Frost on the Blackshirts

[Mavric]

So obviously Frost isn't going to hand them out until they'be been earned.....

 

 

[Hunter94]

I agree, it used to be for special players only, under Riley it was like a participation ribbon.

[knapplc]

28 minutes ago, Mavric said:

So obviously Frost isn't going to hand them out until they'be been earned.....

 

 

 

Frost is friendly with Pelini, so it may be that he finds merit to the way Pelini handled the Blackshirts, as in, passing them out after the season starts when they've been "earned."

 

OR

 

Frost may be alluding to the fact that, while 11 guys start, with all the different packages they put in there may be many more than 11 guys considered "starters," or, for the sake of this conversation, Blackshirts.

[The Dude]

18 minutes ago, knapplc said:

Frost is friendly with Pelini

Back in my day Bo wouldn't consider Frost for the Offensive Coordinator position because "they don't see eye to eye".

[Moiraine]

1 hour ago, Hunter94 said:

I agree, it used to be for special players only, under Riley it was like a participation ribbon.

 

 

It used to be given to the starters, period. It was a "participation ribbon" until Pelini got here. Those who were the starters were the "participants" and they received Blackshirts.

 

It just so happened that most/all of the starters were very good to great, or "special." Also, if you sucked someone else could take your spot, which doesn't seem to be how it worked under Riley.

 

 

Anyhow, I think Pelini's way is potentially better, especially in this era where we haven't had many good defenses.

[TheSker]

59 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Back in my day Bo wouldn't consider Frost for the Offensive Coordinator position because "they don't see eye to eye".

Pelini considered him.  Beck more had more history with Pelini.

 

Pelini's history with Frost was on defense.

[4skers89]

I didn't take Frost's comment as an indication when he is handing out the blackshirts.  I think what he wants is for the defense to play up to the reputation of the blackshirts.  What we have seen lately is a defense awarded the blackshirts, and perhaps mistakenly called the blackshirts but they weren't the blackshirts.  I believe we'll see the blackshirts distributed normally to denote who the starting defensive players are and eventually the defense will play with the pride and intensity of a blackshirt defense.

 

This reminds me of the movie "Kingdom of Heaven" where someone asked "Does making a man a knight make him a better fighter?"  The correct answer was "yes" because everyone knew how a knight fought which established a standard to meet.  Substitute knight/fighter with blackshirt/player and Frost wants the answer to be "yes".  Except for a couple of Suh lead defenses it's been a long time since we've had a blackshirt defense.  The current players have no idea what being a blackshirt means so today the correct answer is "no".

[Toe]

The way he worded it almost makes me wonder if he might hand them out to individuals, rather than the group. Like if there's one guy that Frost really feels has earned it, he's the one that gets it.

[broganreynik]

The problem with waiting until they’ve “earned it” is when they proceed to give up 408 yards to the opposing runningback or getting their doors blown off by a 7-5 team in the B1G title game.

 

Pelini withheld them, but ultimately handed them out at some point each season. In the last few years, it seemed more like “well, that’s probably the best our D is going to look this year, we better hand them out now.” 

[Making Chimichangas]

What Coach Frost is talking about is giving Blackshirts to those who demonstrate the passion, work ethic, attitude, and the "we're going to kick your a**" mentality.  That's what Frost means when he says it means more than just giving them to the starters.

 

And let's be blunt: Nebraska's defense hasn't lived up to the true Blackshirt traditions since 2010 at the minimum.

 

Again, being a Blackshirt has NOTHING to do with being a starter.  It means all those qualities I just mentioned.  And it just so happens that the players who most exemplified those qualities were the starters and top backups who played.

[Moiraine]

57 minutes ago, Making Chimichangas said:

Again, being a Blackshirt has NOTHING to do with being a starter.  It means all those qualities I just mentioned.  And it just so happens that the players who most exemplified those qualities were the starters and top backups who played.

 

It had to do with being a starter until Pelini. It just so happened that Nebraska had good defenses, so the Blackshirts made a name for themselves.

 

Which top backups got them before Pelini? Which worst starter on the team didn't get one?

[Making Chimichangas]

1 hour ago, Moiraine said:

 

It had to do with being a starter until Pelini. It just so happened that Nebraska had good defenses, so the Blackshirts made a name for themselves.

 

Which top backups got them before Pelini? Which worst starter on the team didn't get one?

 

Honestly, I don't really care about what Pelini did, or how he handled it.  What is important here is that having a Blackshirt means players give max effort, have a we're going to kick your a** attitude, and play with a level of focus and intensity that starts scaring opponents again.  That's what the Blackshirts stand for and Coach Frost intends to get the defense back to that high standard.  

[broganreynik]

32 minutes ago, Making Chimichangas said:

 

Honestly, I don't really care about what Pelini did, or how he handled it.  What is important here is that having a Blackshirt means players give max effort, have a we're going to kick your a** attitude, and play with a level of focus and intensity that starts scaring opponents again.  That's what the Blackshirts stand for and Coach Frost intends to get the defense back to that high standard.  

 

You said it has nothing to do with being a starter. The entire tradition is literally based on being a starter. There wouldn’t be any Blackshirts if it weren’t for coaches wanting to differentiate the starters. So, yeah, it has a helluva lot to do with being a starter.

 

Unless you mean the Italian fascists. They definitely gave max effort and had a kick your a** attitude.

 

 

[shyndy]

6 hours ago, 4skers89 said:

I didn't take Frost's comment as an indication when he is handing out the blackshirts.  I think what he wants is for the defense to play up to the reputation of the blackshirts.  What we have seen lately is a defense awarded the blackshirts, and perhaps mistakenly called the blackshirts but they weren't the blackshirts.  I believe we'll see the blackshirts distributed normally to denote who the starting defensive players are and eventually the defense will play with the pride and intensity of a blackshirt defense.

 

This reminds me of the movie "Kingdom of Heaven" where someone asked "Does making a man a knight make him a better fighter?"  The correct answer was "yes" because everyone knew how a knight fought which established a standard to meet.  Substitute knight/fighter with blackshirt/player and Frost wants the answer to be "yes".  Except for a couple of Suh lead defenses it's been a long time since we've had a blackshirt defense.  The current players have no idea what being a blackshirt means so today the correct answer is "no".

A knight would be a better fighter because they had armor, a horse, and a big effing sword.  

[broganreynik]

1 hour ago, shyndy said:

A knight would be a better fighter because they had armor, a horse, and a big effing sword.  

 

But is a Knight a better coach once he’s a Husker (again)?