Can Nice Guys Like Nebraska's Riley Finish First? (Chicago Tribune)

seaofred92

seaofred92

All-American
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-mike-riley-nebraska-football-greenstein-spt-0930-20160929-column.html

Mike Riley is America's kindly grandfather, a Mister Rogers competing in a world of Walter Whites.

Riley's first season at Nebraska last year went so poorly (6-7), he actually made some "hot seat" lists. Even if that suggestion was absurd, you had to wonder whether players would ever embrace a man so opposite of the fiery, profane coach he replaced.

Receiver Jordan Westerkamp said transitioning from Bo Pelini to Riley was akin to trading Jon Gruden for Tony Dungy.

"A completely different coaching style," Westerkamp said. "Coach Bo is the gritty, get-in-your-face kind of guy. Coach Riley is laid-back and 'Let's learn from this.' It has been kind of unique where you get both sides."

This Nebraska team does not resemble the championship-caliber outfits coach Tom Osborne produced in the mid-1990s, but the 4-0 Cornhuskers are ranked 15th and have a relatively easy path to a 7-0 start. They're three-touchdown favorites Saturday against Illinois, then travel to Indiana before hosting Purdue.

Riley seems to be answering what I've wondered about him: Can nice guys finish first?

"I think so, but I do think it's more difficult," said Mack Brown, who won the 2005 national championship at Texas. "Not everyone is playing by the rules, and Mike Riley will go by the letter of the law. Are some coaches running kids off (to get) spots on the roster? Mike is not going to do that. He will treat kids right."

 
"To say he is a leader in our game is an understatement," Fitzgerald said. "He totally gets it. He understands what this is all about, developing young people to be the best they can be.
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..."I try to emulate guys like Mike Riley. There's no hidden agenda with Mike. He's the model. He's what you want to become."

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald.
 
I see HCMR as a fierce competitor who is not afraid of finding creative loopholes in order to stay competitive, but still maintains his moral compass.

Kinda like T. O.

 
Wait, I thought Huskerboard & the media determined after last season HCMR CANNOT EVER finish first? Was a law passed that changed that or...?!??!?

/s

 
He's not a nice guy or pushover. And he's not a Vince Lombardi type either. He's a good football coach that excels in communicating and reaching out. To the question, I think Mack Brown said it nicely, or accurately.

 
IA State Husker said:
teachercd said:
You have to give MR a lot of credit...he has won over so man Nebraska fans by just being himself.
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Not attacking you, but didn't you just post recently that MR is "just like 99 percent of coaches" in another thread?
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Yeah...99% of coaches are good people, they are nice and friendly and normal.

But that doesn't mean that the fans will always give them a shot.

I believe that most people are pretty good. I have coached for a long time with a lot of coaches and even though I didn't like how some of them coached, I don't think I have coached with a guy that wasn't a nice, friendly, normal person.

 
GBRHouston said:
God I wish he was younger so we could have him for longer.
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The thing is with nice guys is when they get mad it gets through to you, because they never get mad.

With Bo he yelled and was in your face all the time that I am sure it eventually just went through one ear and out the other with the players. If Riley gets mad I am sure you can hear a pin drop in Lincoln.

 
teachercd said:
IA State Husker said:
teachercd said:
You have to give MR a lot of credit...he has won over so man Nebraska fans by just being himself.
Click to expand...
Not attacking you, but didn't you just post recently that MR is "just like 99 percent of coaches" in another thread?
Click to expand...
Yeah...99% of coaches are good people, they are nice and friendly and normal.

But that doesn't mean that the fans will always give them a shot.

I believe that most people are pretty good. I have coached for a long time with a lot of coaches and even though I didn't like how some of them coached, I don't think I have coached with a guy that wasn't a nice, friendly, normal person.
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OK, so you're saying that he is not a Douche Magoosh. I guess that's a compliment....

 
BoneyardHusker said:
The thing is with nice guys is when they get mad it gets through to you, because they never get mad.

With Bo he yelled and was in your face all the time that I am sure it eventually just went through one ear and out the other with the players. If Riley gets mad I am sure you can hear a pin drop in Lincoln.
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Like when he went after the ref last year after Gerry's ejection (I think the first one)? It was not Bo Peleni angry, but he was certainly more revved up than usual - loved to see that.

 
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