Pelini shuts it down

[knapplc]

Pelini shuts it downSteve Sipple

Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini has shut down previously scheduled media access to practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Pelini will next address the media after Saturday’s practice.

So, obviously, we won't be having our usual post-practice reports.

Several reasons why this could have happened, from the alleged big brawl at practice yesterday to the alleged injuries, to some comments made by players to the press to all sorts of things.

Oh yeah - it's not just the press that's shut out:

Doak Ostergard, the Nebraska athletic department's outreach director, this morning sent the following message to former Husker football players:
"Good Morning: Coach Pelini has asked me to inform you that in order to limit distractions, practices have been closed indefinitely to all guests including former players and players' families. If you have any questions please contact me.

"We appreciate all the support you continue to give our program.

"Go Big Red!"

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Uh-oh...Bo is pissed and you won't like it when Bo is angry

 

[zoogs]

The former players bit really surprises me.

 

[knapplc]

The former players bit really surprises me.

Doesn't surprise me one bit. You know that The Brass reads HuskerBoard. If they think info is leaking out that could only come from current or former players, that would explain this move.

EDIT - read that "HuskerBoard and other, lesser-quality boards"

 

[AndyDufresne]

The former players bit really surprises me.

Mitch Sherman said on Schick & Nick that some of Ekeler's friends were at practice yesterday and went straight to the media afterwards. I am under the impression that at least one former player has been posting practice impressions on Red Sea Scrolls. There are two big no-no's when you go to practice: 1. Don't report any injury news before the coaches have had a chance to address the media. 2. Don't go posting information on practice on message boards or social network sites.

 

[GMoose]

I thought it was directly related to the fights? Sounds like Pelini had them all doing pencil rolls or something and didn't want the media to see his recreation of the pie scene in "Stand by Me"

 

[knapplc]

I thought it was directly related to the fights? Sounds like Pelini had them all doing pencil rolls or something and didn't want the media to see his recreation of the pie scene in "Stand by Me"

Why did you think that?

 

[zoogs]

The former players bit really surprises me.

Mitch Sherman said on Schick & Nick that some of Ekeler's friends were at practice yesterday and went straight to the media afterwards. I am under the impression that at least one former player has been posting practice impressions on Red Sea Scrolls. There are two big no-no's when you go to practice: 1. Don't report any injury news before the coaches have had a chance to address the media. 2. Don't go posting information on practice on message boards or social network sites.

Ah, thanks. Wasn't aware of that.

I thought it was directly related to the fights? Sounds like Pelini had them all doing pencil rolls or something and didn't want the media to see his recreation of the pie scene in "Stand by Me"

:lol:

 

[GMoose]

I thought it was directly related to the fights? Sounds like Pelini had them all doing pencil rolls or something and didn't want the media to see his recreation of the pie scene in "Stand by Me"

Why did you think that?

Well per a rivals article I can't say too much, but it said their was some punishment being doled out. Bo said it was for a different reason, but you have to take whatever he's saying about practice (especially now) with a grain of salt.

 

[ESPY]

Nothing like three 2-a-days with absolutely no distractions & a coach like Bo rippin' you a new one. Hope this is exactly what the team needs to narrow its focus before the season starts.

 

[Danny Bateman]

The former players bit really surprises me.

Mitch Sherman said on Schick & Nick that some of Ekeler's friends were at practice yesterday and went straight to the media afterwards. I am under the impression that at least one former player has been posting practice impressions on Red Sea Scrolls. There are two big no-no's when you go to practice: 1. Don't report any injury news before the coaches have had a chance to address the media. 2. Don't go posting information on practice on message boards or social network sites.

Wow, could you imagine a standoff between Bo and Ek? I know it's happened in the games sometimes when Bo gets mad at him, but there's probably a smoking crater on the practice field where those two had words.

 

[knapplc]

Wow, could you imagine a standoff between Bo and Ek? I know it's happened in the games sometimes when Bo gets mad at him, but there's probably a smoking crater on the practice field where those two had words.

Do you think it came to that? I would doubt it, but you never know. They're both very passionate guys.

I think it would be hard not to know by now that Bo is the absolute dictator over everything football related, so I can't imagine Ek going berserk on any decision like this. It's not like he wouldn't see this coming if it was his guys that got everything shut down.

 

[knapplc]

More info:

Pelini closes practice to media, guestsBy BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star

Though the team will have five practices between now and Saturday, Husker head coach Bo Pelini has banned media access to coaches and players until then.

All guests, including former players and players’ families, are also closed off from watching practices for an indefinite period of time.

Why?

Pelini declined to comment directly, but issued some of his reasoning through spokesman Keith Mann, Nebraska assistant athletic director for media relations.

“Probably a combination of things,” Mann said Wednesday morning. “Probably some information has gotten out there and some things he’s probably reminded media of in the past when it comes to injuries, calling players, families, high school coaches, those types of things. So that was his main reasoning.”

Some of that information no doubt includes reports that came out Tuesday night regarding sophomore linebacker Sean Fisher.

Fisher suffered a leg injury during Tuesday’s practice. Within an hour of the practice’s completion, news of the injury was posted on at least one popular Husker message board, details of it given by a fan who had attended the practice.

Some in the traditional media, including the Journal Star, later issued short reports on the injury to a potential starting linebacker, noting that Pelini would likely comment on the matter after Wednesday’s morning practice. (It wasn’t Pelini’s scheduled day to speak to the media on Tuesday, so he was not available to be asked about Fisher’s status then.)

But it apparently wasn’t just this one incident that precipitated Pelini’s decision to clamp down on access this week.

“I would say it’s been building, things over time,” Mann said.

Media members are not the only ones who will be shut out.

On Wednesday morning, Doak Ostergard, the athletic department’s outreach director, sent a message to former players and players’ families telling them practices are now closed to guests “in order to limit distractions.”

Though the media that covers Nebraska football has not usually been allowed to view much of practices since Pelini took over, there has usually been post-practice interview availability to requested coaches and players after most practices.

Asked if access was going to be adjusted going forward, Mann said: “I just know about this week for now.”

 

[zoogs]

Some in the traditional media, including the Journal Star, later issued short reports on the injury to a potential starting linebacker

I think that's trying to make it look a little different than it was...Steven Sipple's twitter:

Hearing #Huskers LB Sean Fisher suffered what may be a major injury at practice Tuesday.

I guess it's not worded incorrectly. The first time I read it though, made it seem like the writers' tweets were unspecific about the name.

 

[Fuzzy]

I think its exactly what Mann said it was, a combination of things that range from the two significant injuries to Fisher and Smith, the QB race, and fights breaking out at practice. Bo probably doesn't want to deal with the media, doesn't want his staff dealing with them or his players. He more than likely wants to keep everyone's focus on practice and the not the little things that the media tries to blow up into much bigger issues.

Keep yours eyes on the prize people, Sept 4th is coming soon.