Today's Rant:
Nebraska Football. Nebraskans have dealt with losing before. If you talk to a Nebraska geezer, he can tell you about the pre-Devaney period (which was about as long ago as the Jurassic period). In those days, when the Earth was much younger, Nebraska's football program stumbled and bumbled through losing season after losing season. Coached by such luminaries as Bill Jennings, Pete Elliott, and George Clark, the Huskers posted losing season after losing season. They even had a head coach named Adolf. Adolf? Are you kidding me? Anyway, it looked like Nebraska's football program would wallow into extinction along with other members of the Jurassic period.
Then came Bob Devaney. This guy looked like Mr. PotatoHead's brother, but it was easy to look past that given his glossy .829 winning percentage. He led the Huskers to their first NCAA national championship in 1971. Following on Devaney's heels, Tom Osborne added 3 more national titles and ended up 5th on the all-time carreer winning percentage list ahead of guys like Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. Not bad for a man that considers a smile an emotional breakdown!
Even though Frank Solich never lived up to the legendary status of Devaney and Osborne, his teams played hard and enjoyed some measure of success. Can you remember Solich's final year as head coach? That team posted a record of 9-3. Unfortunately for Frank, "Can't Win the Big One" was a label he just couldn't shake which is ironic since that's the title Tom Osborne was saddled with for years when he couldn't defeat Barry Switzer's OU Sooners.
Enter Bill Callahan. Or probably more accurately- Steve Pederson, who was recently fired as Nebraska's Athletic Director. Steve's the rocket scientist who boasted how he was going to return Nebraska back to the days of glory. That guy had more swagger than a drunken sailor on a weekend shore leave. It was his decision to hire Callahan, who was just coming off being fired by the Oakland Raiders.
The rest is history. Nebraska's program is in a tailspin, even with the return of Tom Osborne as interim AD. I've heard that recruits are bailing out on almost a daily basis. Listening to Callahan(see video clip below)- reminds me of the guy in "Animal House" who frantically screams, "All is well!" while John Belushi and his crazy frat bothers terrorize the parade. Well, Bill, all is not well in Huskerland. Hey, Coach Osborne! If you can't coax Bo Pelini into taking the head coaching job, would you consider coaching a few more years? Did you see Joe Paterno at the pep-rally before the Ohio State game? Jopa looked like he was having a great time. That could be you- think about it!
5 comments:
Just checking in.....
A small correction to your Husker History. Pete Elliot labored for just a year or two as Husker coach....and very successful at that. So much so that he was immediately recruited to the Cal Bears (1958) and took them in his first year to the Rose Bowl. That was the last year the Bears have appeared in the grandaddy of all bowls. Unfortunately for the Bears, Pete was involved in an NCAA infraction of some sort and lost his job, never to return to coaching prominence.
Dick- Now, I could be wrong...but, according to Wikipedia, Pete's one-year record with the Cornhuskers (1956) was 4-6. ...which at this point, would be a successful season!- Jim
Hey James,
not sure if you saw this:
http://www.callacount.com/
Robage- As usual- excellent! Diz Reynolds would be proud!
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