T.O.’s (non-football) legacy…..

[VectorVictor]

Man...how can people seriously look at the list of his accomplishments in his short time as AD and not think of him as anything other than great? Seriously, he deserves an A+ mark for his work. Seriously, what other athletic director in the country, over a period of 5 years, has those kinds of accomplishments?

* Build a new state of the art basketball/wrestling practice facility - literally the best money can buy.

* Build a brand new basketball arena...top of the line

* Major Memorial Stadium expansion project

* Fire 3 bad coaches in major programs and (potentially) replace them with 3 really great hires

* Restore stability, unity and commitment within a fractured and distraught athletic department

* Getting out of a corrupt and unfair conference and moving into the best possible fit for our school.

Landlord--problem is, you have posters like Gumbercules that come on here and spew maudlin derp all over these boards about how mediocre athletics are at Nebraska, or how our athletics programs are going down the ****ter because we're not winning NCs in every sport, every year.

And the bottom line is that these people can't see the forest for the trees--it doesn't matter if our kids generate 10.5 million academic All-Americans, are competitive in their sports, and represent DoNU and the state of Nebraska well--if we're not winning the whole enchilada year in and year out for each sport, then there's no point in the minds of these people and we're a failure. To them, our success isn't about helping student-athletes, the University, or the state--it's about Ws and Ls, and anything else is just noise to these people.

Frankly, the vast majority of 'Husker fans aren't so binary and myopic that they can see the big picture. But there is a vocal minority that can't or willfully chooses not to, and thus we're stuck having to justify perhaps one of the greatest and most critical tenures at AD ever in DoNU's history to these people.

That, Mr. Landlord, is why we're having this discussion. Sad, but true.

 

[da skers]

Man...how can people seriously look at the list of his accomplishments in his short time as AD and not think of him as anything other than great? Seriously, he deserves an A+ mark for his work. Seriously, what other athletic director in the country, over a period of 5 years, has those kinds of accomplishments?

* Build a new state of the art basketball/wrestling practice facility - literally the best money can buy.

* Build a brand new basketball arena...top of the line

* Major Memorial Stadium expansion project

* Fire 3 bad coaches in major programs and (potentially) replace them with 3 really great hires

* Restore stability, unity and commitment within a fractured and distraught athletic department

* Getting out of a corrupt and unfair conference and moving into the best possible fit for our school.

Don't forget the baseball and softball practice fields, the volleyball move to the bob and working that over to be one of if not the largest homes for womens volleyball in the nation.

 

[Landlord]

Man...how can people seriously look at the list of his accomplishments in his short time as AD and not think of him as anything other than great? Seriously, he deserves an A+ mark for his work. Seriously, what other athletic director in the country, over a period of 5 years, has those kinds of accomplishments?

* Build a new state of the art basketball/wrestling practice facility - literally the best money can buy.

* Build a brand new basketball arena...top of the line

* Major Memorial Stadium expansion project

* Fire 3 bad coaches in major programs and (potentially) replace them with 3 really great hires

* Restore stability, unity and commitment within a fractured and distraught athletic department

* Getting out of a corrupt and unfair conference and moving into the best possible fit for our school.

Don't forget the baseball and softball practice fields, the volleyball move to the bob and working that over to be one of if not the largest homes for womens volleyball in the nation.

I knew that wasn't the whole list, thanks for what I forgot! I think it's unreal what he's done in 5 years.

 

[The Dude]

What I should have posited is the query……….”Is it feasible a disastrous basketball hire could damage his A.D. legacy?”

No, he's already shown more commitment to the basketball program than pretty much any other AD at NU. If they continue to suck, it won't reflect poorly on his legacy as AD because Nebraska has always been terrible in basketball.

 

[T_O_Bull]

This man has been RED TO THE CORE for well over 40 years. Davaney started it but other than as a football coach and as the mentor of TO his legacy doesn't hold a candel to Dr. Tom Osborne. TO gave us an incredible 25 year run in college football. Yes there were highs and lows. Yes other teams came and went but none really matched Nebraskas consistently high level of accomplishment. TO always gave us a shot at a NC every year. and his last 5 years were incredible and will quite possibly never be matched by any coach at any University. I became a Husker fan on Thanksgiving Day 1972. I am proud to say my faith in and my alliegence to the University of Nebraska has never waivered. My son, my daughter, my ex-wife and my 2nd wife are all RED to the bone because of me and I am RED to the bone marrow largely due to a man called Ozzie. All I can say is Thank You Sir you have always been the epitome of class. Your legasy can only be added to.

T_O_B

G>B>R

 

[Count 'Bility]

This man has been RED TO THE CORE for well over 40 years. Davaney started it but other than as a football coach and as the mentor of TO his legacy doesn't hold a candel to Dr. Tom Osborne. TO gave us an incredible 25 year run in college football. Yes there were highs and lows. Yes other teams came and went but none really matched Nebraskas consistently high level of accomplishment. TO always gave us a shot at a NC every year. and his last 5 years were incredible and will quite possibly never be matched by any coach at any University. I became a Husker fan on Thanksgiving Day 1972. I am proud to say my faith in and my alliegence to the University of Nebraska has never waivered. My son, my daughter, my ex-wife and my 2nd wife are all RED to the bone because of me and I am RED to the bone marrow largely due to a man called Ozzie. All I can say is Thank You Sir you have always been the epitome of class. Your legasy can only be added to.

T_O_B

G>B>R

And to add, it wasnt just the success. It was how it was accomplished. He did it with walk ons and academic all americans. He risked his legacy for one young man who had made a terrible mistake because he had his end of the bargain to hold up (LP). The way Osborne accomplished this success isnt just great, it's mystical, esp in an era where "win at all costs" has become acceptable.

 

[NUance]

Man...how can people seriously look at the list of his accomplishments in his short time as AD and not think of him as anything other than great? Seriously, he deserves an A+ mark for his work. Seriously, what other athletic director in the country, over a period of 5 years, has those kinds of accomplishments?

* Build a new state of the art basketball/wrestling practice facility - literally the best money can buy.

* Build a brand new basketball arena...top of the line

* Major Memorial Stadium expansion project

* Fire 3 bad coaches in major programs and (potentially) replace them with 3 really great hires

* Restore stability, unity and commitment within a fractured and distraught athletic department

* Getting out of a corrupt and unfair conference and moving into the best possible fit for our school.

Spot on buddy. +1 to you! :thumbs :