HuskerfaninOkieland
Heisman Trophy Winner
Sort of rehashes the whole "tirade" thing but it's a good read nonetheless
NE Statepaper
The Ongoing Education of Bo Pelini
Commentary: NU coach learns, grows in the public eye
by Samuel McKewon
November 04, 2008
He raged. He screamed. He bellowed. He grabbed a facemask. Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini wore every frustration on his sweatshirt sleeve in NU’s 62-28 loss to Oklahoma, and ESPN, looking for a reason to keep fans tuned in, happily captured every mood swing and replayed it for your viewing pleasure. Or distaste, as the case may be.
I intended to take this space to explain, politely yet firmly, that Pelini’s approach, only nine games old, couldn’t last much longer without repercussions in media perception and possibly recruiting. I imagined a scenario where a Big 12 rival coach put his laptop on some kid’s coffee table, pulled up a YouTube video of Pelini’s tirades and said “you sure you wanna play for this guy?”
Except Pelini, in another one of those press conference surprises he’s getting good at, expressed his own contrition. Shows you what we know, right?
“Perception is reality,” Pelini said, “and that’s something I’ve got to fix.”
Is Bo going to quote Marshall McLuhan next?
Pelini didn’t need to confess anything to the media Tuesday. Truth is, explaining his emotions are immaterial to reining them in over this final three-game stretch. If family, friends and mentors helped clue Pelini in to how he looked Saturday night in the biggest game of his head coaching career, and Pelini makes changes because of it, that’s what matters.
The coach seemed to get that on Tuesday. It’s not merely the anger. It’s how he expresses it. It’s not whether he berates the referees, but whether he chooses his battles wisely.
It’s a learning curve, and Pelini – along with the rest of us – is riding it. It’s been awhile since we’ve a coach so seemingly committed to admitting his errors, adapting on the fly, and making subtle changes to his coaching style. Think about it for a second: Did Frank Solich or Bill Callahan ever really evolve once they became a head coach?
Sadly for Solich, his early teams were so loaded with talent that he didn’t much have to. By the time the need for change became evident, it was, in some ways, a little too late.
Callahan arguably regressed as a coach, never trying to make a meaningful connection with his team, relying too much on old-school techniques with his defense, refusing to admit errors. Six weeks before he was canned, Callahan insisted he was doing “excellent in all areas.”
You’ll never hear Pelini utter such a phrase.
You’ll hear a few other choice phrases, though.
Which is why Pelini is a good fit for Nebraska. A terrific fit, in fact. Not because he’s like the typical Nebraskan. Because he isn’t.
Oh, Nebraskans are proud, independent, smart, willful and opinionated. And loyal? Few are more so. How else does a state with so few people win so many pointless online polls for so many pointless awards like best cheerleader or best running back or best historic team? Because underneath the “Nebraska Nice” is the “Cornhusker Competitor.” Inside homes all over these high plains are the kinds of fierce, passionate discussions about politics, education, fashion, farming, freedom, terrorism, neighbors, strangers, you name it. I’ve lived it. A lot of us have.
Just not in public.
The Nebraska culture, for better and worse, can sometimes give the Japanese a run for their money when it comes to the art of silent communication. Discomfort isn’t a facial expression around here; it’s a shuffle in your seat. Offense is more often taken with a smile than a glare. You know you’ve ticked a Nebraskan off when they smile just a little wider than they normally do. Or when they laugh nervously.
How did Tom Osborne take arguably the worst news of his career – that he was playing Oklahoma in the 1979 Orange Bowl – while he sat there with athletic director Bob Devaney? With a small, disbelieving smile. That’s us. It’s our passive-aggressive way. It’s how we endure.
Nebraskans do not feed off conflict, but harmony. But inside all that surface harmony…
Not Pelini. He’s loud. He’s animated. Just by reading he’s lips, his language is…creative. His love, his anger, his frustration, his passion, his conviction – it’s all right there on his sleeve. On the intensity speedometer, he can go from 0-60 in the time it takes a Nebraskan to sniffle, sigh and a slight harrumph. You think he’s been a few fights? Maybe. Just a few.
And Nebraskans, by and large, love it. Pelini expresses what they feel – A penalty! How? Who? Why us, dammit? – with the kind of sincerity Callahan never had. He’s indignant, incredulous, beside himself.
How could they, Nebraskans think.
How in the **** could you? is how Pelini expresses it.
It’s a good fit – a Bob Devaney kind of fit. The media around here wrings its hands a little, but Pelini’s largely won over its members. He may not recognize that yet, but his straight talk, however harsh it may be, is a vast improvement over Callahan’s veiled narcissism or even Solich’s bland vagaries.
Nebraska – its fans, its people, and even the media pool that covers the team – is largely in tune with Pelini’s approach.
It’s those recruits who can’t see all the way into a press conference. And the national media, which lives, as it must, off the milk of controversy, that catches only a glimpse of the man, makes a snap judgment, then bemoans the lack of truly interesting coaches at other schools. And Big 12 rivals, especially in the North Division, that will take whatever advantage it can on the recruiting trail. And the Big 12 itself, which is anxious, I think, to see how hard Pelini will continue to ride officials.
Which is why Pelini’s recognition of his behavior, and his understanding of its impact just a handful of games after he said he wasn’t worried about it, isn’t merely surprising. It’s smart. Pelini’s got old-school character, but he keeps showing new-school adaptability. It’s early in his tenure at NU, but he’s building an intriguing foundation as he goes.
NE Statepaper
The Ongoing Education of Bo Pelini
Commentary: NU coach learns, grows in the public eye
by Samuel McKewon
November 04, 2008
He raged. He screamed. He bellowed. He grabbed a facemask. Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini wore every frustration on his sweatshirt sleeve in NU’s 62-28 loss to Oklahoma, and ESPN, looking for a reason to keep fans tuned in, happily captured every mood swing and replayed it for your viewing pleasure. Or distaste, as the case may be.
I intended to take this space to explain, politely yet firmly, that Pelini’s approach, only nine games old, couldn’t last much longer without repercussions in media perception and possibly recruiting. I imagined a scenario where a Big 12 rival coach put his laptop on some kid’s coffee table, pulled up a YouTube video of Pelini’s tirades and said “you sure you wanna play for this guy?”
Except Pelini, in another one of those press conference surprises he’s getting good at, expressed his own contrition. Shows you what we know, right?
“Perception is reality,” Pelini said, “and that’s something I’ve got to fix.”
Is Bo going to quote Marshall McLuhan next?
Pelini didn’t need to confess anything to the media Tuesday. Truth is, explaining his emotions are immaterial to reining them in over this final three-game stretch. If family, friends and mentors helped clue Pelini in to how he looked Saturday night in the biggest game of his head coaching career, and Pelini makes changes because of it, that’s what matters.
The coach seemed to get that on Tuesday. It’s not merely the anger. It’s how he expresses it. It’s not whether he berates the referees, but whether he chooses his battles wisely.
It’s a learning curve, and Pelini – along with the rest of us – is riding it. It’s been awhile since we’ve a coach so seemingly committed to admitting his errors, adapting on the fly, and making subtle changes to his coaching style. Think about it for a second: Did Frank Solich or Bill Callahan ever really evolve once they became a head coach?
Sadly for Solich, his early teams were so loaded with talent that he didn’t much have to. By the time the need for change became evident, it was, in some ways, a little too late.
Callahan arguably regressed as a coach, never trying to make a meaningful connection with his team, relying too much on old-school techniques with his defense, refusing to admit errors. Six weeks before he was canned, Callahan insisted he was doing “excellent in all areas.”
You’ll never hear Pelini utter such a phrase.
You’ll hear a few other choice phrases, though.
Which is why Pelini is a good fit for Nebraska. A terrific fit, in fact. Not because he’s like the typical Nebraskan. Because he isn’t.
Oh, Nebraskans are proud, independent, smart, willful and opinionated. And loyal? Few are more so. How else does a state with so few people win so many pointless online polls for so many pointless awards like best cheerleader or best running back or best historic team? Because underneath the “Nebraska Nice” is the “Cornhusker Competitor.” Inside homes all over these high plains are the kinds of fierce, passionate discussions about politics, education, fashion, farming, freedom, terrorism, neighbors, strangers, you name it. I’ve lived it. A lot of us have.
Just not in public.
The Nebraska culture, for better and worse, can sometimes give the Japanese a run for their money when it comes to the art of silent communication. Discomfort isn’t a facial expression around here; it’s a shuffle in your seat. Offense is more often taken with a smile than a glare. You know you’ve ticked a Nebraskan off when they smile just a little wider than they normally do. Or when they laugh nervously.
How did Tom Osborne take arguably the worst news of his career – that he was playing Oklahoma in the 1979 Orange Bowl – while he sat there with athletic director Bob Devaney? With a small, disbelieving smile. That’s us. It’s our passive-aggressive way. It’s how we endure.
Nebraskans do not feed off conflict, but harmony. But inside all that surface harmony…
Not Pelini. He’s loud. He’s animated. Just by reading he’s lips, his language is…creative. His love, his anger, his frustration, his passion, his conviction – it’s all right there on his sleeve. On the intensity speedometer, he can go from 0-60 in the time it takes a Nebraskan to sniffle, sigh and a slight harrumph. You think he’s been a few fights? Maybe. Just a few.
And Nebraskans, by and large, love it. Pelini expresses what they feel – A penalty! How? Who? Why us, dammit? – with the kind of sincerity Callahan never had. He’s indignant, incredulous, beside himself.
How could they, Nebraskans think.
How in the **** could you? is how Pelini expresses it.
It’s a good fit – a Bob Devaney kind of fit. The media around here wrings its hands a little, but Pelini’s largely won over its members. He may not recognize that yet, but his straight talk, however harsh it may be, is a vast improvement over Callahan’s veiled narcissism or even Solich’s bland vagaries.
Nebraska – its fans, its people, and even the media pool that covers the team – is largely in tune with Pelini’s approach.
It’s those recruits who can’t see all the way into a press conference. And the national media, which lives, as it must, off the milk of controversy, that catches only a glimpse of the man, makes a snap judgment, then bemoans the lack of truly interesting coaches at other schools. And Big 12 rivals, especially in the North Division, that will take whatever advantage it can on the recruiting trail. And the Big 12 itself, which is anxious, I think, to see how hard Pelini will continue to ride officials.
Which is why Pelini’s recognition of his behavior, and his understanding of its impact just a handful of games after he said he wasn’t worried about it, isn’t merely surprising. It’s smart. Pelini’s got old-school character, but he keeps showing new-school adaptability. It’s early in his tenure at NU, but he’s building an intriguing foundation as he goes.
