Death, Lawrence Phillips, and the Cornhuskers team no one could beat

Saunders

Saunders

Heisman Trophy Winner
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Twenty years ago, Sports Illustrated sent a reporter to Lincoln, Nebraska to profile Lawrence Phillips. The story, and the photo of Phillips on the magazine's cover, reflected the Cornhusker running back's ascendant stardom. In 1994, he was the Huskers' primary offensive weapon as they won their first national title in the Tom Osborne era. As a junior in 1995, he was a preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. There's probably never been a good time to be Lawrence Phillips, but 1995 was as close as it got.

https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/death-lawrence-phillips-and-the-lawless-cornhuskers-team-that-no-one-could-beat?utm_vicesportstwitter
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Anyone who has followed the Huskers during those years can remember this stuff. Nothing new IMO. I even remember the wildness that was Switzer. Now OU was crazy!

I still defend TO in that I really think he saw an opportunity to help a lot of those kids. I do not think they were recruited to win and nothing else.

Still a decent article. It's like the old saying, if you want to catch the devil, you have to go to hell to find a witness. You can't win with choir boys. TO certainly didn't. Get the rough kids and win. I can not really think of one team that has one a MNC in modern times that didn't have some players with questionable ethics or a vicious mean streak. So long as there are expectations and those are met, I really do not have an issue. For some, it might be the one thing that actually allows them to make a positive and permanent change.

And I do not know if I have ever seen as powerful and punishing a RB as LP. He could have been, IMO, one of the greatest to ever play the game.

 
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lo country said:
Anyone who has followed the Huskers during those years can remember this stuff. Nothing new IMO. I even remember the wildness that was Switzer. Now OU was crazy!

I still defend TO in that I really think he saw an opportunity to help a lot of those kids. I do not think they were recruited to win and nothing else.

Still a decent article. It's like the old saying, if you want to catch the devil, you have to go to hell to find a witness. You can't win with choir boys. TO certainly didn't. Get the rough kids and win. I can not really think of one team that has one a MNC in modern times that didn't have some players with questionable ethics or a vicious mean streak. So long as there are expectations and those are met, I really do not have an issue. For some, it might be the one thing that actually allows them to make a positive and permanent change.

And I do not know if I have ever seen as powerful and punishing a RB as LP. He could have been, IMO, one of the greatest to ever play the game.
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Well said.

 
lo country said:
Anyone who has followed the Huskers during those years can remember this stuff. Nothing new IMO. I even remember the wildness that was Switzer. Now OU was crazy!

I still defend TO in that I really think he saw an opportunity to help a lot of those kids. I do not think they were recruited to win and nothing else.

Still a decent article. It's like the old saying, if you want to catch the devil, you have to go to hell to find a witness. You can't win with choir boys. TO certainly didn't. Get the rough kids and win. I can not really think of one team that has one a MNC in modern times that didn't have some players with questionable ethics or a vicious mean streak. So long as there are expectations and those are met, I really do not have an issue. For some, it might be the one thing that actually allows them to make a positive and permanent change.

And I do not know if I have ever seen as powerful and punishing a RB as LP. He could have been, IMO, one of the greatest to ever play the game.
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Agreed. I posted it because I saw the story retweeted by Jay Foreman.

 
What could have been. Really unfortunate for multiple reasons, mostly those impacted directly by his actions.

 
skersfan said:
Oh my gawd, I plus oned redux. Things must be changing around here.
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We may not see eye to eye on things all the time but I think we all can agree it's a shame such a great former player, not just a Husker, spiraled out of control the way he did and hurt so many people in the process.

Thats the problem with football. We put these young men on a pedestal from the day they decide where to attend college. Some cant handle the fame, and some it just doesnt matter how many chances they are given. Thats why it is so damn vital we have a staff capable of helping transition these young men into adulthood no matter what their next step in life may be. Bo was a stubborn a$$ towards his fanbase and superiors but he was loyal to his players. I think Riley will be that and more. As much as we all complain, it isnt just about hardware.

 
Winning and losing teams have guys with questionable ethics and morals. There are just so many athletes out there with so many different stories that it's impossible to not have at least one guy out of 125 players be a little shady.

I don't fault TO for recruiting them. He first and foremost brought them here to win and that's the biggest factor. But, I think he also knew that they had put their faith in him by choosing UNL, and he felt he needed to return it to a degree.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Enhance89 said:
I don't fault TO for recruiting them. He first and foremost brought them here to win and that's the biggest factor.
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Wait. Isn't that "biggest factor" where the whole ethical conundrum comes in?
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Well, yeah, that's what I'm saying. TO recruited those kids to come here, play and win, first and foremost. I think there are definitely some ethical considerations to be made there, but, I also know that coaches sometimes have to take risks on players or else they're not going to win. I think that's just the reality of it all.

 
1995 Redux said:
skersfan said:
Oh my gawd, I plus oned redux. Things must be changing around here.
Click to expand...
We may not see eye to eye on things all the time but I think we all can agree it's a shame such a great former player, not just a Husker, spiraled out of control the way he did and hurt so many people in the process.

Thats the problem with football. We put these young men on a pedestal from the day they decide where to attend college. Some cant handle the fame, and some it just doesnt matter how many chances they are given. Thats why it is so damn vital we have a staff capable of helping transition these young men into adulthood no matter what their next step in life may be. Bo was a stubborn a$$ towards his fanbase and superiors but he was loyal to his players. I think Riley will be that and more. As much as we all complain, it isnt just about hardware.
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Amen, also well said.

 
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