Combatting the "We Aren't Relevant" Argument

[Landlord]

I don't know I'm feeling a bit lacking in patience today and saw a post about this.

 

 

To anyone that is spouting off at the mouth and/or actually believes that Nebraska is an afterthought in the national spotlight, that we aren't relevant on the national stage, that nobody has Nebraska in mind or whatever similar train of thought you want to throw in there - can you just shut your mouths?

 

It's simply not true.

 

We ranked 14th in the nation in merchandise sold.

We've played every single game on national television for the last two years - and every single game on some kind of television for the last five.

20 of our last 27 games have been on ABC, ESPN or FOX.

We've been ranked in the top 10 nationally 14 weeks over the last three season.

We've been ranked in the top 25 nationally 37 out of 46 weeks over the four seasons.

We've played for three BCS conference championship games in the last four seasons - losing two of them by a combined 4 points.

One of our very own just won the ESPY award for "Sports Moment of the Year"

The team's Harlem Shake video has gone viral with several million views and ESPN features.

We just won ESPN's "Ultimate Team Championship" tournament or whatever the hell it's called.

 

 

Yeah I know I know.... "we get embarassed every time we are on national primetime" - I know that. Everybody knows that. The thing is, if we weren't relevant, nobody would know about it.

 

So just stop. Stop being obtuse and stop depracating on our program, coaches and players. We are plenty relevant.

[knapplc]

Someone has their Bossy Boots on this morning.

[GSG]

[choyeskilm]

Touché My Friend..... Everyone needs more koolaid....

[sd'sker]

cowherd just mentioned we are good on his show when listing some top programs for some reason. he also said michigan is a year away.

[Chaddyboxer]

cowherd just mentioned we are good on his show when listing some top programs for some reason. he also said michigan is a year away.

Cowturd just mentioned NEB?! What a surprise..........

I don't think Michigan is there just yet, they will have their struggles this year IMO. The Legends race will come down to NEB, Northwestern and Mich IMO.

[Count 'Bility]

Oh christ, look out. Landlord's in a mood.

[tmfr15]

Nebraska's relevance should not be in question at this point. It's the one reason that I think we are a darkhorse contender for the title game. If we can get things rolling and figure out our issues we have the potential to go 12-0 and if we are 12-0, the CCG will be the only thing standing between us and the national title game. If you are not relevant, such a run would probably put you in the top 10, maybe even the top five, but not in the top two.

[knapplc]

The reality is that there isn't any national buzz surrounding Nebraska right now. We're not the media darlings that those generating buzz engender.

 

The national narrative is generated by momentum, and ours is decidedly downward, despite the very real accolades cited in the OP.

 

Our coach is best known for surliness and losing four games per season.

Our quarterback is best known for his lightning speed, but equally well-known for his errors, and his public awkwardness.

Our team in general is known for being the whipping boy in several nationally-broadcast blowout losses.

Whatever the "next step" is that this team needs to take, there's little indication that we'll take it.

We haven't made a splash recruiting in years. We're best known in recruiting for missing out on several well-known targets.

One of our best-known traditions, the Blackshirts, has been a public laughing-stock for the last couple of years.

Even our best-known players the last several years are generating as much negative press as positive. Suh's well-publicized gaffes reflect poorly on the team, as do Fonzie's.

 

 

 

 

The funny thing about this thread is that I haven't had time to write up a thread I've been meaning to for at least a week - namely, how little national play Nebraska is getting this preseason. Look around at the headlines of the major publications out there and you won't find Nebraska mentioned nearly anywhere. Today:

 

SI has Urban Meyer/Ohio State as the lead story of their mailbag. Other headlines include Hundley/UCLA, Alabama, USC, Manziel/Texas A&M, Spurrier/Clowney, and Kent St/Archer.

Yahoo/Rivals has Shaw/Stanford, Clowney/SC, USC/Lee, Gardner/Michigan, Sparty's offense, Oregon, Wisconsin, Pitt & K-State

CBS has Cincy's transfer, A&M/Manziel, Oregon, Penn St, Clowney/Spurrier, Florida St, Auburn, Gundy/OK State

USAToday has Louisville, A&M/Manziel, Lee/USC, Michigan St, Alabama, Clemson, etc.

 

 

Nobody has anything to write about Nebraska, and why should they? Where's our momentum? Where's the indication that we'll be a big story this year?

[Landlord]

Almost all of that, true as it may be knapp, doesn't really speak against my point that we are still plenty relevant.

 

I, for one, am thankful for the lack of headlines regarding Nebraska. I think this season is one where no news is good news coming into the preseason. We had a huge splash of positive publicity in the spring with the Harlem Shake and Jack's TD run, and you know we were all over publications everywhere with those, and now we're able to go about our business. No scandal, no quarterback controversy, no overreaction to the Suttles/Brown incident, etc.

 

Meanwhile, despite the lack of national play as far as stories, we're picked by the majority to win our division, were just simulated by Prediction Machine to make the Rose Bowl, were listed as a national championship dark horse, etc.

 

Even with the lack of attention there isn't a lack of respect considering our struggles of late. Are we elite? No. Are we a proven contender? Not yet. Are we an afterthought? Not even close.

[da skers]

Listen Shitel said we weren't so it has to be true. Nevermind in the very same column he said the major bowls like the Fiesta, Sugar, etc were chomping at the bit to get us back there. Ummmm.....if we don't matter and suck so bad and don't have a ratings boost why would they want us. Oh...because only hack job, lazy ass crap reporters from the OWH (not named panda) who try to spoon feed an agenda to the public think that.

[knapplc]

If we're not an afterthought, where's the evidence of momentum building around the Nebraska narrative?

 

We're picked by many to win an irrelevant division in a conference whose sole national story is Ohio State and Urban Meyer. Even if we win our division, most sports news types will predict us to lose the CCG, and many will openly opine whether or not we'll get blown out/bumble around the field in silly fashion. Even if we escape the CCG with a close loss, there's no faith on a national level that we'll finish in the top ten.

[tmfr15]

The national media wants us to be relevant.

 

Many have tried and tried to inject Martinez into the Heisman conversation. Why would they do that if we don't matter?

 

Maybe there is a lack of momentum right now, but if we blasted UCLA and T-Mart ran for three scores.... BOOM, suddenly there would be more talk about us.

[StPaulHusker]

cowherd just mentioned we are good on his show when listing some top programs for some reason. he also said michigan is a year away.

Cowturd just mentioned NEB?! What a surprise..........

I don't think Michigan is there just yet, they will have their struggles this year IMO. The Legends race will come down to NEB, Northwestern and Mich IMO.

It's not that surprising that he would mention Nebraska. He has often said Bo is an elite coach.

[knapplc]

The national media wants us to be relevant.

 

Many have tried and tried to inject Martinez into the Heisman conversation. Why would they do that if we don't matter?

 

Maybe there is a lack of momentum right now, but if we blasted UCLA and T-Mart ran for three scores.... BOOM, suddenly there would be more talk about us.

 

All we're talking about is right now, preseason. Once the season starts this conversation ends because we'll have onfield results to discuss.