Honest questions and thoughts about NU

L

lowkeyhusker

Three-Star Recruit
Hi Everyone!

Looooooooong time lurker on the board residing now in Los Angeles for about 10 years. I always stayed pretty low key with being outwardly vocal about Husker football. My best friend is the Husker fan that screams at the top of his lungs and rips the players as if he were the coach and I keep my mouth shut and shrug whenever a fumble happens . BUT! Now I feel like I need to have a discussion with some fans. I have some questions and thoughts I wanted to get your opinions on.

(This is coming from a die hard Husker fan and not trolling)

- Do we have too much expectation for a college team that used to be good? 

18-23 ish year old kids who don't get paid with the state of Nebraska on their shoulders.

- Is it a new generation of football and we are stuck in our old ways?

- Should we really come to a realization that MAYBE we will never be back to how we were?

- Would a Pro NFL or NBA team take the focus off the college team?

Nebraska Football is all we got.. What if we had something else to cheer for? I've never been a NFL guy but here in LA Sunday's go nuts for the NFL.

- What perks or selling points outside of football do we have to bring in the top recruits around the country?

(IMO.. Runza, 4 seasons, Valentinos, kind people, etc isn't gonna cut it.)

- Hate to say this... These recruits want to be around good looking girls and maybe the players don't think NU has it compared to these other schools.

If I'm straight out of High School I know where my mind goes when I think of leaving home for the first time. 

These are just some random thoughts I had. Do you guys have any others?

GBR

 
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lowkeyhusker said:
- Do we have too much expectation for a college team that used to be good? 

These are 18-23ish year old kids that are poor kids with the state of Nebraska on their shoulders.
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We don't put any different weight on these kids' shoulders than they do at Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas, or any other big-time program.

lowkeyhusker said:
- Would a Pro NFL or NBA team take the focus off the a college team?

Nebraska Football is all we got.. What if we had something else to cheer for? I've never been a NFL guy but here in LA Sunday's go nuts for the NFL.
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I've never understood this argument. If any person in Nebraska wants to follow an NFL team, it's right there. The internet makes it super easy. You can join a forum for your favorite team, watch every game on TV or online, and go to games whenever you want (and can travel).  Nebraska is full of Denver Broncos fans, Chiefs fans, Bears fans, Packers fans, lord knows there's a million Patriots fans here. Not having an NFL team within the borders of this state doesn't affect Husker fandom.

lowkeyhusker said:
- What perks or selling points outside of football do we have to bring in the top recruits around the country?

(IMO.. Runza, 4 seasons, Valentinos, kind people, etc isn't gonna cut it.)
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Lincoln is a pretty cool, easy-to-live in town. Recruits who come here are frequently impressed with how you can live here. It's not like living in Chicago or LA or even Minneapolis, but it's not living in the sticks. 

And no person should eat Valentino's, at least not since the 1980s when they went to the buffet model. Their food is way overrated now.

lowkeyhusker said:
- Hate to say this... These recruits want to be around good looking girls and maybe the players don't think NU has it compared to these other schools.

If I'm straight out of High School I know where my mind goes when I think of leaving home for the first time. 
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When's the last time you were in Lincoln?  :blink:

 
lowkeyhusker said:
Do we have too much expectation for a college team that used to be good?
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Probably, but it's major college football. Those expectations exist elsewhere.

lowkeyhusker said:
Is it a new generation of football and we are stuck in our old ways?
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Whose the we here? Fans wanting the I formation as our offense don't control what actually happens, and the new staff doesn't seem to be too old school.

lowkeyhusker said:
Would a Pro NFL or NBA team take the focus off the college team?
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Sure, but there's not a big enough market. Never gonna happen.

lowkeyhusker said:
What perks or selling points outside of football do we have to bring in the top recruits around the country?
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Mostly academics, but to be honest the top recruits are not looking much beyond football. Football and the related things (weight room, training table, etc) are what they are looking for, and Lincoln is fine.

lowkeyhusker said:
Hate to say this... These recruits want to be around good looking girls and maybe the players don't think NU has it compared to these other schools.
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There are good looking girls everywhere, and few places where being on the team is as big a deal as it is here. Never going to be a contributing factor to a recruits decision.

 
lowkeyhusker said:
- Hate to say this... These recruits want to be around good looking girls and maybe the players don't think NU has it compared to these other schools.

If I'm straight out of High School I know where my mind goes when I think of leaving home for the first time. 
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IMO if a recruit’s main priority is to be around attractive girls then they aren’t gonna be anywhere near my first choice. Football and making the NFL should be the main focus. But that’s just my honest opinion.

 
Blackshirt_Simonsen said:
IMO if a recruit’s main priority is to be around attractive girls then they aren’t gonna be anywhere near my first choice. Football and making the NFL should be the main focus. But that’s just my honest opinion.
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Totally agree. I'm sure it helps during the off season haha. Some friends who were former players from out of state had mentioned this in the past. Being African American and being attracted to African Americans there was a lack they said lol 

 
“Do we have too much expectation for a college team that used to be good?”

Tough love answers here.

Yes. College ball today has changed since the Husker dynasty years. Big 10/14 is a tougher conference. SEC grabs much of the top talent every year. College ball is now quasi-pro ball at the top level and Husker program is not at the Alabama-Clemson-Ohio State-Oklahoma level. Huskers can be much better of course. But it’s not realistic to want it to match how things were before.

“Is it a new generation of football and we are stuck in our old ways?”

Yes and no. Yes, it’s not the same game as a generation or two ago. Huskers have changed their ways but not yet hit upon a winning formula to compete better in today’s game.

“Should we really come to a realization that MAYBE we will never be back to how we were?”

Some fans already have. Others will resist this at all costs. That’s OK as everybody can make of this what they wish. But wanting something that won’t likely happen just sets one up for constant disappointment.

“Would a Pro NFL or NBA team take the focus off the college team?”

NO! NFL has big problems (too many to go into here). And now, the NBA has (messed) itself up big time with its PR fiasco with the China money pursuit. NFL and NBA is just inviting more trouble.

“What perks or selling points outside of football do we have to bring in the top recruits around the country?”

THIS is the high-dollar question that they guys who make those high dollars should be asking every day.

“If I'm straight out of High School I know where my mind goes when I think of leaving home for the first time.”

So you always find the local library that fast?

Now. you’re living in LA. Nebraska is a place where people live or die with Nebraska sports. Except for the Lakers and Dodgers fans, most LA fans are rooting for the visitors who come into town.

 
It always cracks me up that people think the 18-22 year olds are way more attractive in California and Florida than in the midwest. 

Also, I imagine life is better in this department for Husker football players than it is at most other schools because of how important the team is here. I imagine the guys taking recruits around campus make that pretty clear. 

 
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I wish we could compare "Recruitment Visits" with Nebraska and other teams like Miami, LSU, or Alabama.. 

Of course, we show game day atmosphere, facilities, trying on of the jerseys and equipment.. but what about after the game? I've heard some crazy stories of recruits at other colleges who are shown a crazy time by current players to win them over.  :facepalm:

 
lowkeyhusker said:
I wish we could compare "Recruitment Visits" with Nebraska and other teams like Miami, LSU, or Alabama.. 

Of course, we show game day atmosphere, facilities, trying on of the jerseys and equipment.. but what about after the game? I've heard some crazy stories of recruits at other colleges who are shown a crazy time by current players to win them over.  :facepalm:
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There’s 0 chance our players aren’t showing them the hot girls they know.

Just hopefully not crossing the line into things that get people arrested. 

 
Moiraine said:
There’s 0 chance our players aren’t showing them the hot girls they know.

Just hopefully not crossing the line into things that get people arrested. 
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I knew a coach of a local kid out of Springfield, MO that had a foursome set up by GA's on his Florida visit. He had some..... nice pictures on his phone from that trip.... He was the #1 HS player in the country the year he came out, if anybody wants to do their own research and find out who he was.

 
For me personally, I'm not looking to get back to where we were in the 90's, I'd just like to get to where Iowa and Wisconsin are; and they don't have any advantages in the areas that were brought up.

 
knapplc said:
I've never understood this argument. If any person in Nebraska wants to follow an NFL team, it's right there. The internet makes it super easy. You can join a forum for your favorite team, watch every game on TV or online, and go to games whenever you want (and can travel).  Nebraska is full of Denver Broncos fans, Chiefs fans, Bears fans, Packers fans, lord knows there's a million Patriots fans here. Not having an NFL team within the borders of this state doesn't affect Husker fandom.
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This seems like a pretty silly naive take to me. 

It's no coincidence that almost all of the great all time programs are at schools that aren't in huge cities or immediately in major markets. It's also no coincidence that almost all universities located in huge cities with pro teams are not very good nor have that much of a dedicated fanbase.

 
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