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The Curse of Black Friday (11/23/01)


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I'm assuming that was Bo's last game. And if so, it stands to reason, plenty of valid criticisms and frustrations with Bo's accomplishments aside, we didn't know how good we had it winning close ones under Pelini, especially after he got settled in. Look at the W-L record in all these games decided by a score or less or where we were trailing any time in the 4th (from memory):

 

L Va Tech 30-35

L Texas Tech 31-37 OT

W Colorado 40-31 

W Clemson 26-21

L Va Tech 15-16

W Missouri 27-12

L Iowa State 7-9

W Oklahoma 10-3

W Colorado 28-20

L Texas 12-13

L Texas 13-20

W Iowa State 31-30 OT

L Texas A&M 6-9

L Oklahoma 20-23

W Ohio State 34-27

L Northwestern 25-28

W Penn State 17-14

L UCLA 30-36

W Wisconsin 30-27

W Northwestern 29-28

W Michigan State 28-24

W Penn State 32-23

W Iowa 13-7

W Wyoming 37-34

W Northwestern 27-24

W Michigan 17-13

W Penn State 23-20 OT

W Georgia 24-19

W McNeese State 31-24

L Michigan State 22-27

L Minnesota 24-28

W Iowa 37-34 OT

 

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8 hours ago, broganreynik said:

 

Beg? I have zero interest in how many wins, losses, or hotdogs shot into the upper deck.

 

I could say “Nebraska is 26-0 when playing a team with birds as their mascot” or whatever. Just pointing out winning record isn’t quite as arbitrary.

 

Don’t let your perceptions project onto others’ posts.

Then why are you posting if you don’t care? Seems like a silly thing to do and a complete waste of time. 

 

For the record I even said that “beg” was my word choice. Yet you still got defensive and threw a hissy. Wahhh!

 

 

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Landlord said:

I'm assuming that was Bo's last game. And if so, it stands to reason, plenty of valid criticisms and frustrations with Bo's accomplishments aside, we didn't know how good we had it winning close ones under Pelini, especially after he got settled in. Look at the W-L record in all these games decided by a score or less or where we were trailing any time in the 4th (from memory):

 

L Va Tech 30-35

L Texas Tech 31-37 OT

W Colorado 40-31 

W Clemson 26-21

L Va Tech 15-16

W Missouri 27-12

L Iowa State 7-9

W Oklahoma 10-3

W Colorado 28-20

L Texas 12-13

L Texas 13-20

W Iowa State 31-30 OT

L Texas A&M 6-9

L Oklahoma 20-23

W Ohio State 34-27

L Northwestern 25-28

W Penn State 17-14

L UCLA 30-36

W Wisconsin 30-27

W Northwestern 29-28

W Michigan State 28-24

W Penn State 32-23

W Iowa 13-7

W Wyoming 37-34

W Northwestern 27-24

W Michigan 17-13

W Penn State 23-20 OT

W Georgia 24-19

W McNeese State 31-24

L Michigan State 22-27

L Minnesota 24-28

W Iowa 37-34 OT

 

 

Crazy memory.

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6 hours ago, Landlord said:

I'm assuming that was Bo's last game. And if so, it stands to reason, plenty of valid criticisms and frustrations with Bo's accomplishments aside, we didn't know how good we had it winning close ones under Pelini, especially after he got settled in. Look at the W-L record in all these games decided by a score or less or where we were trailing any time in the 4th (from memory):

 

L Va Tech 30-35

L Texas Tech 31-37 OT

W Colorado 40-31 

W Clemson 26-21

L Va Tech 15-16

W Missouri 27-12

L Iowa State 7-9

W Oklahoma 10-3

W Colorado 28-20

L Texas 12-13

L Texas 13-20

W Iowa State 31-30 OT

L Texas A&M 6-9

L Oklahoma 20-23

W Ohio State 34-27

L Northwestern 25-28

W Penn State 17-14

L UCLA 30-36

W Wisconsin 30-27

W Northwestern 29-28

W Michigan State 28-24

W Penn State 32-23

W Iowa 13-7

W Wyoming 37-34

W Northwestern 27-24

W Michigan 17-13

W Penn State 23-20 OT

W Georgia 24-19

W McNeese State 31-24

L Michigan State 22-27

L Minnesota 24-28

W Iowa 37-34 OT

 

 

The issue is most don't remember the close ones.  That Georgia game, for instance, was a really well played and hard fought win.  They remember the times OSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc were able to hang 40+ points and broke school and NCAA records doing.  And I've never been able to figure out why they happen. 

 

It's as if the program freezes up in big games.

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9 hours ago, JJ Husker said:

What should we blame the debacle in Boulder on? Solich and Craig Bohl. Or I guess we could blame TO for quitting coaching.

Osborne quitting - I think he had another 2-3 championships to go yet.  Never understood why he left football at a young age for health reasons or family reasons only to run for Congress.   

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The demographics and the whole recruiting picture has changed since then.

NE has fewer people especially young people that dream of being a walk on. Teams can no longer stockpile players. There are now multiple universities in FL that soak up potential recruits. TX has multiple universities with now respectable programs.

Why turn down an offer from sunny CA, USC, Stanford, UCLA, and those lovely CA ladies and come to Lincoln? OR sucks up recruits from CA that may not academically qualify for the above schools.

The NE brand of national championships is long gone for young people who do not live in NE.

It may be time to adjust to the new reality and hope to win the West as a meaningful and satisfying goal.

Having a new coach, President and AD state that a national championship is the only goal does no one in NE any favors.

Those days are gone and are not coming back.

NE will have to find other ways to be "relevant" on the national stage than the football team.

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8 minutes ago, Maized & Confused said:

I can't blame him... he went out on top, we all know it's a high stress job, and he had a double bypass years earlier. He was nearly 61 in a time when it was a lot more common to retire at a younger age.

Yes, understood - but running for Congress and being a US Rep is no low stress, near retirement job.  Taking on the AD role at a much older age, is not a stroll in the park either.  Of course, Tom, has the right to set his own priorities and walk his path despite what his fans

have in mind for him.  I still remember sitting in my office in Tulsa and hearing the big announcement on the radio.  I was shocked that he was retiring at the time.

 

For selfish, Nebraska pride reasons I think Tom could have retired as one of the greats of all time - yes he will be considered in everyone's top ten -  but I'm thinking Bear Bryant Great, (and hard to say it  - Nick Saban great - had to swallow hard on that one).  It is one of those huge 'what ifs' of NU football - 82, 83, 93 should have been championships,  94,95,97 were championships and I think he could have gotten 2 more in 99, 2001 if the recruitment trend he had going and his play calling had remained the same.  If "ifs and buts were candy and nuts' not only would we have Christmas all year long but potentially 8 NC under Tom.   Oh, well  - we can't live in the past.  Just hope the "Football gods" will one day smile on NU and we return to the status of a contender and win a few NC through Osborne's coaching tree. 

 

This Sports Illustrated ranked Tom as # 4 which is pretty good.  (Bryant and Saban 1&2)

https://www.si.com/college-football/2019/best-coaches-college-football-history-rankings

 

This one had Tom ranked 25th out of 25 in 2017

 

https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/the-top-25-head-coaches-in-college-football-history-060917

 

Interesting - back in 2011  Bleacher report had Tom at # 3 and Saban @ 32

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/890705-college-football-the-top-50-coaches-of-all-time#slide48

 

This 'peoples choice'  ranked Tom # 3.

https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-college-football-coaches-of-all-time

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“Black Friday" (as envisioned if Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were Husker fans)

 

When Black Friday comes
Gonna stare up at the score
And cheer the Big Red when they
Show the Hawkeyes the door

 

When Black Friday comes
Gonna get just what we’re owed
And before Fox Sports finds out
We’ll be on the road

 

When Black Friday falls you know it's got to be
Don't let it fall on me

 

Gonna do just what I please
Gonna wear no socks and shoes
With nothing to do but feed
Huskerboard the news

 

When Black Friday comes
Gonna pray we get a Bowl
Gotta stay down in it 'til
I satisfy my soul

 

Gonna let the world pass by me
The Pollsters gotta sanctify me
And if they don't come across
Just gonna let it roll

 

When Black Friday comes
I'm gonna stake my claim
Nebraska is my name
 

  • Plus1 2
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On 9/9/2019 at 10:03 PM, Scratchtown said:

Then why are you posting if you don’t care? Seems like a silly thing to do and a complete waste of time. 

 

For the record I even said that “beg” was my word choice. Yet you still got defensive and threw a hissy. Wahhh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I was a curmudgeon; but if that’s what you call a “hissy”, that’s a you problem.

 

Also, apparently I can’t just assume inference anymore.

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