my buddy i alluded to earlier really liked nebraska players and the game day experience in Lincoln. . he would never let it sway his judgement, tho. . every game i saw him call i never felt there were bad calls on his part.
he was a umpire so lived in the secondary. he told me all the time about the conversations he had with the kids ...Suh, Crick, etc. and what studs he thought they were,etc. he said he thought the big key was to have a rapport with the kids during the game. he would talk with them, bulls$$t with them, but let them know what he was watching for, warn them when they got close to the line and finally when he threw flags, they knew it was coming and half the time they were smiling, bull sh##ing back with him knowing they screwed up. ..and he could keep them and the game in check. he did a great job. i saw him call every game he did with the huskers since 06...by the time he had called these games for 3 or 4 years, these kids knew him by name and knew the deal. they liked him and he liked them, but he'd flag em if they screwed up. no matter what the stakes, where in ther game it occurred. . he had this type of relationship with every team in the big 12. i even saw him picking kids up off the pile ...some he liked, some he didnt.
the coaches were another deal...he told me some stories about Bo, MAck Bown, Sneider, pinkel, etc. he said dealing with the coaches could be a pain in the behind, and the bullying and trying to control him started at the pre game meeings..and he didnt appreciate that, not all did it, but some did. . they would have pre game meetings, and certain coaches would start working on him therein the hall before the meeting, 5 hours before the game started!
the other interesting thing i got to do was talk with him after games and ask about this call or that play, etc. he would explain in great detail why it went down the way it did and i'd think...well that's ligit. also, he was quite detailed in where players were weak, why we were having the problem moving the ball a certain way, etc....he told me he saw this kid ...Suh...(his softmore year) and he thought "that kid could be a flat out stud..." we all know how that contiunes to this day.
very intersting seeing their perspective almost real time..