 45-17 victory over Colorado at Memorial Stadium.

 

That's because there was no trophy.

 

That's because nobody from the Big 12 office showed up to present the trophy, which is standard league protocol. Hmm. All the flights from Dallas to Omaha sold out this weekend?

 

“Apparently they got a lot of nasty mail from Nebraskans,'' said Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne. “For some reason, they didn't feel they'd be safe. I don't know.''

 

This was already a juicy saga, with Beebe potentially having to hand the Big 12 championship trophy to Osborne and Bo Pelini next Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium. Can you say Al Davis and Pete Rozelle?

 

If the Huskers win, Beebe might do the honors next to a bodyguard.

 

In a phone interview with Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star on Friday night, Beebe said he and his family had received death threats in recent weeks from people purported to be Nebraska fans.

 

“We had a threat that you're going to die and your family is going to die in your house,'' Beebe said. “You have to start taking it seriously.''

 

Beebe also said that someone called him, apparently impersonating a police officer and told him “they had my daughter (who is in college) and she was unresponsive.''

 

That turned out to be false.

 

Beebe told Kerkhoff that he spoke with an independent contractor who works in the National Football League security office. That person told Beebe it wasn't worth attending the game until they could check out all the threats.

 

The commissioner said he had received more than 2,000 e-mails about Nebraska, many of them vulgar, and that his staff had received vulgar messages, too.

 

Beebe is a former NCAA enforcement representative who was in on several tough cases, including the SMU death penalty. But he said he's “never had to deal with this amount of vulgarity and nastiness.''

 

This puts the commissioner's absence in proper perspective. I know some of you are saying Beebe was gutless not to show up. But I think he had his reasons. Good reasons.

 

That doesn't excuse the Big 12 from having someone here. Nobody in Nebraska would know Associate Commissioner Tim Allen from the comedian/actor Tim Allen. Or media chief Bob Burda.

 

Heck, the Big 12 could have sent Assistant Commissioner Ed Stewart. You know, the former All-America linebacker at Nebraska. Husker fans are going to give him grief?

 

Also, the trophy ceremony would have taken place in the Huskers' locker room, perhaps the most heavily guarded spot in the state.

 

For weeks, the commissioner has been mum about the whole Nebraska business, the Eric Martin suspension, the 16 penalties last week.

 

Why make all the ugliness public the week that thousands of Husker fans will make the trip to Dallas? Will it subdue the angry fans? Or aggravate those who want attention?

 

It seems the attention from this could have been avoided by sending one unknown Big 12 rep.

 

Then again, maybe there's just no getting around a fiery, emotional throwing-potted-plants end to this divorce.

 

I spoke with Osborne alone after the game. He declined to comment later, when told of Beebe's comments. He said Beebe had relayed his concerns earlier in the week.

 

Earlier, Osborne didn't seem upset at the lack of Big 12 presence. He just rolled his eyes. He shrugged. At this point, there are no more surprises in this story and few emotions left for the man who has seen it all in over four decades.

 

“Whatever,'' Osborne said. “We'll just roll with the punch. I'm just glad we won it. I'm proud of Bo and the guys. Now we'll go down there and try and win the championship.''

 

What type of reaction will Nebraska officials and the team get from the league when they arrive in Dallas next Friday?

 

“I have no idea,'' Osborne said.

 

Better yet, will the league beef up security at the game? Who knows?

 

What should help is the choice of officials. Osborne said Walt Anderson, the Big 12's supervisor of officials, told him the crew who did the Nebraska-Texas A&M game would not be doing the Big 12 championship game.

 

“We do get an all-star group of officials, No. 1 at their positions,'' Osborne said. “These will be supposedly the No. 1-rated referees. It won't be the same group (as A&M). As far as I'm concerned, that sounds good. We're pleased.

 

“My understanding is that the referee will be from a different crew and we haven't had that crew. And there will be four members of this person's crew there, and they're all rated very high. I don't think we've had that crew this year.''

 

Osborne said he spoke with Anderson Monday and didn't bother to ask him about the 16 penalties against NU at Texas A&M.

 

“I didn't ask him, and he didn't say anything,'' Osborne said. “We send the (video) clips in every week. We didn't hear back from them. There's really not much to say right now.''

 

Both Osborne and Beebe are playing nice at this point, which is another way to say both sides are just eager to get this thing over, ASAP.

 

“We just hope we can play really well,'' Osborne said. “It's important to remember that we have basketball, a lot of sports still to go. We'd like to leave on good terms. That's our intention.''

 

In Beebe's interview with the Kansas City Star's Kerkhoff, which Kerkhoff shared with me, Beebe saluted Osborne and NU Chancellor Harvey Perlman for their comments last week.

 

“I'm really grateful for what the chancellor and Tom Osborne have done to mollify this, and what Bo Pelini has done,” he told the Star. “The tone set by the leadership has a huge effect on situations like this.

 

“We're talking about a very small percentage of a fan base, very small. Nebraska fans are some of the best and most passionate fans in sports. I think this will all turn out OK.''

 

Look, I'm no Big 12 fan. It's been the Mickey Mouse clubhouse in so many ways. That continued Friday, when the league didn't bother to send a mailroom clerk to Lincoln.

 

But I don't condone death threats, either. I don't think many in Husker Nation do, either.

 

This needs to be over. It's going to be over in a week, unless you're going to chart Doc Sadler's traveling calls. Nebraska has made it back to Jerry Jones World, and the Huskers are 60 minutes from a trophy and an awkward, satisfying moment.

 

We seemed destined to get a compelling, unforgettable climax. And the game should be pretty good, too

http://www.omaha.com/article/20101126/SPORTS/711269828

[HUSKERCR]

Anyone else think it more than a little fishy Beebe declined to comment

on some of BS penalty calls because "it's under investigation",

but publicly goes into the gory, minute details of alleged threatening phone calls

and emails he's turned over to the authorities for criminal prosecution?

 

Gee, almost as if he's trying to get the Husker Program tried

and convicted in the media before the investigation has even started.

[Malth]

Seems like a new generation of Husker fans think it's OK to send death threats to Beebe, and vulgar remarks to family members of someone they disagree with. Look, I think the officiating at the T A&M game was just as bad as everyone else on this board. Beebe excuse for not showing up in Lincoln was a bunch of bull. Now someone trying to blame the refs for the Texas loss in an earlier post, is funny. 3 or 4 dropped td's I think did that.

Over the decades Cornhusker fans have built our reputation as the best fans in college football, hate to see what the media does with this, outside the state, because of a few nut jobs. Stay classy Husker fans.

 

 

GBR!!!

 

A new generation? Osborne basically said he's dealt with the same sh#t. You can bet crap like this has been going on for a looooooong time in just about any fanbase.

 

Beebe is being a douchebag.

[Hercules]

Seems like a new generation of Husker fans think it's OK to send death threats to Beebe, and vulgar remarks to family members of someone they disagree with. Look, I think the officiating at the T A&M game was just as bad as everyone else on this board. Beebe excuse for not showing up in Lincoln was a bunch of bull. Now someone trying to blame the refs for the Texas loss in an earlier post, is funny. 3 or 4 dropped td's I think did that.

Over the decades Cornhusker fans have built our reputation as the best fans in college football, hate to see what the media does with this, outside the state, because of a few nut jobs. Stay classy Husker fans.

 

 

GBR!!!

 

A new generation? Osborne basically said he's dealt with the same sh#t. You can bet crap like this has been going on for a looooooong time in just about any fanbase.

 

Beebe is being a douchebag.

 

Right. Osborne and his family got threats because he couldn't beat Oklahoma early in his career. The loonies aren't new.

[Micheal]

I think it was totally wrong for any "fans" to send emails and leave phone calls or w/e threatening anybody's safety. I also understand Beebe not wanting to come to Lincoln, but he's the Big 12 commissioner, its his duty to get things done. Send somebody or do something. And throwing the entire Nebraska fanbase under the media bus is totally unprofessional, I can't believe he said all that he did, its so.....ridiculous. Whoever is sending threats needs to stop and anyone that thinks about it, think twice, about all that it will cause, nothing good comes from it. Oh and Beebe, do your job PROFESSIONALLY.

[kansas husker]

here is an exert given by Bo

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -No one from the Big 12 staff was on hand to present Nebraska the North Division trophy it won by beating Colorado, and that's all right with coach Bo Pelini.

 

For him, there's no satisfaction at the end of Nebraska's Big 12 Conference farewell tour unless commissioner Dan Beebe hands the league championship trophy to the Huskers next Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.

 

"We're only halfway there,'' Pelini said. "It was fun to win the Big 12 North, but we still have got some unfinished business. That wasn't our main goal, but it's a goal we had to reach. It's part of the process.''

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/wires/11/27/2060.ap.fbc.t25.nebraska.big.12.finale.1st.ld.writethru.0792/

[BIGREDIOWAN]

here is an exert given by Bo

 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -No one from the Big 12 staff was on hand to present Nebraska the North Division trophy it won by beating Colorado, and that's all right with coach Bo Pelini.

 

For him, there's no satisfaction at the end of Nebraska's Big 12 Conference farewell tour unless commissioner Dan Beebe hands the league championship trophy to the Huskers next Saturday night in Arlington, Texas.

 

"We're only halfway there,'' Pelini said. "It was fun to win the Big 12 North, but we still have got some unfinished business. That wasn't our main goal, but it's a goal we had to reach. It's part of the process.''

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/wires/11/27/2060.ap.fbc.t25.nebraska.big.12.finale.1st.ld.writethru.0792/

Absolutely LOVE the focus! He'll have our boys ready to play on Saturday.

[T_O_Bull]

Its us against them. Has Colorado faced the same BS as we have this year? F the Big 12, no class there.

T_O_B