Double Tapered Style

That video just works itself, which gave us really all of November to focus on things that might be considered work related. And that's kept us from trying to offer opinions on whatever happened with the past four Nebraska Football Games. But seriously, the real question we have right now regarding the Huskers is, What the hell did Cody Glenn get suspended for?

One of the more intriguing things about Bo Pelini's first year as the new sheriff in town is how he's handled the media. And one week ago, during his normal Tuesday Press Conference, Pelini stood up in front of his sheep and dropped a bomb that nobody saw coming: Former Running Back turned Linebacker Cody Glenn was suspended from the team indefinitely. All indications are that he's gone for the year. But for what?

Glenn had played remarkably well for somebody who switched positions during his senior season, so much so that there was serious speculation that he could be a mid-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was one of the great stories of this team going into the Kansas State game.

And still, after a week, where WE'VE asked anyone and everyone, and other members of the media have patrolled nearly ever bar in Lincoln, nobody can uncover the truth. The rumor mill has been working overtime, and we've heard every possible story. None has any merit. Frankly because Pelini has his staff and team so buttoned up on the situation that nothing has come out. Which in this day and age, is just insane.

All Pelini is on record about the situation is that Glenn violated team rules. But what rule would lead to a Senior starter getting suspended indefinitely? Which makes everybody think it had to be something really bad.

Pelini didn't have his weekly presser today, which means he could dodge any questions about Cody Glenn for another week with no game this weekend. If it's a simple "violation of rules", you'd think Pelini would address the situation again one week from today and say the Glenn would be activated for the Colorado game, which is the last home game for the seniors. Imagine the seniors getting introduced prior to the game and there's no sign of Cody Glenn. Wouldn't that suggest the kid did some serious shit?

Obviously he didn't go LP on somebody, or Andy Christensen, because there would be a police report and nobody would have to rely on Pelini to get the scoop. But nobody has anything on Glenn. At least nobody in the know is talking about it. Yes, some players paid tribute to Glenn during the K-State game with "shout outs" to him via their sets of eye black.

The smart money is on Pelini making a statement by suspending Glenn for doing something minor. And if that's the case, he has to at least activate him for the Colorado game and give him a chance to return to starting linebacker for the bowl game. If Glenn's still suspended next week, this story stinks to the heavens. Even after the Lawrence Phillips fiasco, Osborne gradually brought him back to the point where even HE got to start in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, give NFL scouts something to think about, and leave early for a shot at the pros. And LP went Spiderman on an apartment building, breaking into an old girlfriends apartment (a player for the University Women's Basketball Team no less) with the team's future starting quarterback hiding in a closet. And oh by the way, pulled the woman's hair down a flight of stairs for good measure. Even he got a second chance.

So if you don't see Cody Glenn at Memorial Stadium (on the sidelines, in uniform) next Friday, something aint right in Denmark. He did something more than shit his pants in Vegas. CLICK TO READ ENTIRE POST!

Nebraska/Oklahoma Week, Part 2

The 10-year Anniversary of the 1995 Nebraska Cornhusker Football team, considered by many to be the greatest college football team ever, served as the backdrop for another "classic" moment in the Nebraska/Oklahoma "rivalry". Even though the game featured future NFL phenom Adrian Peterson, it's mostly remembered for a coach going to the throat slash card on national television and spending the rest of the following week denying that it ever happened.

Oh but it did, Billy C, it did.

2005 -- Oklahoma 31, Nebraska 24: Two years after this game, some Nebraska fans would look you in the eye with all seriousness, and argue about how this game should go down as a Nebraska victory. There was some merit to this, as in July, 2007, the NCAA ordered Oklahoma to "vacate" all of it's 2005 victories. That decisions was wisely overturned in February of this year, because seriously there's nothing worse than having Husker Fan swear up and down that they should have had an extra victory in 2005. You just can't win that argument.

Neither could Callahan, after acting surprised at anyone who brought up the "throat slash" he blatantly did during the 4th quarter of this game against the Sooners. My favorite part of that short video clip is seeing Kevin Cosgrove walk up to Callahan, trying to look interested with that playbook stuffed smack down the middle of his pants. It might have been the only time Grover acted inspired all day.

The Sooners did have Adrian Peterson, who would run for 146 yards against Cosgrove's complex traps. Nebraska had Cory Ross gaining 21 yards on 10 carries. The Huskers did also discover that they had a real find though at Quarterback in Junior College Transfer Zac Taylor. Billy C would ask Taylor to put the ball in the air 45 times against Stoops and Company. And Nate Swift, who THIS year is setting all sorts of career receiving records, had 9 catches for 116 yards. So things were actually looking up for Callahan and company.

But the idea is to actually win the game, something the Huskers couldn't do after falling behind by 21 points. For the 2nd straight year against their hated "rivals", Husker fan would have to be content in their team not backing down.

And for the 2nd year in a row, they'd have to come to terms with another bizarre incident involving their head coach.

Of course, this being just year 2 of the Callahan Experiment, defending Callahan came rather easily to some Husker fans (look at some of these old comments on that you tube video for proof, most of them say, "That's how I reacted after that play" or something like that). It wasn't the Throat Slash itself that caused such a ruckus. Watch the video again. Callahan actually catches himself first a few seconds before going through with the gesture. Which means he had a brief moment of clarity where he KNEW he shouldn't pull off that gesture. Then he said, "Oh, fuck it", and went ahead and did it anyway.

Again, this part defines Callahan at Nebraska. There was that little part of him that knew somebody would see this, or it would cost his team a penalty, or golly, that Osborne fellow is actually here at the game celebrating some team from 10 years ago and he certainly wouldn't tolerate this behavior. And then there was the "Oh, fuck it" part of Billy C. We'll admit, sometimes that "Oh, fuck it" part was what wanted us to see if he couldn't actually work out with Nebraska longer. Because sometimes the "Oh, fuck it" card comes in handy.

But then Callahan had to face his weekly comrades at this Tuesday Press Conference. By then, the video was everywhere. The game was nationally televised on ABC. It was Oklahoma/Nebraska, which always gets attention no matter how badly the teams are playing. The very first question Billy C was asked on Tuesday was about that video posted above.

"What throat slash?" Callahan responded. "I don't remember any throat slash. What are you talking about."

If only we could find the audio of that press conference. The tone in Callahan's voice compared to what Pelini's been offering on a weekly basis this season. The difference is just remarkable. Callahan knows he's lying when he says this, knows it's out there, and you can just hear it in his voice. But somehow, he flat out denies it ever happened.

Nebraska would go on to their first Bowl Game under Callahan that season, beating a pretty good Michigan team in a rather entertaining Alamo Bowl. In Billy C's eyes, it was a successful season. Maybe even a sign that things were on the right track.

Yet Callahan's eyes don't think that throat slash ever happened. Which is fine, because thousands of Husker Fans are still getting to sleep at night convincing themselves that Bill Callahan, Head Coach, Nebraska Football, never happened either. . CLICK TO READ ENTIRE POST!

Nebraska/Oklahoma Week, Part 1

The Nebraska/Oklahoma "rivalry" gets the revisit treatment all week long, and of course everyone is pointing out the rich ties between Bob Stoops and both Carl and Bo Pelini. As another World Series winds down (one that might not be over by the time Saturday's NU/OU game becomes final), "Oklahoma Week" becomes one of talk about the rivalry everyone wants it to be, or wishes it once was. Not to gush on sentimentality (and really, the major games have and will continue to be covered to death), but there are some forgotten nuggets in this rivalry that are worth revisiting.

2004 -- Oklahoma 30, Nebraska 3: The last time Nebraska played in Norman, Oklahoma, during a season and era everyone would just as soon forget. And for many reasons. This was the game that to Husker Fan was like watching that hot ex-girlfriend have sex with a guy you know at that moment had everything over year. Yes, Bo Pelini, the guy everyone wanted as Husker Head Dog, was helping coordinate a defense for the Sooners that was hell bent on shutting out Nebraska. This was less than a year after Pelini was passed over (or depending on the story, not even considered) for the Nebraska job, despite openly campaigning for it. Nebraskans wanted Bo, he wanted them, but the guy in charge wanted...well, shit, he really didn't know who he wanted. He certainly didn't want Bo. So he waited until Al Davis fired this short Irish guy who resembled the Bridges Brother who didn't play The Big Lebowski. The one who turned all of the Oakland Raiders against him, but damn if he didn't have the biggest playbook in the world. And oh by the way, he's got Kevin Cosgrove to take care of whatever defense they might need.

Did we mention that Billy C had a Quarterback with little interest or skills in directing this West Coast Offense? But Callahan would make him shovel out the shit anyway?

Oklahoma was a 30-point favorite, and it certainly looked like we'd have a push as Pelini and Company were on their way to a 30-0 shutout with 33-seconds left in the game. The Sooners got tagged with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty as the Huskers were set to run out the clock with the ball deep in their own territory. Why did Oklahoma get a flag? Too many "Hillbillies" were throwing oranges onto the field, which allowed the Corn start at their own 28-yard line instead of their own 13. No big deal, as Joe Dailey and this merry group of misfits couldn't muster up anything against Pelini's game plan.

Then out of nowhere, on a fullback trap play of all things, Steve Kriewald (seriously, Steve Kriewald) busts through for a 48-yard gain. And Callahan gets the Huskers in line as if they were on their way to a game-winning score. He hurried the offense along, called for a run play to get the ball in the center of the field, and made poor Joe Dailey try one last pass attempt to get closer to pay dirt.

And here's where one would get the impression that Callahan had money on this game (and if he did, he could always go to the Pete Rose argument of saying he was betting on his own team and taking the points). As only 1-second remained on the clock, he hurried his kicking team on to the field so that David Dyches could kick a meaningless field goal as time expired.

Vegas went crazy. Husker fan took some bizarre satisfaction in NOT getting shutout by a far superior Oklahoma team. A little "at least we didn't get completely blown out" mentality.

What everyone remembers from this fiasco, of course, was everyone throwing oranges on the field in hopes that the Sooners were Orange Bowl bound (home of the BCS Title Game that year, Oklahoma was 10-0 and ranked 2nd in the BCS poll after the game). Orange fruit flew all over the field, causing confusion to Billy C and his big-ass playbook. I still maintain that Callahan had no clue why anyone, at the end of a football game, would have pause to even think to throw oranges on to a field. Especially in November (remember back to Callahan's first year, he was quite puzzled with many a tradition at the collegiate level).

Noticing the oranges littering the field, Callahan uttered one of his finest quotes as Husker Head Coach to one of his assistants, overheard by many players and media folk.

"Fuckin' Hillbillies."

Legend suggests he actually got close enough to some OU fans and actually said, "You guys are a bunch of fucking hillbillies", but it was the "Fucking Hillbillies" line that became his slogan. In fact, the slick Billy C didn't even deny saying it, and actually APOLOGIZED for using the phrase at the following Tuesday's press conference.

There were Champs Bowl representatives at the game checking the Huskers out for crying out loud. What sort of impression was this for Callahan to leave on these fine citizens?

The two things that somehow sum up the bizarre Bill Callahan era at Nebraska: Hurrying up to kick a meaningless field goal against the coach who would one day replace him; and "Fucking Hillbillies", not so much that he said it, but that he admitted to saying it. Because one year later, the whole world would witness another Callahan incident during the OU/NU game in Lincoln, something he would deny doing for the next three years. But we'll get into that game tomorrow.

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Game 7: Nebraska 35, Iowa State 7

After next week's game, Joe Ganz will have finally played the equivalent of a full season. He's got 10 games under his belt (as a starter that is) after Nebraska beat Iowa State 35-7 today at Ames, and he's already thrown for 3,524 yards. Which is more than Gill or Frazier, more Vince Ferragamo. The most important thing is the Corn got a win today, even if it was against a team as awful as the Cyclones, but after losing 3 straight, you could tell afterwards that Pelini was relieved to finally get that win in conference play.

Let's go back to Ganz. He was 27 of 37 for 328 yards, all of this despite having to listen to the Versus announcers complain the entire first half about how Ganz was "out of rhythm". Nebraska gets the Versus treatment next week, again at 11:30am. Versus is the former Outdoor Life Network, the home for the NHL. Days of Thunder, the movie known mainly for introducing Tom Cruise to Nicole Kidman, immediately followed the Nebraska/Iowa State game. We'll probably have Vanilla Sky after next week's Baylor game. This tells you all you need to know about the Versus network. I'm really surprised Andre Ware isn't calling some of the College Football games they carry. But get used to Versus, because that could be the network that will carry the Bowl Game Nebraska goes to (two more wins and they're in!).

Unless this is continued proof that Shawn Watson and Ganz have some things figured out. The big phrase of the week to describe the "new" Husker offense was "Dink & Dunk". The quick, short passes that move the chains, keep the clock going, and keeps the opposing offense on the sidelines. The Huskers are doing more than that with Ganz. You still can't completely trust the offensive line, but from a confidence standpoint they did rack up some rushing yards. Nate Swift -- who, when his career at Nebraska is complete, is going to be remembered as one of the better receivers to have played here -- ran a reverse in the first quarter that could have been a huge ran if Ganz would have completed his blocking assignment on the play. So it's not a "Dink and Dunk" offense, they're keeping with doing whatever works with these kids.

Remember, this isn't a very good Iowa State team at all. Yes a win on the road, especially a conference road victory, is harder to come by in this crazy year of college football. Baylor beat the Cyclones just as easily (38-10 at home) last week. I don't think Baylor's that much better than Iowa State, so if Pelini and company really want to keep things going they'll over-deliver next Saturday in Lincoln. There's no reason they shouldn't roll up an even bigger margin against Baylor. Because Pelini has everyone on board with everything.

We mentioned in last week's post about the great theater that Pelini's press conferences have been. This week added a new wrinkle, as Pelini tried to keep things light around the media. He was Johnny Carson to the covering local media, who played Ed McMahon, laughing too-loudly at anything Pelini had to say. Some sounded like Max Cady, sitting in the front row of the movie theater watching Problem Child with Nick Nolte's concerned family in the back during Cape Fear. You had to think that Bo had a moment like Tony Soprano did during the "All Happy Families" episode of The Sopranos. Tony would tell the worst jokes during a poker game, only to have Paulie, Vito and Silvio fake laugh at him like it was the funniest thing they ever heard. There was even that creepy-slow motion shot we got from Tony's perspective, where T watched his employees belly laugh at his "Boring 747" joke. You have to think Pelini had a moment like this at his Tuesday Press Conference, where he could have made these yokels laugh at anything he said. And they did.

After today's game, Bo was in a justifiably more relaxed and even pleasant mood. He commented on how badly his team "needed" a win. Pelini knew he had a great Texas Tech team beat last week, even out-coached Mike Leach. The moment Bo Pelini officially put his stamp on the Nebraska football program, where he became the Head Coach, came on that fake field goal attempt in the final minutes of the 4th quarter last week against Tech. After Leach pulled off that 4th and 5 out of his ass, thinking only to draw the Husker Defense offsides but wound up going for what could have been the deciding touchdown. Pelini calling for the fake field goal afterward, getting the touchdown to force overtime, shifted everything his way going forward. He wasn't going to be happy to just play a Top 10 team close on the road. That call let everyone know he was all in, and since then everyone's officially bought into his "system". Even though we know Bo hates giving things like "systems" a name.

The other thing that has Pelini happier is his defense. He was embarrassed after the Missouri nightmare, and since then his defense has continued to gel and take shape. We knew going into the season that things would get better following Hurricane Cosgrove, if only because things couldn't have gotten worse than Grover Ball. The team still makes mistakes (how many fumbles did they have on that opening drive today? Wasn't it at least 3?), and the penalties have got to get under control (but they only had 4 today). But today was just about getting the win, getting in position to beat up on Baylor for next week.

So how good is Nebraska? We still don't know. They could finish 8-4 and I wouldn't be surprised. The only game left that I feel totally confident in betting the farm on is the Kansas game in Lincoln (we'll get more into that when we get to that week's game). They're not a complete team, but they're finally showing signs of becoming the team that Pelini wants. And shit, right now, that's not bad.

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Game 6: Texas Tech 37, Nebraska 31, Overtime

Now that we don't have Billy C to kick around and blame for all of society's woes, the finger pointing on why Nebraska lost it's last two home games -- or more importantly, let Missouri come into Lincoln and turn a nationally televised night game into the equivalent of a spring game -- became the flavor of the week going into today's Texas Tech game. The Corn were 22 point underdogs, and like last week, nobody expected them to win or even play the Top 10 rated Red Raiders close. The general mood had everyone hoping that Nebraska just wouldn't get embarrassed, you know, like they did the last time they went to play in Lubbock. Ladies and Gentleman, your improving 2008 Nebraska Cornhuskers, now officially 3-3 and win less in conference games. Before we dissect what might have been today, let's recap the two big rumors that fans suggested had Nebraska trending down. What we're hearing, and separating what could be real from what's just horseshit (or as TO would say, horse pucky).

Shawn Watson and Bo Pelini Are Not Seeing Eye To Eye: Watson's big problem is that Husker fan doesn't like him, has never liked him (after all, he's the one responsible for THIS mess from 2001) and never will. Because he flirted with Nick Saban, that silly bastard. Because too many people still can't get past the fact that he's a CALLAHAN guy. He'll never win Husker Nation over, and most of these folks think/wish Watson's gone at the end of this year no matter how things turn out. Watson is still a great football coach, a great offensive mind. And let's not forget, after everything that went wrong last year, Nebraska certainly had quite an offensive display going for them, at least during the second half of the season.

In the Husker home opener, Quarterback Joe Ganz picked up right from where he left off last year (now again, this is, or was, a GOOD thing). Ever since (well, until this afternoon at least), Ganz looked as uncomfortable running the offense as Joe Dailey was during year one of the Billy C experiment. In games 2 and 3, against much weaker opponents than Western Michigan was in week 1, the Huskers offense lost it's identity. They tried the option a few times. They looked for anything that could resemble any sort of running game that just wasn't going to happen. The whispers around Lincoln have suggested that Pelini was nixing a lot of what Watson wanted to do. We always figured that with Watson on board, Bo would put his major emphasis on the defense and let Shawn figure out what to do offensively. Whatever the hell it is, just figure out whatever plays would work for the players they have now and go with that. It looks like that finally happened with today's game. Could be just a coincidence that the Huskers looked awkward during their last four games (at HOME no less), only to hear this suggested rumor and have Ganz throw for over 300 yards today and almost beat a team ranked 7th in the nation on the road. Did we mention Ganz was 36 of 44 throwing?

Pelini Isn't As Tough With His Players As He Is With The Media: One of the best parts of the season so far have been the Tuesday Bo Pelini Press Conferences. So far, they've been the slow burn to what a frightened pack of media members assumes will lead to a Mike Gundy-like Meltdown. God these are fun to watch, only to hear somebody shitting their pants while asking Pelini a question. Bo has these guys on eggshells. Anyone who covers that weekly press conference goes in with only one goal in mind: To NOT be the one who makes Pelini go batshit crazy and create a youtube/Sportscenter moment. The better way to go about this at this point is to actually try to be that guy who asks the question that makes Pelini snap. But you can't go in too confident, because Bo can smell fear, which means he'll jump on some poor soul from the Hastings television station who's on his first year at the job. Should be you, Travis Justice. But Justice would use the moment to spin his way into the limelight. Don't worry, we'll save "Travis Justice is Nebraska's Jay Marriotti" comments for another post, but you can't blame a guy for wishing a ravaged Pelini scream, "I'M A MAN, I'M FORTY" in Trav's face, and then curb stomp him.

But back to the rumor at hand. It was suggested that Pelini hasn't taken full control of this team shaped in his attitude because some of the players are "too sensitive" and he's waiting until he has all of his "own" kids to do that. Sorry, not buying it. Pelini's been all about changing the atmosphere since day one. Sure this is his first head coaching gig, and maybe he hasn't come in with the crazed intensity of when Jimmy Johnson took over the Dallas Cowboys. We've already seen Pelini give it to an official (in a move that cost his team a possible win against Virginia Tech). And if he's thisclose to boil at the local media every week, you know it's gotta come out somewhere. Hell, the kids are at least practicing in PADS this season, something they didn't do over the past four years.

Pelini's problem today, as it has been all season, has been the costly penalties. Nebraska had eight today, Tech only had two. Of course die hard Husker fan is blaming the refs on this trend (and really, it's good to hear these guys again, isn't it? We haven't had fans blaming the officiating from Husker Fan in quite some time, I was beginning to miss it). Somebody needs to really press Pelini about those holding penalties at this week's press conference. I vote for Sean Callahan.

Everyone sure feels better today than they did during the week. But let's not forget that Nebraska is now officially just a .500 team. If today is that first real step in the right direction, is everyone still confident this team can find those three more wins to, you know, get invited to a Bowl Game? As good as the Corn looked in the 4th quarter today, that doesn't mean they'll win in Ames next week, or even when they come back home to host Baylor. You want momentum, how about an actual win. That would really have shook shit up.

Mike Leach and Bo Pelini have the exact same nose. But Leach looks more like the overweight guy in accounting from your office who wears a short sleeve shirt with a bad tie. Yes, we're aware that Leach has his own fits with the media, but if you had to pick which nose you'd want with you in a knife fight, you have to pick Bo. As crazy as it was when Leach tried to draw the Huskers offside on that 4th and 5 play from their own 36, you had to be impressed with with Pelini's later call on that fake field goal.

Yes, this really was the first ever overtime loss for the Huskers. They were 5-0 before today. Just when you thought Callahan killed every streak, here comes Pelini to ruin just one more.

Last week, Chase Daniel and company looked like they were going to waltz all the way to Kansas City to face Oklahoma for the Big 12 Championship. Then crazy Mike Gundy of all people has to go and shatter that plan. Considering Texas has to play Missouri, Oklahoma State and then Leach in the next three weeks, they're not the safe pick to win the South. One has to wonder what Mark Mangino thinks of all of this?

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Game 5: Missouri 52, Nebraska 17

It'd been exactly 30 years since Missouri won a football game in Lincoln. You couldn't fin find anybody (and seriously we mean anybody) willing to go out on a limb and suggest Nebraska remotely even had a chance last night. These are two different programs. Nebraska's on it's third coach in 5 years. The Tigers have their version of Tommie Frazier in Chase Daniel. None of these Missouri players were even a dirty thought in 1978. And yet somehow, last night's blowout-with-ease effort is easily right up there with the worst losses in the past 10 years, equally embarrassing as some of the other biggies as we play "Remember When" here in a second.

And let's not forgot: Chase Daniel sat out the entire 3rd quarter. The score was MU 52, NU 10 as the 3rd quarter ended, and that was really it. Missouri brought in anyone who didn't have a jersey dirty yet to get in on what would be their longest (at least according to the clock) drive in the 4th quarter.

Nebraska is still so desperate for answers that they wound up switching punters. Missouri didn't punt once. Nebraska had 10 penalties before Missouri even had one.

Read that last paragraph again, and remember this game was in Lincoln, and the Missouri punting unit could have spent their trip to Lincoln trying to find Melissa Midwest or the other two Playboy Playmates who were down at the N Zone. Mizzou hung 52 on Nebraska (again, this was IN Lincoln), and this wasn't even a team coached by Callahan.

Oh, for those of you scoring at home, or even if you're alone, let's look at those biggest losses of the Post-Osborne Era, and fuck it, we're even in the mood to rank 'em:

• Colorado 62, Nebraska 36: First official sign that Frank Solich was in trouble, but again, this game was in Boulder, CO at least.


• Kansas 76, Nebraska 39: Final nail in the Callahan coffin


• Missouri 52, Nebraska 17: Only the worst home loss since 1955. You know, before Elvis, and we don't mean Elvis Peacock


• Texas Tech 70, Nebraska 10: First real sign that this whole Billy C act might night work in Lincoln; Pollyanna Husker fan will use this score as a barometer for next week's game (...at least they didn't lose 70-10 like they did the last time they played there...").


• Oklahoma State 45, Nebraska 14: Final nail in the Stevie P experiment, and until last night, the worst home loss anyone could remember

Tonight was a statement game for the Pelini era. Let's remember some very important things. Frank Solich recruited kids to come to Nebraska based upon the style of offense he wanted to run. Billy C brought in (alleged) 5 star recruits who could run his West Coast Offense. That means different quarterbacks, linemen, receivers. The biggest difference was that Solich, unlike Callahan, recognized he needed to make a big change and find the right guy to fix his defense. And of course, we know what happened. Solich (with a strong recommendation from Pete Carroll of all people) made the right decision, hiring the guy who just now happens to be the current Head Coach at Nebraska. Callahan forgot there was a need to play defense, and his loyalty to Kevin Cosgrove was a liability.

Pelini's other problem perception-wise is he can't use the "I don't have MY players" excuse that Callahan sold everyone on. Billy C kept Joe Dailey in as quarterback for all of that brutal 2004 season to suggest to everyone that Solich left the cupboard bare, and that he had to have the RIGHT quarterback in place to orchestrate his complex offense.

Last night, Nebraska committed 14 penalties. Missouri had only 1. I'm sorry folks, but that's coaching.

As bad a taste that Callahan left in all of our mouths -- so much so that the Husker Radio Network won't even mention the guy by name, something that is completely telling and funny itself -- you can't say he didn't leave at least some talent for Pelini and company to work with. He still has a competent quarterback in Joe Ganz, but since game 1, it seems that neither Shawn Watson nor Pelini know which direction to move Ganz.

The Husker Sports Network spent the 2nd half saying things like "This team just needs to forget about all of this and just move on" and "We told you earlier there would be bumps in the road. This is just one of them, and you fans just need to get past this and move on."

WHAT?

Let's listen to what the Corn's new fearless leader had to say to find the truth (and if anything else, you have to give credit to Bo for at least being completely blunt): "It all starts with me. We got out-coached tonight. We weren't well enough prepared. We got beat and we got beat soundly. I'm the head of this ship and I take full responsibility for it. I have to do a better job."

That's refreshing to an extent, but can it help a Husker Nation who woke up this morning (or is probably still asleep following a game that didn't officially end until after 11:30pm central time) wondering if this team is going to win another game this year. None of the remaining 7 games are gimmies. Not Iowa State at Ames. Not Baylor at home.

So how much of a pass are we going to give Pelini five games into his regime. The expectation level was that he'd finish this 5-game home stand at least 4-1, and if they somehow lost to both Virginia Tech and Missouri, they had at least better keep both games close and play with that old-school passion.

Missouri brought back the Billy C ghosts. The Huskers let a much better Missouri team waltz into Lincoln and made it look like a Spring Scrimmage. This was worse than last season's USC ass-whooping in Lincoln. Fans certainly love Pelini's honesty in standing in front of the media and taking all the bullets and blame for this mess. But what will they say when this team finishes 3-9?

The best anyone can hope for is that the Huskers find a way to beat Iowa State on the road, use what (at leased used to be) home field advantage to beat Baylor, grow by the point that when Kansas and Colorado come to Lincoln that the Corn can squeak wins out of those games, letting Pelini finish year one 7-5 and draw a Bowl Game. Others think a win at Manhattan, KS is still a possibility.

But from what we saw last night, this Nebraska team isn't going to win another conference game this year. Through the litter and the wreckage of the past four years, Nebraska fan is bloated with entitlement, and walking dazed and drunk. It is important to remember that this is the first head coaching job Pelini's ever had. He's still a very young guy and very much learning on the job. You'd just like to think his first year is going to finish better than his predecessor's first one did.

Another huge difference between the past two opponents worth pointing out: Despite both teams traveling very well, we mentioned how rather friendly the Hokie fans were. They made numerous efforts to make friends with everyone, and to Nebraska's credit, they didn't want to hold hands with all of them and sing "Hands Across America", but everyone had very nice time. But regarding Missouri fan...the best way to describe them (and this impression was made BEFORE kick-off mind you) is "white trash". It's not that they weren't well-behaved, nor did Nebraska fan want to pick fights with any of them. They just weren't a rather impressive group, those Tiger fans. Maybe a lot of that has to do with the fact that, you know, they're still trying to understand this whole concept that their football program is currently one of the best in the nation, and they have a quarterback who very well is going to walk away with the 2008 Heisman Trophy.

The most telling quotes regarding both fan bases. Va Tech fans left last Sunday morning letting any Husker loyalist by saying, "We all had a very nice time here, thank you all for your hospitality." Of course, after going home with a satisfying win can put anyone in a good mood. This, though, came from those in Missouri colors: "Man, you guys just suck. Sorry." CLICK TO READ ENTIRE POST!

Weekend Preview: Mad Men, George Brett, Huskers Apathy & Cubs Misery

It's the top of the 7th inning of game 2 of the Dodgers/Cubs NLDS, the Cubs are down 6-0...and Carlos Zambrano is still pitching! And he's thrown 105 pitches. I'm sure Cub fan is calling for Lou Piniella's head right now, pinning what could be another collapse on someone. Sort of like Don Draper is doing with Duck Phillips on Mad Men. Or George Brett would on the crab legs at the Mirage.

After all that's gone on with Mad Men over the past several weeks, one of the biggest mysteries surrounds that of one Herman "Duck" Phillips, or at least how he is the antagonist regarding Don Draper's character. Duck is a tortured soul, albeit a talented one who in season two of the series is slowly building to someone Don can pin most of his problems on.

The big mystique surrounding Duck is why he was let go of a what Cooper called a very good gig at Young & Rubicam in London. It's been obvious since we first met Duck that he's had a battle with booze, which is what makes him such a fascinating character in the Sterling Cooper world. Victories and problems are met with a simple trip to the liquor cabinet, something Duck doesn't partake in. It's part of why he was so eager to cut Freddy loose, a statement that boozing on the clock is frowned upon. And the Don versus Duck battle has been brewing since this season's first episode, when Duck strongly suggests younger talent is needed for Martinson's Coffee. Duck's instincts are correct, as we see in the later episode "The Gold Violin", but Don is frustrated at bringing in new blood. "So, now that I've given you your babies and your Xerox machine," he says do Duck in the second season's first episode, "Should I throw in a couple of elephants? I don't want there to be an excuse when you can't bring in Martinson's Coffee."

The relationship is further tested in the very next episode, when American Airlines has the crash that ironically kills Pete's father. Duck knows an old friend at American Airlines, but not the true decision maker. Never mind the fact that Don has been trying to build Mohawk Airlines as the agency's "big" airline. Duck is so desperate to make an impact at Sterling Cooper that he uses his contact at American -- and then ultimately Pete's confused emotions over his father's death -- to impress Roger and Bertram into dumping Mohawk for a chance to land the American Airlines account. Don, for all of his flaws and secrets, knows better. Dumping Mohawk for a possible "foot hold" with American is the wrong business move. This is further confirmed when Duck makes the staff come in on a Sunday (during the "Three Sundays" episode) to get ready for a Good Friday pitch to American. Duck's contact is fired on the very day of the pitch to American, infuriating Don further.

The boiling point happens in the "Maidenform" episode, where we begin to learn more of what haunts Duck. We meet his ex-wife, two kids and family dog Chauncey. His ex-wife is going to re-marry, his kids have accepted their new life, and oh by the way, the new husband is allergic to Chauncey. All the while, Duck has suggested to Don that Playtex wants new creative, as in creative similar to the material the Maidenform folks are doing. As much as we, the audience, know about Don, we also understand he's extremely smart when it comes to the Sterling Cooper clients. Yes, Don Draper is an unfaithful husband and an uninterested father, but he knows the advertising game. Playtex is kicking ass sales wise, and there's no reason to fix what isn't broke.

But Duck is adamant on presenting a "Maidenform" campaign to the Playtex folks. "You've been pitching the clients ideas to me more than you have ours to them" is what Don tells Duck in one of the series more telling moments. Roger had sensed the growing tension between Don and Duck, demanding they schedule a lunch to call a "truce". Since Don is too busy nailing Bobbie Barrett and going to the movies, a simple meeting in Duck's office will do. The two reach an understanding regarding the American Airlines/Mohawk fiasco, while Paul Kinsey presents a rather clever idea for Playtex (the Jackie/Marilyn campaign). The Playtex brass are impressed with the new idea, but they're more comfortable with what's working and pass on Paul's idea.

Which of course leads to one of the more talked about scenes of the season. It's another wasted chance for Duck to impress, and his immediate reaction is to find the nearest bottle of the hard stuff (something very easy to find at SC). But as an attention-starved Chauncey stares at him, Duck refuses the drink. He walks Chauncey out of the building, and throws him out on the New York streets. Chauncey's too much of a reminder of the past he's thrown away, and he can't even accept the loving admiration of a dog that he wishes his kids would keep to remind them of their father.

The mystique regarding Duck's falling off the wagon has been one of the greatest parts of this season. We assume through further episodes and crafty editing that Don is back to to bottle, especially, in the next episode "The Gold Violin". Matinson's Coffee is now going by "Martinson", and the two new young creative sparks help land the account for Sterling Cooper. Duck is a more confident soul in knowing the young lings "who think young" can land the account, and this moment redeems Duck's status at the agency. The young Smith team impresses the Martinson folk enough to sign with SC, and Don finally recognizes Duck's "Good advance work" in getting those who think young to ink them. Duck suggests landing the account could now lead Sterling Cooper to get "Life Savers", but his brief moment in the sun is tempered as Cooper gives Don all of the credit, another opportunity for Duck to turn the bottle. Again, we never actually see falling off the wagon, but it's implied in his frustration with not getting the deserved credit that all is not right in his world. Don celebrates, as usual with a celebratory toast, even asking Duck if he'd like for him to bring in "something for him", but actor Mark Moses' acting suggests his pain is too great to resist temptation.

Duck plays his sobriety at the Draper dinner party perfectly, suggesting he'll have a drink with dinner while just drinking tomato juice while everyone else liquors up before the meal. We even get a close up of Duck drinking from an empty wine glass during a toast. But then there's the Freddy incident, dividing Don and Duck even further. Don's the one who gave Duck a chance at redemption by bringing him to Sterling Cooper when his career was wrapped around a tree and losing his plush gig in London. Now, as Freddy suffers an embarrassing drunken incident, it's Duck who demands the firing. The irony isn't lost on Don, and this is all going to lead to a big blow up over the next four weeks. (And special thanks to Nobody's Sweetheart for that great illustration above).

Since the start of the Missouri/Nebraska game is so late (8pm central time, believed to be the latest kick-off time ever at Memorial Stadium), the NLCS could be all set with the Phillies/Dodgers by then. Here's the state of Nebraska football right now: Everyone's so convinced Chase Daniel and company is going to come rolling into Lincoln to make a big statement that Husker fan seems to be content if the Huskers can just keep the game close. And Missouri hasn't won in Lincoln since 1978. Even CALLAHAN'S teams beat the Tigers in Lincoln, even though he was embarrassed both times in Columbia. But seriously, nobody's picking Nebraska to win on Saturday night. Kevin Kugler is suggesting a Missouri 56, Nebraska 26 final. If that's the case, the Pelini honeymoon is beyond over. Even after everything that's happened with the Husker Football program, shouldn't the element of playing at home -- in a night game no less -- offer some sort of advantage? Or has everyone just given up after the Virginia Tech loss?

The George Brett video has drawn a ton of interest for good reason. It's that good, and we don't think it's anything for him to be ashamed of. It's one of the greatest baseball stories ever. It doesn't diminish his legacy as perhaps the greatest third baseman ever. It's a great moment, granted one where he didn't realize there was a camera following his every move. But everything about it is such comedy gold. It's better than anything Ron Shelton could have put in Bull Durham. At times, it reminds one of Bill Murray's "Dali Lama" speech to the scared caddy in Caddyshack. Brett is and forever will be my favorite baseball player, and that video should actually serve as a sales piece in getting free agents to come to Kansas City to at least enjoy spring training.

But right now, it's Cub fans who are literally shitting their pants. And a Boston media what a World Series that would bring Joe Torre, Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Lowe would be like.

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Game 4: Virginia Tech 35, Nebraska 30

The most telling moment of the new Nebraska football era came following this past Wednesday's practices. Bo Pelini was short with the media, calling the sessions "average at best". Away from the cameras, the coaches were livid at all of the mental breakdowns that took place on Wednesday from all players (Cody Glenn's name came up an awful lot). Wednesdays can be the worst day of the work week. You don't have the enthusiasm that Thursday brings, or the "let's just get this weekend started" spirit of a Friday. And this Nebraska team had two full weeks of practice to get ready for what was their first real game of the year. But Pelini and staff at least acknowledging the Wednesday worry was a good sign, and it confirmed my belief that Nebraska would be able to beat a very good Virginia Tech team in Lincoln.

In fact, we figured Tech was the one game on a tough remaining schedule the Corn would find a way to put together a nice victory. Oh sure, many columnists are acting proud that "at least the Huskers didn't get blown out". Seriously, are we at that point STILL? Are we giving this coaching staff a pass for the entire year here? This was a loss, one where those mental errors that caused headaches for Pelini on Wednesday cost the Corn last night. And now Nebraska has a brutal stretch of games for the rest of the season, and even after 9 ranked teams lost over the weekend, there's only one game on the Husker schedule (Iowa State) that feels like an easy lock.

In a way, a lot of us underestimated Virginia Tech because of their season opening loss to East Carolina. We assumed that THIS was the game Nebraska could somehow squeak a win out of, before getting thumped by Missouri next week and then Texas Tech on the road. And oh by the way, everyone was (and still is) openly concerned about Missouri fan taking over Lincoln next weekend. The real shock was how well Hokie fan traveled. They were out big time in Lincoln both Friday and Saturday, day and night. I must say, for all the credit Husker fans get for being among the "nicest" in college football, these Va Tech fans are certainly an amiable lot.

Here's the major problem, one we've been pointing out for weeks: Barney Freaking Cotton. The 900 pound elephant in the room is the offensive line, something that was supposed to be one of this team's strengths. Somehow, Cotton has made the offensive line worse than it was LAST year. The Huskers can't run the ball. They won't run the ball. And this is a disaster. Let's call a spade a spade here. Pelini obviously brought a couple of coaches to his staff out of pure loyalty or to please some of the masses (we're not just looking at you, Barney Cotton, but Ron Brown as well). You have to think Pelini is seriously overly concerned about Cotton not being the right man to rebuild his offensive line. No matter how well the defense is -- and make no mistake, the Huskers have a decent one in the making and are at the very least going to do their part in keeping Nebraska in every game -- a non-existent offensive line is going to be the difference between an 8-4 season and a 6-6 or even worse record.

Oh, but let's not forget that Bo Pelini did have his own moment that could have very much cost his team the game. Husker Nation has taken to Pelini's passion and enthusiasm, going back to when he got in then Kansas State coach Bill Snyder's face after the 2003 NU/KSU game. Pelini's temper cost him last night big time when he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct late in the fourth quarter, giving the Hokies easy room to tack on a clinching touchdown. The ironic thing is that Pelini was right to be angry (Ndamukong Suh was flagged for what was incidental contact, giving Va Tech a first down they clearly didn't deserve and sealing the Huskers fate). Pelini's outburst gave Tech a first and 10 on the Husker 11-yard line. Instead of forcing the Hokies into a field goal, Pelini's unsportsmanlike conduct put the Husker Defense in a bad spot. I'm sure Husker Nation is divided on how they feel about Bo going batshit crazy over that call. Some are pleased that Pelini stood up to the Atlantic Coast Conference officiating crew, and see this as some way to bring the entire team together. Others are livid. It reminds them of Billy C's throat slashing against Oklahoma back in 2005. They recall Osborne getting upset over a bad call, but never to the point of getting flagged for it. Pelini's got a lot of Lou Piniella in him, something we like about him quite a bit.

This week's odd Husker Sideline Guest: Rush Limbaugh. This explains why Pelini had such a short fuse last night.

Here's your Pollyanna-esque promising segment of the Husker program. This team is at least going to be competitive against everybody. Out of all things that came out of last night's loss, you can't say the entire game wasn't entertaining. Which will sure make for a more fun season than say having a team throw up 76 points on you. So after tuning up against those three pansies for the first 3 games, the Corn got a legitimate test last night. They have one of the top quarterbacks in college football, who probably isn't utilized to the best of his abilities (a lot of that can be attributed to the offensive line, and some whispers suggest Joe Ganz has a minor injury that impacts his game sometime). Nebraska's defense, as predicted, is inspired. The Shatel's and Sipple's of the world are somehow suggesting Nebraska passed this test. The idea however is to actually win the game. Until that happens against a team that isn't Iowa State this year, the Huskers haven't passed any tests.

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Game 3: Nebraska 38, New Mexico State 7 (Special End of the Exhibition Season Edition)

The big talk during the week regarding Husker football had to do with the impressive list of non-conference opponents on the schedule for future years. Who knows what things will look like in 2014, or who will still be around (the smart money suggests this blog isn't one of those things). We do know that 2014 will mark the 30th anniversary of Tom Osborne's signature moment (the decision to go for 2 points and the win instead of the extra point to tie the game in the 1984 Orange Bowl), and it's also the year Nebraska has Miami scheduled for one of their non-conference opponents. I cannot wait to have Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis as special guests on the visitor's sideline at Memorial Stadium.

This was a hot topic because last night was simply going to be an easy tune up, as the Corn would be sharpened and focused following last week's lackadaisical effort. The first three games of the 2008 non-conference schedule have been a rebuilding program's wet dream. How the Corn got these three consecutive games at home, mixed in with a bye week to get ready for the start of the "real" season and Virginia Tech, is something we really need to have explained. I'm very confident that if Bo Pelini and Steve Pederson were ever to cross paths, Pelini would immediately curb stomp Stevie P's pompous mouth. But after he counts how many teeth he knocked out, Pelini should thank him for this comfy little three-game set-up for his first head coaching gig.

So here sits a Husker Nation, with a feel for their new football team in the same way a fan would feel after their NFL team goes 4-0 in the Pre-Season. Sure, it feels good, but you really don't have a fucking clue going into the real season. And make no mistake, that's what Virgina Tech at Nebraska will be in 2 weeks. It's Pelini & the Corn's first real test. The second half of last week's game was no "test", no matter how anyone's trying to spin things. Nobody outside of Lincoln gives two shits about what's happened the last 3 weeks at Memorial Stadium. Beat Va Tech, for a matchup of unbeatens when Chase Daniel and a wild Missouri army come to town, and then you'll have everyone's attention.

The last three weeks again showcased how much of a hard on this new regime has for wanting to merge with the marvelous Huskers of yesteryear. Many former players went on record about how much of a disconnect they had during Billy C four years of loitering. So Osborne and Pelini have made it their point to not only let basically any former player run free through Memorial Stadium on game day (I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if Grant Wistrom was allowed to actually play on a few series last night), but remind everyone of how great things once were and what they could be again. And this mentality has spread EVERYWHERE. The last three games have all been on pay-per-view, with color commentary from a former player known for saving Osborne's final season, and the only commercials during these games have been advertisements for the UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. Promos complete with TO getting carried off the field after winning his first National Championship and Johnny Rodgers finally getting his diploma. Seriously, if you're the University, you've already making a nice chunk of money from everyone ordering these games. You could have printed money by selling a few commercials during the games, no? Don't try to say there was no interest or time available. During half-time last night, sideline reporter Larry Punteny interviewed former Blackshirt Jason Peter for what had to be 10 minutes, and he was able to show off his book -- TWICE. We got the memo, everything's back to normal in Husker Land, but can we please take Don Draper's advice and move in one direction, forward?

But does the embracing of the old school mean this team has to run the fucking option? Because this offense has made it fairly clear that they have no desire to ever run one again. Joe Ganz can certainly run, but he looks about as comfortable trying to make an option play work as Dan Fouts would. That's not suggesting Ganz is only an asset throwing the ball (because last night proved he can go receiver if need be), it's not even a knock on him at all. This isn't an option offense. The option isn't only a play, it's the name of your entire offensive identity if that's what you choose. Osborne and even Solich teams ran effective option plays because that's what they DID. Their entire philosophy was built around that. You need no further proof of this than to have a flashback to Joe Dailey trying to navigate Billy C's West Coast Offense. Dailey and that entire team was made to run an option offense. So if Pelini and/or Shawn Watson really want to excite Husker fan with an option play, they'd better change and build the entire ship to go in that direction. But if running a few option plays is something just to satisfy some of the old guard, cut the cord now.

So with a much needed bye week, we still don't know what to expect. The Corn could very easily get embarrassed in their next three games. The smart thinking is that Nebraska will beat Virginia Tech (Pelini and staff with an extra week to prepare will make all the difference), play Missouri closer than expected but lose to a very good Tigers team, and then lose in a wild shoot out at Texas Tech (a tough draw for your first road game). Another thing we've learned over the past three Saturdays is that we're all relatively patient with Pelini. Sure, he had everyone scared shitless at the start of that 4th quarter last week. The lollipops and roses came right back last night. That happens when you get what you want, which is finally seeing something that resembles a sort of running game. At this point, the main concern for Husker Fan should be keeping a wild group of Missouri fans quiet when they come the Lincoln.

I do love how pissed off Pelini gets whenever somebody brings up a "name" for an offense for any team. He doesn't like the term "Spread" offense. He really doesn't want to give any offense any sort of name. He just wants to move the football by whatever means necessary, which makes for fun theater when a media rep brings up a name for any sort of offense.

Another fun aspect of the Huskers "exhibition" season: Watching Joe Ganz slowly realize he doesn't have to come running to the head coach after every single play, something Billy C infamously did with Joe Dailey.

Before I forget, why did I just now learn that Clarence Thomas of all people is a Husker fan? How did this happen? (I know now, his wife grew up in Nebraska, forgive me for being the only person who didn't know that little tidbit of information). Not only is he a fan, but he got to be an Honorary Coach last night, and he showed Ekeler-esque levels of enthusiasm after some plays. What does Anita Hill think of all of this?

You have to feel better about being a Husker fan than an Ohio State fan right now. The Buckeyes are officially where the Huskers were in the late 1980's. The only difference is TO didn't have that National Title that Jim Tressell reminds everyone he won in his second year as head coach. And Nebraska didn't have a national voice to hype them further like the Ohio State University does with Kirk Herbstreit. But really who cares now when the Corn has Clarence Thomas roaming the sidelines?

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Game 2, Nebraska 35, San Jose State 12 (Special "Keep A Good Thought" Edition)

The dissection of Game 2 of the Pelini era will be begin right after we get our heads around the idea of Cody Glenn, NFL Linebacker.

You could tell from as early as 8am that this was going to a much different day than last Saturday. Maybe the intensity level of home games can be attributed to how fans have decided which ones really matter. It's become obvious that in Husker Fans eyes, there are only 5 of the 8 home games that matter: Last week, Virginia Tech, Missouri, Kansas and Colorado. That's it, that's the list. Lincoln bar owners, who got kissed with all-day enthusiasm and a license to print money last weekend, were openly disappointed in the smaller crowds yesterday. We talked to at least five different downtown bar owners, and the overwhelming agreement is that they all expect a big kiss for the 8 home games this year after losing their asses from the horrible October of 2007. How anyone can expect record weekends (which last weekend certainly was) every week in this insane economy is unreasonable. But the downtown bar owners are like Husker fans: Don't just win, but win big.

It's also worth noting that on Friday, the big buzz, after San Jose State returned a large portion of their tickets, as that the Memorial Stadium sell-out streak could possibly be in jeopardy. Out of all the games on the Corn schedule, this was the easiest ticket to get. No fear, the remaining seats were gone quickly, but still, if there was a game everyone was going to sit out, this was it.

Which leads us to our actual football game. The entire lackadaisical attitude seamed to reach to the actual team as well. The Corn looked uninspired, sometimes unmotivated, especially on offense. If it weren't for some defensive adjustments, memories of the 2004 Billy C Southern Miss game were coming back. If you take away the two big touchdown returns, a very scary final score of 21-12 would have had an entire Husker Nation up in arms. Not to mention that poor kicker San Jose State trotted out on the field (and they may have just left that kid in Lincoln for all we know). It was an ugly game all around. The thinking going in was that this would be the game where the Corn tried to establish a running game. Didn't happen. Joe Ganz streak of 300 yard passing games ended. But the really big stat from yesterday that has Pelini and company worked up is this one:

12-103. Twelve penalties for 103 yards. Pelini and his staff took the blame for those, promising to fix it after the game. And let there be no doubt they will.

What should have everyone concerned is that the offensive line, as it is right now, is not one constructed to put together a serious running attack against anybody. This isn't one of the glory days "Pipeline" offensive lines. Part of that is the way the old coaching regime constructed it. Which again goes back to how important it is that Shawn Watson stuck around for at least this season. The Corn is going to have to use the best of the WCO mixed in with whatever Pelini wants to add. So the idea that some incredible rushing game needs to be established is going to be serious work in progress. We said early on that we were very underwhelmed about bringing Barney Cotton back as Offensive Line coach. Out of all the things you can point to that need fixing in Lincoln, this one sticks out the most.

We all expected things to turn around on the defensive side, and they certainly are. That was the idea from the start -- get the defense house back in order. I'm not worried there, Bo & Carl and the rest of the defensive staff flat out know how to make defensive adjustments.

The overall mood about an hour after the game was, "Well, at least we're 2-0". That is something, but the 2008 Huskers are supposed to be 3-0 going into Virginia Tech. And then they'll have two weeks to prepare for the Hokies. But yesterday, the "a win is a win" mentality swept through Lincoln. Maybe that's a hangover from all the shit that Husker fan went through the past few years, hell even during Solich's turbulent run. Could be the playing field in all of College Football has leveled a bit. It hasn't leveled THAT much, and the fourth quarter clearly proved that, as Nebraska separated itself from San Jose State. But the lack of crazed enthusiasm that accompanied Bo's first game from the fans can't spill over to the actual team on the field.

Special "What Would Have Happened If Last Year's Staff Were Still Around" Outcome: The defense wouldn't have been in position for that first quarter interception return. The D would have allowed a few more big plays. And it really could have been another 2004 Southern Miss game all over again. NU 27, SJS 23 (and an overly concerned Husker Nation would have breathed a sigh of relief that San Jose State really had no kicking game).

Matthew McConaughey "No worries, no worries, there is a siesta in the making even as we speak" Moment: The Half-time score of NU 14, SJS 9. "They'll make adjustments at halftime" was the rally cry.

The "Time To Panic" Moment: The End-of-the-3rd Quarter Score of NU 14, SJS 9. This marked the official end of the Pelini Honeymoon phase.

Tony Soprano "We're All Fucked" Moment: SJS's new kicker nailing that field goal early in the 4th quarter, making the score NU 14, SJS 12.

Bob Dylan "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" Moment: NU's 21 4th quarter points after that field goal.

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Pelini Can't Lose

In less than a month, Bo Pelini will spearhead his first official fall practices for the 2008 Nebraska football season. Yes, fall practices. In AUGUST. Which makes sense considering the Huskers first game is August 30th, so a few practices could actually be a good idea (especially since practice wasn't necessarily something that occurred a lot the last four years). No matter, we've figured out exactly what's realistic to expect from Bo and company this season, and determined how the "anything less than a National Championship" mantra started and eventually fell out of favor by looking at the first season's of the last four Husker football coaches.

Looking at the 2008 schedule (8 home games!) and all of the other variables involved (i.e. former running back Cody Glenn becoming not just a linebacker but a possible STARTING linebacker), the Pelini formula for year one is simple. Everyone (besides the coaching staff, who are justifiably preaching 13-0, and they should instill such passion in their group) should start with a safe and easy goal of a record of 7-5. As in, 7-5 is the "given" for the 2008 season. That's not being harsh, it's being realistic considering where college football is now (Missouri is going to be a pre-season Top 10 team and has a Heisman front-runner, something unthinkable 5 years ago) and the sort of shit the previous regime pulled in Lincoln (putting a priority on taking down all of the pictures of the former All-Americans over having an actual practice with pads would be just one example). Consider the shake-up with a 7-5 record as the bellwether:

7-5: Means a winning season; assures a Bowl Game (and even if the Corn lose the Bowl Game, they'd STILL finish the season with a winning record); the appropriate gut-check to see that Pelini can move things in the right direction; of course, also means the Corn loses at least one of their 8 home games, but as long as it's not one of the first THREE home games or Baylor, Husker Fan will survive.
Greater than 7-5: Euphoria, maybe not Scarlett Johansen naked euphoria, but enough to officially suggest the program is back in business. Means Nebraska beats Virginia Tech and/or Missouri, which alone is a major victory for year one of the new regime; also: Possible Big 12 North title, and under the, ahem, Billy C school of thought, that's a championship! The negative of this scenario: Husker Fan spends the off-season going into 2009 printing up National Championship shirts.
Less than 7-5: Time to panic. Even 6-6 is unacceptable. Sure, the Huskers would still get a Bowl Game with that record (a Bowl Game played well before Christmas Eve mind you). But not reaching the 7-5 standard would suggest things aint going in the right direction.

All things considered, Pelini's got the least amount of pressure for a first year Big Red Coach since Bob Devaney strolled into town (discounting the rose-colored glasses requirement debut of Billy C, Bo gets major points simply for NOT being named Callahan). Taking a look at the debuts of the four who took the task before Pelini offered to help clean this mess:

Bob Devaney: Came from Wyoming in 1962 and instigated an immediate positive turnaround, going 9-2 (NU went 3-6-1 in 1961 and 4-6 in 1960). Devaney has a building named after him (granted, it's not exactly the greatest athletic complex around anymore), and they probably first thought of naming all sorts of buildings after him based on his debut season alone. The only blemishes from his "rookie" year at NU were a homecoming loss to Missouri and an ass-kicking at Oklahoma. Instantly, Nebraska became a football school. Here's where it all started, and the Bobfather would only raise the standards with back-to-back titles in 1970-71. EXPECTATION LEVEL: Put a product on the field that could increase attendance.

Tom Osborne: Out of all four, had the most pressure on him (at least from the fan's point of view, he was Devaney's hand-picked guy, and Bob would remain TO's boss as the program's Athletic Director). He was expected to not only be Devaney, but win a National Championship. Had the exact same record in his debut season of 1973 (9-2-1) as Devaney's last year as head coach. But an extremely smooth transition, save for a 27-0 shutout at Oklahoma. At the time, TO was lambasted for not being able to beat the Sooners (NU came into the season ranked 4th, got as high as #2 and finished #13). He wouldn't gain the universal approval of Husker Nation until he went for the 2-point conversion against Miami in the 1984 Orange Bowl. But it's hard to find a smoother transition of one legend handing off to somebody who would surpass his predecessor big time. Like year one of Devaney, TO made sure Nebraska won their Bowl Game. EXPECTATION LEVEL: Ridiculously high (as in, win the Big 8 and the Orange Bowl), but TO eventually kicked everything up another level and brought the program to levels the likes of which won't be seen again.

Frank Solich: He was given a pass because he was TO's hand picked successor and everyone was still riding the high that comes from winning three National Championships in four years. Frankie's first year was an awful lot like the first year of "Seinfeld" after Larry David left as a writer and producer. Things were very different, sometimes uncomfortable, but you wound up tuning in every week for the rare chance of greatness. Two games in particular from Solich's 1998 first season as the new sheriff in town suggested that trouble was all around: The opener -- the HOME opener -- against Louisiana Tech, a game NU won 56-27, but also featured 4-foot tall Tech receiver Troy Edwards lighting up the Blackshirts for 21 catches for 405 yards (seriously, how everyone didn't jump on Solich for that alone is a great mystery in Husker History); and the Halloween loss at home to Ricky Williams and Texas, the first home loss in what seemed like decades (actually, it was the first loss in Lincoln since 1991). Solich's first year suggested he certainly wasn't going to be Osborne, but fate (and by fate we really mean Stevie P) wouldn't allow Frankie a chance to show he could adapt to the ever-changing college game. Lost the Holiday Bowl to Arizona. EXPECTATION LEVEL: "Don't fuck it up", but considering he was fired after going 9-3 in his 6th season (in which he cleaned house by bringing in a new coaching staff, many of whom are now ironically enough on the CURRENT coaching staff), there was a certain sector who wanted a return to big time glory.

Bill Callahan: Of course looking back on HIS first year now, it's hard to believe that any of this happened. That Stevie P couldn't find anybody he deemed worthy enough to take the throne. That the guy who was laughed out of Oakland and really the National Football League because he was mostly known for losing his team for calling them all "the stupidest bunch of players he'd ever seen", and for being the, ahem, "coach" for the team that allowed Brett Favre to scrimmage against on that Monday Night Football game played the day after Favre's father passed away, would be the second coming of either Osborne or Devaney. Before Billy C was even fired from Oakland, the thinking was he'd wind up like former New York Giants coach Ray Handley, running away from the stadium after getting a cap popped in him, never to be heard from again. What we'd all fall prey to right away was that Billy C was a great salesman who looked upon Nebraskans as relatively simple folk who would buy deep into whatever he was peddling. In short, the West Coast Offense -- or, the greatest and most complex offense that man has ever constructed, and just to prove it to everyone I'm going to lug around a 900-page book that contains every play in the offense the players will learn -- was the new flavor of the month, so get used to it people! Oh, and since that previous coach, whatever the hell his name is, left us with such garbage, we'll just go through the motions whenever the actual SEASON starts. None of the players, recruited for the option-offense Solich preferred, were suited for this complex WCO thing, and we'd all just have to accept losing until some of Callahan's disciples came to town. Billy C's first season was really waiting on the promise of his recruits (many of whom came only to leave immediately). The worst moment of the season was of course the mind-boggling 70-10 nationally televised loss to Texas Tech, a game that summed up not only the season but the entire Billy C era. The stubbornness in shoving an offense that he never bothered to adapt to the collegiate level or even the players he had around him. And of course, hitching his star to the old Cosgrove wagon. Oh, and after 35 consecutive years, Billy C finally decided enough was enough, and the Corn missed out on a Bowl Game. Also: Still convinced that TO is just another guy who fired him; sort of a dick. EXPECTATION LEVEL: Let's just get through the season so we can see all the new toys who will be here NEXT year!
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Notes From A Spring Practice

"What are we taling about here? We talking about PRAC-tice..." -- Alan Iverson, 2002

Hard to figure out who was more excited about things, the Jayhawk fans for a parade celebrating their miraculous NCAA Basketball Championship, or Husker fan amped up to watch "practice". Some highlights after the jump:

• The price of a gallon of gas was over 10-cents more in Lincoln than it was in Omaha and other surrounding areas on Saturday. Just sayin'.
• Downtown Lincoln looked like a regular game day, and for the most part, the crowd was split into two groups:
  1. People looking for a great reason to party up after a long winter and losing out on the fun they were expecting last fall (these folks started filling Downtown drinking establishments just after 9am)
  2. Families who wouldn't otherwise have the chance to go to a regular season game
• Husker Vision was pretty much the same as it was last fall, with the added footage of Pelini coaching in the 2003 Alamo Bowl, which got the biggest response from the crowd.
• The radio announcers were making way too big of a deal about the coaches being out on the field during some of the action. But mostly they were looking for anything to talk about. In fact, the network left the football action early to go to the Husker Baseball game. You know, because that was an actual GAME that meant something.
• Mike Ekeler has already been nicknamed "Captain Red Bull". He'll be a media darling as long as he's with Nebraska.
• Kevin Cosgrove was liquored up at Harry's Wonder Bar, complaining about getting suckered into betting the "overs" for the Spring Game.
• Everyone is trying to get a read on what the team's going to be like based on what happened on April 19th, which is just silly. There was a lot of stock into how great Joe Dailey looked in the 2004 Spring Practice.
• The reality is Saturday was a massive party for the House of Husker, which hadn't had any fun since the beginning of the USC game last September. In fact, many businesses pointed to that game as being the last time anyone could remember a level of excitement around the program. Yes, Saturday was a way to napalm the ups and downs of the past four years. Just use photo shop and crop out everything from the end of Pelini's Alamo Bowl through Billy C's last stand in Boulder.

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Your Husker Spring Practice Update

We know, there are literally 30 some reporters who've been covering the Husker Spring Practices, and the really big news is that they're actually ALLOWED to watch what's going on, which hasn't happen in the past four years. The Lincoln Journal Star is doing a great blog on everything going on, and frankly they're so in depth with everything we can't break any new ground with shit. Oh, another good thing is that they're actually PRACTICING. With pads. And helmets. Turns out that sort of thing didn't really happen over the last four years either!

As we predicted when the coaching staff was named, Mike Ekeler is already becoming a media star and will continue to be (we WILL have a good piece on Ekeler after the spring game as we're actually going to get some things from him then about the way things are and the way things ought to be). And of course, players are openly airing their own dirty laundry and throwing the old staff under the bus, most famously Cody Glenn. I mean, we all saw THAT coming.

You know the drill, everything is different now. That happens with a new sheriff in town. But it really isn't news that some players are pissed and saying coaches promised them playing time and certain touches on certain plays during certain games. That's just nitpicking. Let it go. People lie every day. It's great that Pelini's a straight shooter and won't even play that card. The cancer's been cut, and Bo and company have their new plans and systems up and running.

What I'm just amazed at is all of the crazy stories that have transpired over the past three months about how the old staff did shit. Stuff you won't find in the mainstream media, but we'll throw some confirmed favorites here:

• Husker Reporter Sean Callahan, who was a Billy C favorite probably because they shared the same last name and Sean really dug in and bought into the whole recruiting angle, recently saw the ex-Husker coach at an NFL Combine. He went up to Billy C just to say hello, and Old Man Callahan gave him the Heisman pose. Didn't throw a "hey" or "Hello" back, just ignored him. Yeah, I'd say Bill C's bitter about his time spent in Nebraska.
• Didn't know this one: During the Stevie P/Billy C regime, all of the famous portraits of the Husker All-Americans that were displayed in the hallway at Memorial Stadium were taken down. After Pelini and crew came in, they found all of those pictures just stored away in a closet. They're back up now. Wouldn't that be like doing away with the retired numbers at Yankee Stadium?
• When Callahan first came to Lincoln, he at least gave the a courtesy effort to reach out to some supporters. He posed for pictures with the owner of Jerico's in Omaha, gave Omaha's infamous Green Onion lounge an autographed photo. And then the 1994 season hit, and that shit just stopped happening. Billy C had his house way out in the boonies, and was rarely seen in public. When he was, and some BOOSTERS expressed their concern about the direction of the program, Callahan would simply walk away. One said, "We were just wanting to hear him say that things were going to get better, but he just sort of looked at us puzzled and left."

We'll have more fun ones when we hear them, but it is nice to know that players are at least really, well, practicing.

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Trouble at The Rail

After about 3 months of really enjoying all the perks that come with being named the savior of the Nebraska Football program (and was REALLY excited about going to this Friday night's Bruce Springsteen concert in Omaha, something he acknowledged recently on a local radio station), Bo Pelini has to finally face the other side of what being the big cheese is all about.

The really ugly situation involves offensive lineman Andy Christensen, who found himself in trouble at....hold on, 1 guess...THE BRASS RAIL and was so worked up that it allegedly took seven or eight of Lincoln's finest to finally pin him down. Wow, who knew that somebody had that much anger pent up inside of them about Callahan leaving? Bond was set at a whopping $500,000. Uhm, isn't going to the Rail a bad idea for ANY current Husker?

Here's how much goodwill Pelini has in Nebraska. A caller to an Omaha radio station actually had the nerve to call in -- and really, get through -- and suggest that Christensen's sort of enthusiasm at the Rail is what the Huskers have been missing. The radio hosts immediately dumped the caller, to their credit, and said, "That's probably the worst call in the short history of this show."

But just as Pelini was ready to nip the Christensen story in the bud and get his game on to see The Boss, three current Huskers were mixing up their own trouble. It turns out they were out with two former Husker players, one of whom was...again, this is about as predictable as the Brass Rail here, Maurice Purify.

Hopefully somebody's suggested to the Boss that he play "State Trooper" from the Nebraska album on Friday night and dedicate it to Pelini.

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Wait A Second -- You Mean Pelini Might Actually Get PAID To Do All Of This?

One story that nobody has really been talking about during the whole Bo Pelini lovefest over the past month is that, uhm, he's been working since December 2nd at Nebraska WITHOUT a contract. All signs indicate that it's just sitting with TO, waiting for Pelini to put his "John Henry" on when he gets around to it and nobody's anticipating any problems. And really, since Pelini's already been anointed as the Second Coming, why would there be?

Makes you wonder though: What if Ohio State, you know, the school Pelini actually went to college at, got sick of the sweater vest after losing two straight title games, and decided to just put a feeler out to Pelini? Not saying it's going to happen, but with all the shit that goes on with college coaches this time of year, would anything truly surprise you? So pretty please, with sugar on top, sign the fucking contract. Who knows -- if this doesn't work out after four years, you could force the NU brass to fire you and walk away with $3 Million extra!

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The Departed Husker Conference

Since we had non-stop quotes from The Departed on an earlier Bo Pelini post, we figured the best way to decipher Pelini's first press conference as Husker Football Coach would be to put everything in lines from the movie, so here goes:

• "I just want to go on record saying I'm recommending Bill Costigan for the medal of honor." For the first time in the past four years, there was a Nebraska press conference where the words FRANK and SOLICH were mentioned. And in a positive light no less. We all get that Pelini is not a bullshitter, and he made special note that he wouldn't even have the hearts of Husker fans -- or be in this position -- if it weren't for Frankie Solich giving him that chance in late 2002. No Solich, No Pelini, and who knows who gets the head coaching job this time around.
• "This is unbelievable. Who put the fuckin' cameras in this place?" Tom Osborne is used to all of this after a week of literally everybody in the state of Nebraska tracking his every move, and every flight, to find clues as to who the next coach would be. According to media reports, the 6th floor of the media crew was filled with the largest contingent of cameras and reporters wanting to get a glimpse of Pelini in person. You could even see by the look on the faces of the Pelini family that they never got that sort of coverage at LSU.
• "The question is, and this is the only question, who thinks that they can do what you do better than you? " From the beginning of the conference, Osborne made it perfectly clear that the major thing that needed fix-up and fast was defense. After that, hiring Pelini was a no-brainer. There was nobody else out there, from Turner Gill to Jim Grobe, who could turn around a pathetic defense in the best way than Pelini.
• "The day you wouldn't take a promotion, let me know." It's widely documented that Pelini told his players BEFORE the SEC Championship game that being the Head Coach of Nebraska was his "dream" job. There's nowhere else to go from here, unless he gets an oversized ego and dreams of the NFL, or if the Head Coaching vacancy should someday open up at his Alma mater at The Ohio State University...
• "When you decide to be something, you can be it. That's what they don't tell you in the church." It's no secret Bo wanted this job after the 2003 Alamo Bowl. Hell, everyone in the STATE wanted Bo to get the job. Steve Pederson never even considered him. So in the first five minutes of his press conference yesterday, Pelini went out of his way, without naming any names, to diss the Callahan regime, explaining how "you can know all the x's and o's in the world, but if you can't teach them and get players to respond, you can't win." Ouch.
• "A man makes his own way. No one gives it to you. You have to take it." Another diss at Callahan and especially Kevin Cosgrove, from both Osborne and Pelini. Both made mention at how great Pelini's defenses were at taking the ball away from the opposition, and how much that was a problem especially with the 2007 Huskers. Callahan, of course, was famous for his "we take we we're given" approach. Or at least that's what he'd consistently tell the media.
• "I can't be someone else every fuckin' day." Pelini was asked about his hot-headed and emotional demeanor, to which he decided to answer like another famous Bo: in third person. "Bo Pelini isn't going to change." Good man.
• "I don't know what they are, you don't know what they are, who gives a fuck?" Pelini was asked a few times about what sort of offense he intended to run at Nebraska, and each time he answered, "That'll work itself out." In other words, he'll have somebody else to run the offense while he cleans up the mess that Grover left. Or Pelini will keep the other team from scoring, but somebody else has to mastermind ways to score on the other side of the ball.
• "Staff Sergeant Dignam has a style of his own. I'm afraid we all have to get used to it." Back to Bo being Bo. He's going to be a lot more like Devaney than he is Osborne. And he certainly isn't going to be anything like Callahan. The funny thing is, everyone seems to like this new, fresh approach of intensity and running out on the field. And if he has to bring out Bill Snyder at a Kansas State game and yell at him again, so be it.
• "Marriage is an important part of getting ahead: lets people know you're not a homo; married guy seems more stable; people see the ring, they think at least somebody can stand the son of a bitch; ladies see the ring, they know immediately you must have some cash or your cock must work." Osborne in particular wanted to make sure Pelini introduced his family to the masses, including his youngest daughter, the only member of his family to be born in Lincoln, so that's a good "omen." I don't even know if Callahan's kids knew their dad worked in Nebraska over the past four years.
• "The point I'm making with John Lennon is - a man could look at anything, and make something out of it." Pelini downplayed the importance of getting the five star recruits. Oh sure, he said he had a ton of work to do over the next two weeks as far as recruiting goes, and he recognizes that constant recruiting is a major part of being successful long term. But all Callahan ever talked about was recruiting, about how he had to get the right players in for his "system". Pelini is fine with what's in the cupboard right now, and every year he'll go get groceries to restock the fridge and cabinets. But I'll be damned if the biggest day of the year for Pellini is National Letter of Intent Day like it was with Billy C.
• "I think you are a cop my friend." Unlike Billy C, who spent his first press conference looking around in a daze just happy to have a job, Bo Pelini really looked the part of college football head coach. Maybe this truly is his dream job. He didn't wince words (which endeared him even more to Husker Nation), he didn't talk about bringing in the West Coast Offense (something Billy C did and caused confusion and chaos throughout the entire state). And more than anything, he left the impression that he was ready to hit the ground running, even if it means losing out on getting a National Championship ring with LSU (he still might get the chance to coach in that game, but at this point, does LSU want him back for a week or so?). Maybe he can truly be like the Alec Baldwin character in The Departed and remain the last man standing.

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