Ed Cunningham had meeting with Carl Pelini

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Ed Cunningham and Carl Pelini spent nearly a half-hour together earlier this week discussing Eric Martin's hit against Oklahoma State's Andrew Hudson.
How did that little meeting go?

Well, Cunningham was back in the ABC booth and able to provide color commentary for Saturday's game at Memorial Stadium.

In all seriousness, Cunningham didn't want to offer specifics of his talk with Pelini, the Nebraska defensive coordinator, saying it was a private conversation. He did describe the session as "constructive."

Cunningham, you might recall, offered very critical on-air comments of Martin's hit above the shoulders that knocked out Hudson.

Does Cunningham believe his commentary contributed to Martin's one-game suspension by the Big 12 Conference?

"I hope not," Cunningham said before Saturday's game. "Whether it did or didn't, I can't say. There's been speculation that it did, and I understand that."

Cunningham said he stands by what he said, but that he didn't expect the Big 12 to suspend Martin.

"Those kids of hits, if you broke apart every game, you could find a couple of those," Cunningham said. "Nebraska's point of view is probably, ‘We're being picked on, we're leaving the conference, this is the conference trying to set a standard.'"

Cunningham, who played at the University of Washington in the early 1990s, is very passionate about trying to eliminate hits above the shoulder -- whether or not it's helmet-to-helmet. He believes Martin's suspension will set a precedent, and he expects an increase in players suspended because of flagrant or violent hits.

"As we get farther and farther away from the game, we forget how violent this game really is," Cunningham said. "It's been a part of the game for so long, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to change it."

Cunningham said he wasn't trying to pick on Martin, and said he hopes Nebraska's sophomore special-teams standout moves forward from this incident.

"I've never met the young man," he said. "I understand he's a very good kid who works hard in the classroom and on the field. He's a good teammate. If he had an issue with me, I'd be happy to talk to him.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for this program and for the Pelini brothers. I think they're good coaches. I think they treat their players well. That has not changed. I don't think they're teaching something that's illegal."

Going deep

  • Cunningham played in Memorial Stadium in 1991, a 37-21 Washington victory. "It's the most memorable game I have in my entire football career," he said, referencing the fans' standing ovation. "I'd never seen anything like that before. This is a great place."

  • A thumbs up to the dentists from Kansas City who dressed up as the crew from "The Hangover" for Halloween on Friday night. I'm told even Bo Pelini, who saw the group in the Huskers' motel lobby, was quite impressed.
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Now I am waiting for next week about #12 (Osborn) that Cunningham commented on the hit on the Tiger's QB. He may be out for a game.

:espnsucks:

 
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BIGREDIOWAN said:
Wonder what would be said from him bashing Osborne's hit on Gabbert as well. Guys an a$$hole, bottom line.
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:yeah pretty much, of course he went on and on what a great hit that was on Martinez and how he had that happen to him, blah, blah, blah, nobody wants to hear you are a pansy! At least Taylor tried to come back out there!

 
I just saw a crack back block from a USC player on a punt, the guy clearly did not see him and was defenseless. Suspension is in order! Come on Pac 10!!!!

 
What about a big gabbert run that was called back by a facemask where one of our guys got blown up? They didn't show it but was it a legal hit? <_<

 
irafreak said:
What about a big gabbert run that was called back by a facemask where one of our guys got blown up? They didn't show it but was it a legal hit? <_<
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I saw that too, sure "The Don" Beebe will have his cronies review the tape and suspend him for targeting haha

 
Husker Richard said:
ICT HSKR 10 said:
irafreak said:
What about a big gabbert run that was called back by a facemask where one of our guys got blown up? They didn't show it but was it a legal hit? <_<
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I saw that too, sure "The Don" Beebe will have his cronies review the tape and suspend him for targeting haha
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Terrence Moore got rocked on that particular play.
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It was almost a year ago to the day that Jared Crick also "got rocked" in the Baylor game last season. See the clip @ 4:11 mark. They also show it in slow motion replay afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RQULw_jizI

 
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