Jason in Omaha, Neb., asks: DUbbs, I've been waiting for your take on Dan Beebe not giving the Huskers their rightful trophy last week, but it hasn't come. Why not? What's the deal with Beebe?
David Ubben: I've mentioned this on a couple of radio spots I've done this week, but have yet to write about it. Beebe was in a really tough position. To go to Lincoln would be against the advice he received from security professionals, and I know that's frustrating for Nebraskans, but put yourself in his position. Would anything have happened if he had gone? Probably not. But what's the point of taking the risk? Yes, a small portion of Nebraska fans sent him nasty e-mails or voicemails. Yes, a smaller portion of that small portion were outright threats. Yes, a smaller portion of that smaller portion has the gumption and means to act on it if given the opportunity. But -- and excuse what's become a bit of a tired cliché over the past week -- all it takes is one nut job to turn this into a national fiasco.
You want him to send Ed Stewart, a former Husker working for the Big 12? Well, that would be nice in terms of a trophy, and a good alternative, but Beebe would still be getting the same questions and probably still be demonized by some. Decline comment, and the perception arises that he's slighting Nebraska for no good reason. Give the reasons why -- as he did -- and suddenly he's out to turn public opinion against Nebraska. There's no attractive option there. I don't know what it's like to receive messages like the ones Beebe says he did. Very, very few people do. But if you're really, truly angry about the no-show ... come on. It's a division trophy for a game of football. Show some empathy.
And let's get it out there: There's a portion of people who believe Beebe exaggerated or, at worst, lied about the threats. I got a lot of mail referencing the report in the Omaha World-Herald about the police not investigating any threats currently, but that's getting caught up in some semantics if you ask me. I don't think an e-mail or a voicemail has to explicitly threaten death and mention Dan Beebe by name to give him reason for pause. If you believe he's exaggerating or flat-out lying, you're starting to paint a pretty sinister picture that I frankly just don't believe exists. Villains are great for cheap cinema. They're rare in the real world, which mostly consists of a collection of separate entities who on occasion conflict with one another while acting in self-interest. That's what Nebraska did when it chose to leave for the Big 12. The opportunity was there, and it offered greater stability and financial windfall. They took it. Good for them. That's what Texas did when it chose to remain in the Big 12. It believed a future in the Big 12 would be more prosperous and it could get what it wanted more easily in the Big 12 than anywhere else. That's what Beebe did when he didn't go to Nebraska. He believed it was the prudent choice; sometimes people forget we're still just talking about a guy with a family.
Obviously, Beebe didn't do a great job of assessing alternatives to not sending a trophy, but it doesn't sound like to me anyone involved with the actual Nebraska program was all that worried about a North division trophy. I suggest fans follow suit. The only one that matters will be up for grabs on Saturday.
Bret in Grand Island, Neb., asks: I find it tough to believe that Beebe blatantly told officials to hurt Nebraska's chance at winning via penalties. However, the magnitude of the penalty differences and completely blown calls seem to claim otherwise. My best bet is that Beebe used inception on the officials and they are making these calls on a subconscious level. Your thoughts?
DU: I've heard the same rumor. The catch? Tom Osborne is his architect. Oh, snap!
But honestly, I've spent a lot of time writing on this blog. If this whole charade ends up all being a dream, I'm going to be pretty perturbed
