Wistrom says selfishness of players "makes me sick"

[Touchdown Tommie]

Okay, so weed is to blame, and coaches can't sit players who aren't doing what's asked of them?

 

What exactly do you think Wistrom and Peters were doing to guys that were half assing it? Jesus, this IS football people. You don't have to throw on the brass knuckles and have a parking lot ass whooping after practice. They let you put on shoulder pads, strap on a helmet, and f'ing hit each other for Christ sake. If I see you not giving a sh#t during a game, I'll call you out on it right there. You don't step up then the entire team would be asking why you don't give a sh#t. Why aren't you working hard like the rest of us. Everybody has to want to kick ass. I bet if you don't pick things up and start making plays I'll find a way to lay your ass out in practice. Might even throw an elbow in your ribs after the play lets up.

 

I am with you...times have changed and coaches and players have to be careful. The next lawsuit is just waiting to happen when you allow stuff like this. As it is stated above, the players know who work their tails off. It is actually very sad to me that you have to be so careful about what and how you say things. I got on a kid for dropping an F bomb in the game right in front of the official who then threw his flag and his mom and dad were pissed that I got upset and how dare I correct his language! It was an unreal moment!!!

[True2tRA]

Hell, call the guys mom a slut. Get his goat. Then pile drive his ass. I bet there's plenty of one on one stuff that can easily be arranged in practice if you think a guy isn't giving his all for the team. I know we think things are different and all politically correct but come on, this is football.

 

That said, what kind of guy are you if your team calls you out and you don't step up anyway? Shouldn't the coaches see that? Don't we have strength and conditioning coaches whose entire reason they make a salary is to push these guys and make them get better? The thought of being the guy who doesn't give a sh#t doesn't cross my mind, let alone having my teammates whom I love and respect call me out on it, and I still don't give a sh#t? Come on man.....there's some character issues there.

[HeyBurke]

So begins the "kids these days are too privileged" circlejerk. Teenagers have been the same since the beginning of time. It's up to their mentors (coaches, in this case) to set them on the straight and narrow. This is obviously a failure of our coaching staff.

[True2tRA]

Okay, so weed is to blame, and coaches can't sit players who aren't doing what's asked of them?

 

What exactly do you think Wistrom and Peters were doing to guys that were half assing it? Jesus, this IS football people. You don't have to throw on the brass knuckles and have a parking lot ass whooping after practice. They let you put on shoulder pads, strap on a helmet, and f'ing hit each other for Christ sake. If I see you not giving a sh#t during a game, I'll call you out on it right there. You don't step up then the entire team would be asking why you don't give a sh#t. Why aren't you working hard like the rest of us. Everybody has to want to kick ass. I bet if you don't pick things up and start making plays I'll find a way to lay your ass out in practice. Might even throw an elbow in your ribs after the play lets up.

 

I understand that and what goes on in a locker room...I really don't give two sh#ts about. But society disagrees. And if word got out about stuff that was "over the top", how big of a distraction would that be?

 

Society? Look around you when you get out and about some time. Do those people look like people you want to be listening to? Let alone give any credence to their opinions? Nah.........

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Okay, so weed is to blame, and coaches can't sit players who aren't doing what's asked of them?

 

What exactly do you think Wistrom and Peters were doing to guys that were half assing it? Jesus, this IS football people. You don't have to throw on the brass knuckles and have a parking lot ass whooping after practice. They let you put on shoulder pads, strap on a helmet, and f'ing hit each other for Christ sake. If I see you not giving a sh#t during a game, I'll call you out on it right there. You don't step up then the entire team would be asking why you don't give a sh#t. Why aren't you working hard like the rest of us. Everybody has to want to kick ass. I bet if you don't pick things up and start making plays I'll find a way to lay your ass out in practice. Might even throw an elbow in your ribs after the play lets up.

 

I understand that and what goes on in a locker room...I really don't give two sh#ts about. But society disagrees. And if word got out about stuff that was "over the top", how big of a distraction would that be?

 

Society? Look around you when you get out and about some time. Do those people look like people you want to be listening to? Let alone give any credence to their opinions? Nah.........

 

On a person by person basis, no. But society has a collective voice. And if it's carried out by the media, then it's just as distracting. Again, I don't care whether they are right or wrong; the only thing that matters is that the opinion might be a majority opinion with a loud voice.

[RedDenver]

kids are just doing everything half assed now days, they all feel entitled, it really is different now....more pot smokers and less dedicated athletes.

Said every older generation ever. I believe it was Aristotle who said the same about the younger generation of his time.

 

As far as pot smokers, the 60's and 70's say hello.

[Danny Bateman]

A culture comes from an identity. It comes form accountability. What is our identity? Mistake prone, choke, undisciplined? What are the strengths of the team? On both sides of the ball.

 

We have no identity on O. We do things well, but nothing great. On D are we ball hawking, pin the ears back and attack? We lack physicality on either side of the ball. We struggle against teams we should annihilate. We lack the killer instinct on both sides.

 

In NU's history of the 90's (since the Wistrom comments) NU had an identity on both sides. They were one of the meanest and most disciplined squads to play at that level. In the country. They could be defined as angry, mean, intense, bruising, physical, unstoppable, punishing etc........I can't use any of those to describe NU now.

 

Before we can redefine or get the culture back, we have to emulate that culture.

 

I think we have the horses, I think the staff is learning, but the need is still there to develop an identity that reflects the above attitudes of nasty, mean, punishing etc.....

The problem with culture change is it requires precedent. If the majority of our players have adopted a lazy, nonchalant, indifferent attitude about practice intensity, the concept of losing, their behavior off the field, or anything else, it stands to reason that they will continue to have that attitude. It is because it is so much easier to blend in society than go against the grain. If that culture indeed exists within this team, in order to rid ourselves of it, it all starts with one person stepping up and busting someone's chops. It could very well be someone with seniority over them, someone who gets more playing time than them, etc.... But they'd have to stand up and let people know that that kind of crap is not acceptable. If just ONE person did that, and the team saw it and agreed with the intent of the guy doing the calling-out, then it would likely catch on. That way, the new culture that the old one is unacceptable and not to be tolerated would permeate through the team, and likely wipe out the lazy, nonchalant, indifferent tendencies of certain people.

 

The problem is getting that first guy. I think a lot of you underestimate the balls it takes to stop a practice and create a distraction by creating conflict with someone who isn't giving 100%. Some players may have thought about it, but been petrified by how such behavior would be accepted by their teammates, the coaching staff, and Bo. It must be exponentially harder having a coach that's as type-A as Bo. It's essentially running the risk of undermining your boss by calling someone out on something that the boss didn't think was a problem... which of course, would be intimidating. Especially if you're fighting for a spot on the travel squad or every precious snap you can get on gameday.

 

The problem is compounded by the fact that there doesn't seem to be anyone on the coaching staff that takes part in this behavior. Of course the coaches want to believe they run good practices that prepare their players well for gameday. I'm sure they realize when they've had a bad practice day, but do any of them demand 100% accountability and effort every damn day? Apparently not, or we wouldn't still be hearing these stories. That lack of action filters from Bo on down to everyone else. If it's ok by him, it's ok by the other coaches, it's ok by the players... who's going to have a problem with it?

 

The answer is certain players that are too reticent to speak up and call someone out.

 

So basically, I believe we're kind of stuck into a holding pattern until we pull in enough players with the right type of character (I'm talking the Wistroms of the world who actually do demand accountability from players) that one such player eventually throws a fit and makes a big deal about how slacking and dogging it cannot be tolerated. Until they do put themselves on the line like that, I don't think this team will fully realize it's potential as far as intangibles.

 

So, again.... waiting. I do think we have a good start on picking more of these players as of late, though. Guys like Mike Rose that take the entire team's practice habits and effort personally come to mind.

[skersfan]

I think overall kids have changed. I know when I was a kid, I heard it all the time. We were the worst, that was 50 plus years ago.

 

I do agree that kids are more money oriented these days. I build custom off road trailers as a kind of a hobby. I can not hire a kid that truly wants to work. It seems the work force level kids, all smoke, have their phones attached to their heads, and are only working to get their next tatt or bag of weed, maybe more. My wife, Director of Nursing at a small 100 bed hospital can not find a nurse that truly is a nurse, more so a person that wants a regular paying job. Not a mission.

 

Kids are different, ESPN makes them important beyond what they truly are.

 

Personally, my guess is that Brown, Wistrom, have little importance to this program. I think Bo has a terribly tough job. This union deal is not going to make things any easier I am sure.

 

I am tired of all the blaming, the excuses, the reasons, wants, desires of what past players think. Means absolutely nothing to todays kids. Show them how they make money down the road, develop what I think Bo is trying to do, and we may have a chance. We are not comparing apples to apples.

 

If your a past player, do everything you can for the program, keep your mouth shut.

 

I am not a huge fan of Bo, but I sure do not think people out of the loop have a clue of what he faces every single day. I know I would not want his job.

[Landlord]

Read through most but not all of the thread, so I don't know if it has been focused on or not, but how much of this isn't specifically an issue at Nebraska, but is an issue with the mindset and selfishness of college athletes period? Across the country we see this, and definitely not in all areas, but at least in some, our coaching staff believes in recruiting a certain character of kid, but we still have that problem. That tells me we have our own unique problems that need to be fixed, but also tells me that kids across the board are lacking perspective and humility.

 

But really, that's nobody's fault but our own. You hear enough people tell you how hot sh#t you are and you have no other option than to start believing it.

[suh_fan93]

Wistrom is spot on. The entire culture has changed but for me you don't have to look any further than the head coach and his staff. He's the captain of this ship right now. One that struggles to stay afloat. The Huskers have struggled just be ranked at season's end for years now. You can x and o things to death but you have to know how to groom your team into winners too. I know, I know. It's a process.

 

[Hunter94]

Okay, so weed is to blame, and coaches can't sit players who aren't doing what's asked of them?

 

What exactly do you think Wistrom and Peters were doing to guys that were half assing it? Jesus, this IS football people. You don't have to throw on the brass knuckles and have a parking lot ass whooping after practice. They let you put on shoulder pads, strap on a helmet, and f'ing hit each other for Christ sake. If I see you not giving a sh#t during a game, I'll call you out on it right there. You don't step up then the entire team would be asking why you don't give a sh#t. Why aren't you working hard like the rest of us. Everybody has to want to kick ass. I bet if you don't pick things up and start making plays I'll find a way to lay your ass out in practice. Might even throw an elbow in your ribs after the play lets up.

 

light switch theory sux......you play like you practice!

[TheSker]

Talent will help solve leadership issues as well.

[Hunter94]

So begins the "kids these days are too privileged" circlejerk. Teenagers have been the same since the beginning of time. It's up to their mentors (coaches, in this case) to set them on the straight and narrow. This is obviously a failure of our coaching staff.

 

its way more f'd up now than ever,...kids want to unionize in college to get paid now to play ball.........WTF?

[skersfan]

Sker

 

I agree with you on this. See Bama, Oregon, Auburn, Florida State and bevy of others. But my main question, and not trying to stir the pot, but do you really feel we have the talent that the top programs do. I truly do not think we are close, nor do I feel the coaching is on par with the top programs. If you are right, we should start to see some significant improvement in the next two years. I see more athletic kids, but not sure I see the mind set of winners, above and beyond.

 

I do not see top five classes, or anything even clos to that level. I know this year is supposed to be better, but other programs will pass us is my guess, and we will end up with a top 20 class. For the last 14 years or so, it has required top 5 classes to win the MNC. Top 5 on a regular basis. We have not seen that level of player since Calahan recruited them. We flirted with that level of play, but only with that level of athlete.

 

Have we set impossible goals for this program, due to past performance? I think we have.

[Blackshirt39]

So begins the "kids these days are too privileged" circlejerk. Teenagers have been the same since the beginning of time. It's up to their mentors (coaches, in this case) to set them on the straight and narrow. This is obviously a failure of our coaching staff.

 

its way more f'd up now than ever,...kids want to unionize in college to get paid now to play ball.........WTF?

 

Good God, the pay for play debate has been around for 30 years. I don't agree with the union, but if anything, give the kids now some credit for having the initiative to do something about it.