Dirk Stirring the Pot again with "Blackshirts" Article

[zoogs]

My goodness, just read this article and I can not believe how anybody could find a reason to get upset over it.

[AustinHuskr]

What is this guy's motive? Seriously? This is Bo's team now and he has evolved the tradition just a bit. It's not like he took the blackshirt tradition and turned it on it's head. I am really starting to dislike Dirk and his intentions are in question for me....

 

*The intro and first part of the body of the article is very interesting....what a douche...

 

http://www.omaha.com...tivational-tool

I like Chatelain's articles. He is the ONLY NE scribe who writes unadulterated stuff and tells it like it is. All the other writers seem scared to ask questions, scared to write what they truly feel (for fear of getting their press creds. revoked).

 

Handing out 19 blackshirts is bogus. The blackshirts represent an elite force - the elite 11 starters, not some lollipop for some guy who played a few snaps here and there. Just because you "participated" doesn't mean you get one. A Blackshirt is something that's earned. Earned by getting a chance to be a regular starter on the first 11. Fisher and Baptiste (among others) getting BlackShirts is a JOKE!

[huskerswrkhavoc]

What is this guy's motive? Seriously? This is Bo's team now and he has evolved the tradition just a bit. It's not like he took the blackshirt tradition and turned it on it's head. I am really starting to dislike Dirk and his intentions are in question for me....

 

*The intro and first part of the body of the article is very interesting....what a douche...

 

http://www.omaha.com...tivational-tool

I like Chatelain's articles. He is the ONLY NE scribe who writes unadulterated stuff and tells it like it is. All the other writers seem scared to ask questions, scared to write what they truly feel (for fear of getting their press creds. revoked).

 

Handing out 19 blackshirts is bogus. The blackshirts represent an elite force - the elite 11 starters, not some lollipop for some guy who played a few snaps here and there. Just because you "participated" doesn't mean you get one. A Blackshirt is something that's earned. Earned by getting a chance to be a regular starter on the first 11. Fisher and Baptiste (among others) getting BlackShirts is a JOKE!

 

Disagree. How is Baptiste, who has been said was a starter, not deserve one? If he lost his spot due to injury, then why would he not get it back? And who cares if 19 were handed out? But then again, I'm sure you're the one who is at practice every day, busting your ass, right? And you're right, the blackshirts are an elite force. A FORCE. Not an individual, a force. A group of players who, together, play dominating defense.

 

I'll take 19 blackshirts given out and a Pelini defense every year over the 11 and Cosgrove defense we saw.

[True2tRA]

I can't see how that article was offensive in any way. I read it simply as discussing the Blackshirts history and tradition and the various ways different coaches handled it. There's no harm in that. I think we gave this Dirk and Bo thing way too much attention the first time around, let's not do it again. Both of these men are going to do their jobs the way they see fit. They are grown men, they make choices and live with the consequences, but making this story out to be some sort of attack on Bo is just not reality.

 

As far as the Blackshirts go, I value the opinion of the former players and can understand if some of them find it upsetting that Bo has changed the tradition a bit. It is their right to have an opinion on the matter and far more their right than any of ours. They played for Nebraska, they wore the Blackshirts, they've been there and done it. None of you have. If they want to express themselves so be it. I have a feeling that no matter what anyone says or thinks of it, Bo will continue to do it his way. You kind of get that feeling with Bo don't you? 19 does seem like a pretty large number of Blackshirts to be handed out but I'm sure the guys have earned it. Whether it's in a game or in practice these guys work hard. It doesn't matter who has one now, all that matters is that if you have one of those Blackshirts on, then you better f'ing' bring it everday. You better back it up and never back down. If you practice like a bitch, or play like a bitch, your disgracing the guys who came before you. And none of those guys were bitches.

[Landomatic]

As long as "Blackshirts" are synonymous with scarey good defense...all will be OK.

 

This is spot on and the only thing that really matters. I don't really care at what time and how many shirts the current or former coach deems correct with regard to the Blackshirt tradition. History has shown that the tradition has evolved from coach to coach and with changing defenses. Change is inevitable and I think the fact that this particular tradition has some fluidity actually lends to it being more meaningful than if it had stayed status quo all these years. That's how you end up with meaningless traditions...when the tradition doesn't even fit the current situation. I can tell you this, if our defense continued to struggle all year the way it was pre-MSU and Bo would have deemed it correct to not hand them out at all throughout the season, I would have backed that "change in tradition" 100%. The players still have to earn them and as Conga said above, as long as Blackshirt equals badass defense, all is good.

[Hooked on Huskers]

I heard Bo will offer a walk-on tryout player in LB or DL position. This player is Dirk or something like that.

[GMoose]

Dirk has to write 4 columns per week. Column meaning opinion piece. If you don't like his opinion, try not reading it. I don't think he did anything remotely inflammatory in this one.