Jay Foreman's Thoughts

[jmfb]

I find it interesting that some people that comment on or criticize the "Nebraska Way"- hadnt even been born yet, let alone attended a game in that era- don't really have a clue

Part of that "Nebraska Way" was not getting uptight or "seeing a ghost" when Colorado or Oklahoma State was up by 2 scores

No panic, no throwing 3 passes in a row and going 3 and out etc

How NU gets back to that, I don't know

I agree it isnt a game time decision, it's a culture developed 24/7 including the off-season

Maybe it's part of this NFL culture thing where you lose a game big, who cares, it's all about making the playoffs, the next game

We saw it in the Callahan era, lost big, no big deal all losses are the same if you lose by 1 or 60, move on to next week

 

[huskered17]

I saw some pretty uninspired performances by them teams in the 90's at times too. Sure it wasnt nearly as common as today's team, but to act like those guys plays EVERY single down of their careers with their hair on fire is quite stretch. Simply not true.

The point is most of Osborne's teams if not all played with and owned this 'attitude'. If you don't agree with that then I can't help you there dude.

Those teams had the swagger that they were going to win, when they went on the field. Husker fans for the most part did also. As for me, I only really worried when it was Okl. GBR!!!

 

[NUinID]

I find it interesting that some people that comment on or criticize the "Nebraska Way"- hadnt even been born yet, let alone attended a game in that era- don't really have a clue

Part of that "Nebraska Way" was not getting uptight or "seeing a ghost" when Colorado or Oklahoma State was up by 2 scores

No panic, no throwing 3 passes in a row and going 3 and out etc

How NU gets back to that, I don't know

I agree it isnt a game time decision, it's a culture developed 24/7 including the off-season

Maybe it's part of this NFL culture thing where you lose a game big, who cares, it's all about making the playoffs, the next game

We saw it in the Callahan era, lost big, no big deal all losses are the same if you lose by 1 or 60, move on to next week

I will agree with this, but it is not some simple thing. Peter, Frazier and now Forman I guess think swagger and the Nebraska way can just be turned on. Pelini has had countless ex players come into the locker room and talk to the players about things or give pep talks or whatever you want to call it.

Those 3 were at the tale end of a process that started 20 years before they got there. They were at the high point of that process. The process stopped when TO retired. Just like the process stopped when Bear Bryant retired or Bobby Bowdon or John Robinson at USC or Barry Switzer at OU. Those guys were great coaches that did things the way that worked for them it can't be duplicated.

The core values of the Nebraska way are what is important and BP does emulate that.

1. Hard work

2. Stay out of trouble

3. Good Academics

4. Remember the past, which he does, but move to the future.

 

[Count 'Bility]

I saw some pretty uninspired performances by them teams in the 90's at times too. Sure it wasnt nearly as common as today's team, but to act like those guys plays EVERY single down of their careers with their hair on fire is quite stretch. Simply not true.

The point is most of Osborne's teams if not all played with and owned this 'attitude'. If you don't agree with that then I can't help you there dude.

Those teams had the swagger that they were going to win, when they went on the field. Husker fans for the most part did also. As for me, I only really worried when it was Okl. GBR!!!

I might not have made my point clear, if it was even relevant to begin with. What I'm trying to say is that some of these former players act as if they were were perfect all the time. They werent. Obviousle we're a far cry now from those teams. But some of them keep jacking up the pedestal theyre on higher and higher and higher, as if that standard wasnt hard enough to live up to to begin with. It's not contructive in my opinion whatsoever.

 

[jmfb]

Damon Benning talked about it some this morning on the radio

Hope I got this right. The "Nebraska Way" to him meant that as a player he was so emotionally invested he would not tolerate less than all out play

When they were getting beat, they couldnt tolerate being curb stomped

When things werent going their way, they were so emotionally invested in the success or failure of the team that they simply wouldnt allow themselves to be steamrolled

They didnt want to let the entire state, their friends and neighbors down. It was something deep down inside almost part of the DNA

He talked alot about local kids who grew us as Huskers and were tied to the community, something they simply couldnt allow themselves to let down

And when they lost, they felt horrible about it, they didnt just shake it off, it stayed with them, they HATED losing

I realize this may sound like some Jason Peter rah rah nonsense, but I think Damon is a pretty smart and reasonable guy

Not sure what the answer is, but obvious, you have to have locally invested kids as part of the mix, guys in the foxhole saying no retreat

This isnt the NFL where you shake off a loss, cash your paycheck and look to make the playoffs as a 7-5 team.

 

[Saunders]

The "Nebraska Way" is simply winning. Everything else doesn't really matter.

 

[Chaddyboxer]

The "Nebraska Way" is simply winning. Everything else doesn't really matter.

Yep

 

[jmfb]

Winning is the only thing that matters?

Miami just won was that the NU way?

Alabama, Texas A&M, Auburn, USC- when they just win and cheat, oversign, cut, pay players etc- is that the NU way?

 

[junior4949]

Did I fall asleep and wake up in 2007? Other than the season being an utter meltdown, it feels the same.

 

[BigRedBuster]

The "Nebraska Way" is simply winning. Everything else doesn't really matter.

Not totally true. If a coach would come in and win by cheating and get the program on probation or graduate 10% of his players.....I'm sure we would hear fans say that isn't the "Nebraska way".

 

[Mavric]

I absolutely believe this statement by Foreman to be true! NU coaches need to embrace and listen to those who have achieved the success of Husker tradition. Shutting out players like TF and JP because they disagree with you is not productive. They have insight. They can have constructive input. These two individuals simply say what many other Husker fans are thinking. Maybe being a good listener is a positive quality for a head coach?

So you expect Bo to agree with Tommie when he calls on him to fire a bunch of his assistants? Why? Did Tommie show he knows a lot about coaching?

No! TF simply said what a lot of other folks are thinking. However, if Pelini cannot see what is going on around him, and everyone else can, he should perk up his ears. Ask you self this question, Do you think the idea of making coaching changes has ever crossed his mind? It is almost never productive to hire friends as assistants and almost impossible to fire them.

Remind me again how many on the defensive staff are long time Pelini friends.

 

[HUSKER FREAK]

The "Nebraska Way" was actually started by one coach and passed on to the next coach who new the values of the Hard working men and women in the state of Nebraska. The instilled these values in to the team and used it as motivation for them to work as hard as the people who are rooting them on. With a few twists curse words and maybe even a bottle of booze. But this is where the "Nebraska Way" Really came from. And I feel as though there are many fans who have lost the Nebraska way mentality as well. I also think that Bo is trying to get this back to where the mentality is back to it, but after the previous administration completely destroyed it in four years or so it will take more then twice that to get it back.

 

[Glendower]

The "Nebraska Way" is simply winning. Everything else doesn't really matter.

So we should all be Alabama fans, then, because they must totally be The Nebraska Way.

 

[suh_fan93]

I saw some pretty uninspired performances by them teams in the 90's at times too. Sure it wasnt nearly as common as today's team, but to act like those guys plays EVERY single down of their careers with their hair on fire is quite stretch. Simply not true.

The point is most of Osborne's teams if not all played with and owned this 'attitude'. If you don't agree with that then I can't help you there dude.

Those teams had the swagger that they were going to win, when they went on the field. Husker fans for the most part did also. As for me, I only really worried when it was Okl. GBR!!!

I might not have made my point clear, if it was even relevant to begin with. What I'm trying to say is that some of these former players act as if they were were perfect all the time. They werent. Obviousle we're a far cry now from those teams. But some of them keep jacking up the pedestal theyre on higher and higher and higher, as if that standard wasnt hard enough to live up to to begin with. It's not contructive in my opinion whatsoever.

I see what you're saying but the way I look at it is that we have ex players and coaches who care. They gave their all to this program and they actually care enough to still want the best for the program. They didn't just go on and forget about the University and everything it gave to them. They don't want to see the program become mediocre and it's loyalty like that imo that is what continues to make this program what it is. The best in the country.

 

[HuskerThor]

I absolutely believe this statement by Foreman to be true! NU coaches need to embrace and listen to those who have achieved the success of Husker tradition. Shutting out players like TF and JP because they disagree with you is not productive. They have insight. They can have constructive input. These two individuals simply say what many other Husker fans are thinking. Maybe being a good listener is a positive quality for a head coach?

I find it admirable that all of his former players came to bat for him which tells me his players are really down for him regardless of what the perception is BUT not one of those players understood or understands the "Nebraska way." Not because they didn't want to but because it wasn't made available to them or maybe a little of both.

Tommie Fraziers input wasn't constructive criticism. Not even close.

No?

Actually it was the truth. Almost everyone on here has requested a coaching change, on defense, of some sort. NO difference.