OWH: Bo Pelini insults A.D. Shawn Eichorst in expletive-filled rant during final meeting with players

[Vargas]

To me it seemed like someone offering advice to someone he cared about

Well, I think that's the intent. And there's nothing wrong with that. It's the message I take issue with.

As others have pointed out, and I agree, Bo made it about himself. He had to make sure they all knew how badly he, their leader, got screwed. He had to tell his students that their AD probably didn't have a plan, and that they were in a place with an AD who had no values. Bo probably genuinely believes all of those things. He's got a real victim complex going on.

And I find the "do what's best for you" part of the message to be pretty disingenuous. In the context of the speech, after all that, "Isn't it miserable here? You guys know. The negativity. Etc etc etc. Look how this place treated me. They probably don't have a plan for you guys." Bo was all over the map.

If you want a blueprint for how to properly do the things you suggested, just look at what Muschamp told his players, or what Hoke told his players. Hell, probably what Callahan told his players. Or how about Bill Blankenship (excerpted, w/ emphasis added):

I will always be thankful to the selection committee, Bubba Cunningham and President Upham for allowing me the opportunity to lead the TU football program these past four years...

...The turnaround this season did not happen and for that I fully accept responsibility...

...We fully understand the business side of college football...Our fans and supporters expect and deserve better. I hurt most for our players and staff that worked incredibly hard but did not get to reap the benefits of our efforts. I strongly believe that the next coach and staff at Tulsa will be able to build on the less visible aspects of our program that we leave behind...

Gentlemen, it was a joy to coach you. You never gave up, never lost hope; you stayed side by side and kept improving. I want you to know that I never quit on you. Football greatness is measured by wins and losses. I still believe you can achieve football greatness. Greatness in life is measured in character, most often formed in the furnace of adversity. I believe you are great young men. Stay side by side. Be TU BLUE . . . always and forever!

Bill Blankenship

Look, football's a tough business. If you don't produce big, and often, you'll be shipped out because there are plenty of other coaches who would love the opportunity to sit in that chair. Not very many can succeed. Heck -- not very many get seven years on the same job.

If you're unable to produce football results at Nebraska, I have no hard feelings about this. It isn't an easy task even at Florida. But please go out having kept our NU brand strong and proud, having been a good life teacher for all the NU athletes placed in your care.

I think a lot of us expected Bo to go out exactly like that, with class. It fit the Bo that, for all his occasional grumpiness, etc, we wanted to believe he was: a guy who genuinely was good for his players and cared for them. Just look at the cookie cutter speech knapplc typed out for Bo. That was perfect.

But, time to face reality. That wasn't Bo.

I get what you're saying and I agree it would have been nice to have the whole public statement thing. The problem I have is that those statements are just what knapplc was writing, cookie cutter. To me those are no more impressive than the coaches conference calls where every team "is well coached" and "great fundamentals" and will be "a challenge for our team". And the other half is we have no idea what those coaches said to their players in person.

I also agree that Bo could have worded much of his conversation differently. I think people looking at it also have different opinions on what his conversation should have been about, but we don't have a say in that. I've seen several posters start their post saying "This meeting should have been about.." and "He should have taken this time to...". But that's your opinion. That's what you think needed to be said. That's what you think should have happened. That's how you would have handled it. I don't understand how people can take a conversation that he had with his players during a situation he and they were experiencing, and then say he did it wrong. Or he talked about the wrong things. Or his off the cuff talk wasn't neat and orderly. What?

This board often goes from conversation on football topics and water cooler fun to deep analyzation of every aspect and nuance. His sentences are getting broken down for deeper meaning and we interpret an off the cuff statement into some overarching scheme or plot. I've read the transcript and listened to the audio. It never once sounds like he is poisoning the well, attempting to create a rift between the players and admins, or asking players to jump ship with him. He does rant about the guy who just fired him. Yep. But to me the rest is him just freely speaking about his situation to his players, telling them to not stress out about their coaches because they will be fine. He says keep your heads up and finish the year strong. Don't listen to all the outside noise now, because it can really eat you up. (Sounds like he is speaking from experience~) He says if you stay here give the new guys a chance.

 

[irafreak]

It is absolutely, positively foolish to think Perlman should be judge by the state of the football program.

he was being judged plenty harshly after the A&M game. it continued for some time (da'skers). the odd thing is it was ok - even "trendy" - on this board to critisize Perlman and the "administration" in regards to the football program, right up until about....last week. now all of a sudden any suggestion that there is a connection between Perlman and the football program is rubbish.

I don't know about that. There are always posters criticizing perlman but most don't really understand his role in the university. Perhaps some are starting to understand the work he has done for the school as a whole.

 

[HuskerNBigD]

Loved the fact he called out SE for not being able to look him in the eyes, whenever they met. Funny, because I don't think I ever saw Bo look a reporter square in the eyes when being interviewed at a game. Also - guess all the money, additionally staffing, and rental of private jets for recruiting doesn't count for support from the AD.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I forgot about that one. That's a new and interesting partnership, though it's not clear to me how much academic use that facility has. And it's not clear how much money is provided to the academics of it all by the athletic department. But I'll give you that one.

The list is long. And it's fairly clear. The entire facility is academic. About 60,000 square feet of it. You think all those doctoral/grad students running around in there play football?

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/nu-athletics-keeps-millions-of-dollars-in-reserve-to-pay/article_99ea07ec-c468-5143-a30d-86053d140417.html

UNL spokesman Steve Smith said the athletic department has budgeted $4.5 million to give to academics this fiscal year.

 

[alexhortdog95]

It is absolutely, positively foolish to think Perlman should be judge by the state of the football program.

he was being judged plenty harshly after the A&M game. it continued for some time (da'skers). the odd thing is it was ok - even "trendy" - on this board to critisize Perlman and the "administration" in regards to the football program, right up until about....last week. now all of a sudden any suggestion that there is a connection between Perlman and the football program is rubbish.

I don't know about that. There are always posters criticizing perlman but most don't really understand his role in the university. Perhaps some are starting to understand the work he has done for the school as a whole.

Name me 10 other college presidents that people know by name, other than Perlman and Gordon Gee.

Can't? Cause they're less involved than most are. And they stay the hell out of the way.

Is Perlman a problem? Probably - but again, if he gets the right guy in here, eventually, most will say, "Damn, he's a genius!"

 

[Junior]

I forgot about that one. That's a new and interesting partnership, though it's not clear to me how much academic use that facility has. And it's not clear how much money is provided to the academics of it all by the athletic department. But I'll give you that one.

The list is long. And it's fairly clear. The entire facility is academic. About 60,000 square feet of it. You think all those doctoral/grad students running around in there play football?

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/nu-athletics-keeps-millions-of-dollars-in-reserve-to-pay/article_99ea07ec-c468-5143-a30d-86053d140417.html

UNL spokesman Steve Smith said the athletic department has budgeted $4.5 million to give to academics this fiscal year.

Awesome. So Perlman should get credit for that, right? I don't know of too many athletic departments around the country that toss $5 million to the academic side of the university. Or Eichorst? Or was that all Bo?

 

[kchusker_chris]

Awesome. So Perlman should get credit for that, right? I don't know of too many athletic departments around the country that toss $5 million to the academic side of the university. Or Eichorst? Or was that all Bo?

Does someone need to take credit? This has been going on for years, well before Perlman, or Eichorst, or Bo. The only threat to it is declining asses in the seats...which is what was beginning to happen under Bo. So I guess we can give Perlman/Eichorst credit for not allowing this contribution to slip. I'd rather just say it's the product of a successful program, and solidifies the need for that continued success.

 

[HuSkeRooNz]

OWH: Bo Pelini insults A.D. Shawn Eichorst in expletive-filled rant during final meeting with players

OWH: Transcript

Tell me if Im wrong, Pelini told players, but the environment at Nebraska wore on you as the past several seasons progressed. It gets harder and harder and harder.

It is a b---- here. It is hard enough when you have the negativity that comes from the media and the negativity from a lot of former players, this talk show and that talk show, you win and it aint good enough. Its not good enough how you won. There is a lot of things that go on there and if you dont have a grown man staying in front of the thing and getting everybody, rallying, I can do all I want, but theyre b----ing at me, too.... (...)

If any of you guys have on your mind, hey, should I go or should I stay? At the end of the day, you gotta sit there and think, This is how many years I got left. These ought to be the best of my life. And if I dont think its going to be this way this place, then you shouldnt stay. But if you feel like, hey, this is the place for me, this is the place Im going to enjoy my career, then you should stay. Thats what it should come down to.

Wow.

I'm sorry Bo felt so under siege he responded in this way.

If the players bought any of this garbage, the incoming staff has a lot of work to do. It's too bad that such a coaching talent as Pelini is, lacks so much in the "getting it" department.

I compare this to the parting message and advice Muschamp had for his players. Look, not all coaching hires are going to make it big. But if you fail and get fired as a result, that's the way to go out -- having left a positive imprint on the team.

Bo's now 2/2 in attempts to poison the well on his way out of Lincoln. Don't come back.

I feel bad for his wife and especially his daughters. If they hear that tape, and the words, &*ssy and c&*t, I can't imagine how they would feel about that. If my husband, brother or dad used those words, I would be shocked and gravely disappointed. Sadly, I think we heard the real Bo. He didn't know he was being taped and just shared his heart. I feel sorry for him because I believe he is a sick man. I do not think he should even be coaching young men when he needs to grow up himself. I sure wish him and his family well. His family doesn't deserve the wrath that Bo's behaviors have brought on the negative repercussions and publicity Bo is getting.

As a father of two daughters, and a husband, I'd never use those words PERSONALLY to disparage anyone, male or female. Those words just aren't in my vocab library (nor in my six shooter of profanity). And I agree that if his job is to mold the minds of young men, he's doing a bang up job on that one. But let's be real - the disparaging of women isn't coming just out the mouth of the former head football coach. Look at this commercial...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sGWCfDDXGE

Or this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMhGSOk1mb4

It's a societal issue at this point. He's just not taking the proper stand on it.

But, all of that being said - he's a former defensive coordinator and a head coach. He's gonna have language saltier than the normal person.

I see your point too.

 

[alexhortdog95]

Former Athletic Director Tom Osborne said in 2010 that about $15 million was deposited in the reserve fund each year from ticket premiums and that the accrued stockpile allowed the athletic department to cover budget shortfalls and buyouts.

Damn, that's a lot of caaash.

 

[Junior]

Awesome. So Perlman should get credit for that, right? I don't know of too many athletic departments around the country that toss $5 million to the academic side of the university. Or Eichorst? Or was that all Bo?

Does someone need to take credit? This has been going on for years, well before Perlman, or Eichorst, or Bo. The only threat to it is declining asses in the seats...which is what was beginning to happen under Bo. So I guess we can give Perlman/Eichorst credit for not allowing this contribution to slip.

Well since people are blaming Perlman and/or Eichorst for the poor state of the athletic department... the ability to pass $5 million to the academic side would mean that the athletic department is actually in pretty good standing. Right?

 

[kchusker_chris]

Well since people are blaming Perlman and/or Eichorst for the poor state of the athletic department... the ability to pass $5 million to the academic side would mean that the athletic department is actually in pretty good standing. Right?

No one is blaming him individually/wholly, just noting the common denominator in the last decade of mediocrity. Ignoring it is putting blinders on. I don't agree with Bo's methods, but you'd have to be pretty naive to not think at least some of what he's been saying for so long is true. Perlman is the least of the football teams' problems - especially now that Bo is gone...but he has been a contributer to the decline in culture - the us against the world mentality that has developed the last couple of years. They should have pulled the trigger a while ago.

 

[commando]

Loved the fact he called out SE for not being able to look him in the eyes, whenever they met. Funny, because I don't think I ever saw Bo look a reporter square in the eyes when being interviewed at a game. Also - guess all the money, additionally staffing, and rental of private jets for recruiting doesn't count for support from the AD.

for some reason i can't get a link to work...but this is from a OWH article about recruiting in November.

I’m still not sure the car is as “fully loaded” as it could be, but Pelini seems satisfied with the level of support from Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst and his administration, whom Pelini said have done “a heckuva job giving us all the tools.”


“I like what we have in place,” Pelini said at Monday’s press conference. “I think we have some good momentum. I like where it stands right now, and hopefully we can finish this class off. I feel like we are a lot further ahead.”

 

[VA Husker Fan]

I also disagree that this "speech" was a slanderous rip job of the University. Bo called out TWO individuals that he didn't like and tore them apart. He never said anything negative about the school. And in my opinion trashing a school's AD doesn't equate to trashing a school. Everyone who's saying how he is attacking NU is off the mark, in my opinion.

guessing you didn't read the full transcript?

Its a culmination of the negativity. I understand, you guys are human. That is why I talked to you guys constantly. Last game you guys just said f#*k it lets play and you at least played free. That is my advice to you guys that come back. You can't let this place eat you up, because if you let it, it will eat you up. I have been LSU, I have been at Oklahoma, I been to these other places...the scrutiny, it ain't like that everywhere.

You gotta fight that fellas, you gotta just go play and enjoy this thing because at the end of the day, its not a job. It oughta be the best time of your life. Any of you guys have on your mind do I want to go or stay? At the end of the day you gotta sit there and think this is how many years I got left, these gotta be the best of my life. If you don't think this is the best place then you shouldn't stay.

Where's the rip job? That Nebraska has more scrutiny than LSU or Oklahoma? Who here disagrees with that? He follows that up with "If you don't think this is the best place then you shouldn't stay." Like I said previously, that's sound advice at any time.

I'll disagree with that. At OU they went 12-1, losing in the championship game. At LSU they had a new coach (honeymoon period) and went 11-2, 11-2, 12-2 with a championship that last game. There's a lot less scrutiny when you win. I guarantee if he'd have hung around there and lost to just about every single ranked team they played, he'd have felt at least as much scrutiny.

 

[HuskerNBigD]

Loved the fact he called out SE for not being able to look him in the eyes, whenever they met. Funny, because I don't think I ever saw Bo look a reporter square in the eyes when being interviewed at a game. Also - guess all the money, additionally staffing, and rental of private jets for recruiting doesn't count for support from the AD.

for some reason i can't get a link to work...but this is from a OWH article about recruiting in November.

I’m still not sure the car is as “fully loaded” as it could be, but Pelini seems satisfied with the level of support from Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst and his administration, whom Pelini said have done “a heckuva job giving us all the tools.”


“I like what we have in place,” Pelini said at Monday’s press conference. “I think we have some good momentum. I like where it stands right now, and hopefully we can finish this class off. I feel like we are a lot further ahead.”

Exactly! I knew there was an article out there that had direct quotes from Bo talking about the support he had this year, to revamp the recruiting. It is sad that he says one thing, but then in private goes and changes his opinion to fit his agenda.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Well since people are blaming Perlman and/or Eichorst for the poor state of the athletic department... the ability to pass $5 million to the academic side would mean that the athletic department is actually in pretty good standing. Right?

No one is blaming him individually/wholly, just noting the common denominator in the last decade of mediocrity. Ignoring it is putting blinders on. I don't agree with Bo's methods, but you'd have to be pretty naive to not think at least some of what he's been saying for so long is true. Perlman is the least of the football teams' problems - especially now that Bo is gone...but he has been a contributer to the decline in culture - the us against the world mentality that has developed the last couple of years. They should have pulled the trigger a while ago.

How in the heck did Perlman develop the "us against the world" mentality in the team? First, it is implied in this thread that the athletic department has been a horrible mess and it has damaged the academic side of the school and it's Perlman's fault. Then, as I stand corrected, it was pointed out that the athletic department is sending 4.5 million to the academic side. Very very few athletic departments are able to do that anywhere in the country. We have won many conference championships and competed for many national championships all through the athletic department.

So, now either Perlman is horrible at managing who runs the athletic department or he isn't. It seems like it's being argued (against me) both ways.

Everything I have heard and read shows he has done a very good job of running the University as a whole. Even though there is some turmoil in the football program, the athletic department has been very successful and in turn, (as pointed out by you) has been able to send millions back to the University.

So, I fail to see why he should be fired or even anywhere close to being on the hot seat because some emotional fans don't like the last few football coaches that were hired.