As time moves on, it becomes more and more apparent that there is a rift in the Nebraska fan base that has become an infected wound. It is readily apparent that there is a group of 'fans' that hope,beg and pray for bad things to happen to the team. The venom these people spew goes beyond criticism, they are venturing into hate, of the team they claim to love. This even goes into former players. Listening to Broderick Thomas today, and the hate he had at the staff is disturbing.
The origin of the schism is easy to spot. The coaching change prior to the 2004 season. Some took the firing of Solich as almost a personal attack. I'm not here to debate the right or wrong of it, just the origin of the split in the fan base. I honestly believe that some of these people would not have been happy with anyone, the loyalty they had to the old staff was that great. Others wanted Solich gone, but did't get who they wanted, so they are unhappy.
With the losses of the 2004 season, many of these people were already screaming "I told you so!" Some seem to feel that the loss of the option somehow defiled the program itself. The option wasn't always the identity of the team. Run first, perhaps, option, no. The option didn't get installed until Osborne couldn't beat it with OU running it.
The venom has gotten worse with ever little thing that doesn't happen perfectly. Wins are not enough. They must be dominating. Getting to thresholds that we hadn't seen in years was deemed a cop-out. Anyone happy with that was an apologist, and accepting mediocrity. Any year without a National Championship would be deemed a failure. Osborne had 22 years of failure with this standard.
The truth is, this program has been mediocre following the beat down at Colorado. The aura was blown off the N following that game, and has never recovered. 6-6 in 2002 is easy proof. Getting the doors blown off vs every good team in 2003 is more. The program is still spinning from the fear being broken.
This has happened to every team at some point. If you look at the power programs of the 1990s, most of them have all fallen of what can be considered hard times. Florida State, Michigan, Miami and all down. Florida had a small drop but has recovered. In the conference Colorado, Kansas State and Texas A&M have all missed bowls. I know this comparison will draw the line "But THIS is Nebraska!! We are immune to this!" But apparently not, as much as we wish it were true. Parity and retirement of legends effect everyone.
Now we come to this season. The venom coming after the USC blow out was bad, some of the worst I ever remember seeing. Then comes the Ball State game. Horrible defensive play and a near loss vs a middling opponent has split the fan base to a chasm.
This chasm is not healthy for the program. The fans can feel it, the players can feel it. The players can see the venom. They read the papers. They listen to the radio. They watch TV. They have the internet. Hell, it wouldn't come as a shock to me if there were current players who were members of this very forum. They know what some people say about them. The fans booed the players at the game.
After listening to the blackshirt round table today, the idea that the players do not believe in what the defensive coaches are trying to teach is easy to understand. If every time I turned around I heard and saw people didn't even know criticizing my every move, calling my bosses idiots, and demanding they be fired, it would sit in the back of my mind. And with any flaw in my work, it would come to the forefront. And if things were not working, I would begin to doubt to them as well.
We expect the team to play as one, to be as one, and we as a fanbase cant even root for them as one. There are some deep problems with the programs at the moment, and it is not entirely the coaches. We as Nebraska fans like to call ourselves 'The Greatest Fans on Earth'. But we have not behaved like The Greatest Fans on Earth since the Colorado beat down. We have behaved like every other team's fanbase. And we wonder, why have we become like everyone else. Maybe we need a long hard look in the mirror before answering this question.
