Do Husker Fans Handle Losing Well?

[Redux]

I believe it depends on the state of the program AND the type of loss. The 2010 loss to Texas was heartbreaking after the '09 game. A top 5 ranking tossed in the trash like it meant nothing. That was about as sullen an experience I've ever had leaving the stadium, (I also attended '04 Colorado, '08 Mizzou, and '11 Northwestern). We were so determined to be nationally relevant that the size of that deflation was infuriating. The fans exiting were just visibly and emotionally drained. Even Mack Brown said he could tell the fans were just shell shocked. During Callahan it became a regular thing to not be on par with teams. But the game has changed and we're on the step of being something special again, elite if I dare say. A loss now just feels like tripping five feet from the finish line. Overall we handle it about as well as the rest of fanbases but we seem to take it rougher on each other.

 

[Hooked on Huskers]

NO WAY :steam !!!

The lists.........

1. Bad calls :angry:

2. Turnovers :steam

3. Meaningless penalities :bang

4. Defense keystone cops :ahhhhhhhh

I'm surprised my flatscreen TV survived, you know, smashed screen, tossed cans, etc. etc. , even winning

Huskers Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane (like me)

 

[HuskerNationNick]

I think we are more harsh on our players as a whole. I don't think we take losses any different. The things I have noticed, that some people (a lot more than I had imagined) blame a loss on Taylor immediately, while giving him no credit when we win. This is not a majority of fans, but a good number of them. Sure, he had a turnover or two, but he didn't give up 50-71 points.

 

[Redux]

I think we are more harsh on our players as a whole. I don't think we take losses any different. The things I have noticed, that some people (a lot more than I had imagined) blame a loss on Taylor immediately, while giving him no credit when we win. This is not a majority of fans, but a good number of them. Sure, he had a turnover or two, but he didn't give up 50-71 points.

Precisely. I didnt care what people said after his run against Wiscy.

 

[Blackshirt96]

I tend to yell at the TV during a loss & after the game. I am over it until the new poll comes out on monday. Then I cuse at the news paper for a few minutes until something else gets my attention. By Thursday I'm back to thinking no one can beat us.

 

[NUinID]

Nobody likes to lose and nobody likes to lose big like NU has of late, but I see a lot of we got embarrassed on the national stage and that is true. My point is most casual FB fans in this country, and that means the majority of them, aren't really caring if Nebraska or S. Carolina or Oklahoma or whoever gets beat bad unless it is there team. I think too many NU fans worry about the perception of the rest of the country about their team. The truth of the matter is most people don't give our team much of a thought when we lose, just like I don't give it much of a thought when Texas loses other than to say, Cool.

 

[Redux]

Nobody likes to lose and nobody likes to lose big like NU has of late, but I see a lot of we got embarrassed on the national stage and that is true. My point is most casual FB fans in this country, and that means the majority of them, aren't really caring if Nebraska or S. Carolina or Oklahoma or whoever gets beat bad unless it is there team. I think too many NU fans worry about the perception of the rest of the country about their team. The truth of the matter is most people don't give our team much of a thought when we lose, just like I don't give it much of a thought when Texas loses other than to say, Cool.

This is true. But we worry about our perception to the rest of the country when we get blown out because it can have such a negative impact on recruiting. It likely isn't going to send the message "Hey, that team needs me! I'm going to Nebraska!". It send a message of, "Wow, they don't know how to develop talent, not going to Nebraska!". Which of course is not true, but a kid with Nebraska in his top 3 of Georgia, Alabama and Nebraska (hypothetical) watches both the SEC Title Game and the B1G title game. I gaurantee he is now down to his top 2. Thats where the anger comes from as a fanbase. Taking the next step depends on the talent coming in.

 

[Fuzzy]

To expand on the "we can barely handle winning" statement. It seems during the preseason, folks come out with their expectations of wins and losses, but once the season begins, it gets fine tuned to points. If we don't blow a certain opponent out of the water like we should, that is where we have a problem. Sometimes I think some folks don't respect other football teams and the fact that they are trying to win as well.

 

[NUinID]

To expand on the "we can barely handle winning" statement. It seems during the preseason, folks come out with their expectations of wins and losses, but once the season begins, it gets fine tuned to points. If we don't blow a certain opponent out of the water like we should, that is where we have a problem. Sometimes I think some folks don't respect other football teams and the fact that they are trying to win as well.

That type of thinking is left over from when NU used to play at least 6 really crappy teams a year in the old big 8. Parity due to the 85 schollie limit has closed the gap big time between the haves and have not's.

 

[kchusker_chris]

For those of us that take losses really hard, you're putting way too much expectation on 17-22 year old kids. That's the bigger picture here.

We all love the brand, the tradition, the stadium, the what-have-you, but in a normal circumstance would you trust kids that age with getting your coffee order right 100% of the time?

18-22 year old men and women (not kids) make up a decent percentage of our military. I don't think our expectations for the Huskers are any higher than our expectations for them. Let's not act like these sophomores/juniors/seniors are too young to be trusted, or too young to have expectations placed upon them. If they are too young (immature) then that's on the staff.

 

[NUinID]

Nobody likes to lose and nobody likes to lose big like NU has of late, but I see a lot of we got embarrassed on the national stage and that is true. My point is most casual FB fans in this country, and that means the majority of them, aren't really caring if Nebraska or S. Carolina or Oklahoma or whoever gets beat bad unless it is there team. I think too many NU fans worry about the perception of the rest of the country about their team. The truth of the matter is most people don't give our team much of a thought when we lose, just like I don't give it much of a thought when Texas loses other than to say, Cool.

This is true. But we worry about our perception to the rest of the country when we get blown out because it can have such a negative impact on recruiting. It likely isn't going to send the message "Hey, that team needs me! I'm going to Nebraska!". It send a message of, "Wow, they don't know how to develop talent, not going to Nebraska!". Which of course is not true, but a kid with Nebraska in his top 3 of Georgia, Alabama and Nebraska (hypothetical) watches both the SEC Title Game and the B1G title game. I gaurantee he is now down to his top 2. Thats where the anger comes from as a fanbase. Taking the next step depends on the talent coming in.

I an not going to say that losing like that can't be a factor, but the biggest 3 factors in recruiting are how the kid feels/connects with the staff, distance from home and facilities.

It is not a coincidence that Oregon and Okie St. have become a lot better at football since Phil Knight and Boone Pickens started up grading those schools facilities. It is not a coincidence that most players from the deep south stay in the deep south to play their football. It is not a coincidence that schools like Kentucky and Ole Miss can put together good recruiting classes when they got coaches that can make the kids feel at home even though they have done nothing in football for years.

Sure winning is very important in having great recruiting but if Nebraska is in the top 3 of a kids choice with Alabama and Georgia if the kid is from N. Carolina I give us a great chance of finishing 3rd in that race. But, if the kid is from Kansas, I give us a great shot at landing him. Proximity to home is a huge factor, plus its a culture thing. The deep south is like another world compared to the Midwest.

 

[Landlord]

For those of us that take losses really hard, you're putting way too much expectation on 17-22 year old kids. That's the bigger picture here.

We all love the brand, the tradition, the stadium, the what-have-you, but in a normal circumstance would you trust kids that age with getting your coffee order right 100% of the time?

18-22 year old men and women (not kids) make up a decent percentage of our military. I don't think our expectations for the Huskers are any higher than our expectations for them. Let's not act like these sophomores/juniors/seniors are too young to be trusted, or too young to have expectations placed upon them. If they are too young (immature) then that's on the staff.

Amateur athletics is very, very different than war.

 

[EZ-E]

I am going to say it depends.

tOSU was probably the worst I had ever taken a loss when it happened since I was about ten.

We had them on the ropes there for awhile in the first half and we were winding up the haymaker when Compton got shoved in the back on Miller's long run.

 

[GSG]

I am going to say it depends.

tOSU was probably the worst I had ever taken a loss when it happened since I was about ten.

We had them on the ropes there for awhile in the first half and we were winding up the haymaker when Compton got shoved in the back on Miller's long run.

Do you think Compton was going to make the tackle or just that there should have been a penalty?

Edit: Today was the first time I've ever watched any highlights from that game

 

[EZ-E]

I am going to say it depends.

tOSU was probably the worst I had ever taken a loss when it happened since I was about ten.

We had them on the ropes there for awhile in the first half and we were winding up the haymaker when Compton got shoved in the back on Miller's long run.

Do you think Compton was going to make the tackle or just that there should have been a penalty?

I by no means think he was by himself going to make the play, but I feel he could have kept it closer to a 15 yarder if he were allowed to do his job.