Everyone will be talking about this article
- Thread starter bomber89
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Interesting timing of this article. Save a sentence or so, it could've been written and published every year since circa 2002.
Did Pelini win a title? No.
Has Miles won a title? No.
Has Erstad won a tittle? No.
Those are the three hires by Tom Osborne, in sports that make money or at the worse break even.
Did Pelini win a title? No.
Has Miles won a title? No.
Has Erstad won a tittle? No.
Those are the three hires by Tom Osborne, in sports that make money or at the worse break even.
Nebraska has got to be tough? By golly, I think he's cracked the code! Thanks Lee!
He may someday write a book, but I won't be in line to buy it. He's the biggest curmudgeon covering Nebraska Football that I've ever read. It's as if he somehow got stuck in Nebraska and hasn't been able to leave.
I'm not even going to dig into the crux of his article. Suffice it to say, building a championship program is a lot more nuanced than simply being "tough."
He may someday write a book, but I won't be in line to buy it. He's the biggest curmudgeon covering Nebraska Football that I've ever read. It's as if he somehow got stuck in Nebraska and hasn't been able to leave.
I'm not even going to dig into the crux of his article. Suffice it to say, building a championship program is a lot more nuanced than simply being "tough."
THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT . HE has always written this way - I often thought he was trying to show some ire towards N; so he was noticed in other markets. I am amazed he didn't just move for some other job. of course he has written articles that keep his job in N also; but he
Well, Lee, why don't you tell us who we need to hire then. Don't hide behind words, be specific. Who is it we're supposed to get? Of course, he will never say that. It's so much more fun to sit back and take potshots and not have to take a stand on anything. That's always been his MO. He's always great at telling Nebraska what they are doing wrong and never what the solution is. Exactly like a writer from outside the Nebraska market would do. I sometimes wonder if other newspapers employ a writer whose specific purpose seems to be to cover other teams outside the market and cover the local team like somebody from outside the market would do.
I think it was a great article. On point. Nebraska has to get back to being tough. When I use to sit in the stands at away games in Boulder, Manhattan, Norman and at 3 games in Seattle the home team fans were nervous. I am not sure they are nervous anymore
Once again REALITY doesn't mix well with the RED KOOLAID here on this forum.
While not completely disagreeing with you (he is a jerk), it is good I think to have a local reporter or two who are not part of the Big Red Choir. You do need someone who is willing to be critical in order to keep things somewhat objective. After all, this is supposed to be some form of journalism and not just an extension of the PR apparatus of the football program.
The article is snarky and not helpful in terms of suggestions. I also think his shots at Riley are a bit overblown and unfair. Geez... give Riley at least two years before concluding he is a patty-cake pac 12 coach. And by the way...can we put to bed this stupid stereotype of the pac 12 as a physically weak conference? Ask Iowa: Stanford says hello.
Is Lee suggesting DPE should rob a gas station as a prelude to winning the hypesman? I mean it worked for Johnny right?
He may have a point though.. we've got a generation of effeminate men, raised by women, who's only real role model is Justin Beiber...
Riley should make the team watch and then start a Fight Club.
He may have a point though.. we've got a generation of effeminate men, raised by women, who's only real role model is Justin Beiber...
Riley should make the team watch and then start a Fight Club.
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What I get out of this message is two things
1. We are do for a run.
2. Riley is soft in practice... Which I thought was an quick jab at our coach "Riley practices like he is in a PAC-12 practice"
Yes we are due for a run. So let's get her done!
And yes it was a jab at Riley. An unfair one imo. It is at least possible, and should have been considered before jabbing at Riley, that Riley has dialed back the physicality of practice due to our extreme thinness at certain spots. How many more injuries, for example, could we have endured at linebacker or defensive end last year? We were one or two more injuries away from holding open walk on try outs for those spots. And I am only partly joking there
I actually think he's right. I am not saying that was the best article ever (it wasn't), or that the tone was helpful. I do think, however, that the edge Nebraska used to have (if all else fails, physically beat the other team into submission) isn't there anymore, and I think he's right that Wisconsin and Michigan State have taken up that mantle, Wisconsin in particular.
The one knock I would have on it though is, Nebraska used to have to do that because it was playing a very specific style of football (option, run-heavy) paired with having to overcome talent and skill deficits in certain areas that are part and parcel to the program being in a small population state. Now, Osborne certainly could recruit, and he got some amazing players to play here, but that too has changed. Who is to say that implementing a system like Riley's won't work? There is no one way to win games. I am interested to see where this recruiting class ends up and what our record is at the end of the season; I think Riley needs 4 years total to get the ball rolling in a positive direction, and by that time, if things aren't working, we can start having discussions about how to change the program back to whatever the hell Lee Barfknecht thinks its supposed to be.
The one knock I would have on it though is, Nebraska used to have to do that because it was playing a very specific style of football (option, run-heavy) paired with having to overcome talent and skill deficits in certain areas that are part and parcel to the program being in a small population state. Now, Osborne certainly could recruit, and he got some amazing players to play here, but that too has changed. Who is to say that implementing a system like Riley's won't work? There is no one way to win games. I am interested to see where this recruiting class ends up and what our record is at the end of the season; I think Riley needs 4 years total to get the ball rolling in a positive direction, and by that time, if things aren't working, we can start having discussions about how to change the program back to whatever the hell Lee Barfknecht thinks its supposed to be.
Man, being a sports writer in Nebraska would suck.
People hate Sipple for being nice and they hate Lee for not being nice.
People hate Sipple for being nice and they hate Lee for not being nice.
I agree with the premise of the article that we are no longer a tough football team. The last decade we have been physically and mentally weak. That has to change. We can no longer lose the mental side and we can no longer get pushed around or get out worked. That said, I disagree that Reilly can't get us there. I think the John Parella hire shows that. Dr Tom was a "nice guy" as well, but his teams were always tough. I think last year we made huge strides in the mental side of the game...the team never quit. It didn't show in the win column but I still think we were much tougher mentally. Give it time. We bullied UCLA and it looks like the coaches are committed to running the ball this year and are starting to have enough buy-in defensively to implement more blitzing. I like where we are heading and think it is wrong to basically judge Reilly as a soft coach this early. I could be wrong. But we'll see
Regarding Sipple: there is a huge difference between being nice and being a sycophant.
Regarding Barf: there is a huge difference between being critical/objective and being an annoying negative Nellie.
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That's because we were probably really good back then. Those same fans would probably be nervous about playing Oregon also, and I don't think most people would classify them as a "tough" team.
The article is fine, but it misses the mark entirely. It's not about toughness, it's about talent and it always has been. He compares them to the teams of the 90s and says they were tougher. Maybe they were, but they also had draft picks littered throughout the roster. Then he points to Michigan and Ohio state and how they're tougher. Ohio state had what 14 draft picks last year and they're still a preseason top 10 team. Michigan reeled in the number one overall recruit last year and have at least 8 or 9 kids who will be drafted this year on their roster. Sure Harbaugh and Meyer have a tough exterior but the reason their teams are good is they are great coaches but most importantly they have a ton of talent. Period.
Not a huge fan of Lee but he does make some good points. However, I think to go to along with the word 'toughness' you also have to have 'smartness'.
I don't know if a coach can succeed in Lincoln without a run-style heavy offense because I've never seen it happen. I'm all for it but I'll believe it when I see it. The problem is to win with a pro-style offense you probably my have to have better talent than Alabama, Ohio St., and Michigan. Somewhat of a challenge there.
What people always seem to miss is that not only were the Osborne teams focused on the run via the option but he added the dimension of DECEPTION. He was a master at confusing defenses by making them guess who DID or WAS going to end up with the football. With that added dimension of deception he didn't need all of his players to be superior to his opponents.
This isn't a post about 'we need to get back to running the option' because I doubt anybody else in the universe knows how to run it correctly (sorry Paul Johnson fans). My point is while I think 'toughness' is a prequisite to winning football, if you don't have better physical talent on the field, your coach better be smarter than his opponents are talented. Oh and just FYI, Tom's sure he would still be winning championships in this era of college football. I asked him. GBR.
I don't know if a coach can succeed in Lincoln without a run-style heavy offense because I've never seen it happen. I'm all for it but I'll believe it when I see it. The problem is to win with a pro-style offense you probably my have to have better talent than Alabama, Ohio St., and Michigan. Somewhat of a challenge there.
What people always seem to miss is that not only were the Osborne teams focused on the run via the option but he added the dimension of DECEPTION. He was a master at confusing defenses by making them guess who DID or WAS going to end up with the football. With that added dimension of deception he didn't need all of his players to be superior to his opponents.
This isn't a post about 'we need to get back to running the option' because I doubt anybody else in the universe knows how to run it correctly (sorry Paul Johnson fans). My point is while I think 'toughness' is a prequisite to winning football, if you don't have better physical talent on the field, your coach better be smarter than his opponents are talented. Oh and just FYI, Tom's sure he would still be winning championships in this era of college football. I asked him. GBR.
Pretty good article and definitely some truth in there. Judging by some of the reactions here, the fan base might not be that tough either.
I read that article this morning & thought it was spot on. Nothing but the truth in there. IMO Lee nailed it. Get tough. People need to fear playing us again.
The ones that beat you into submission & feel it on Tuesday.
Look at the record of teams after they play Alabama. Yes they have great talent but Saban demands toughness. You can be a 5 star but if you slack off you will drown in that depth chart.
Talent is a huge part of college football but it isn't the end all be all. Texas, Notre Dame, Florida, Tennessee are programs who have recruited very well and still had mediocre seasons this past decade. Football will always be a game about grit.
too bad Lee never got tough when Pelini was here. He had to wait until Bobo was out of town before dishing the dirt.
And Saban has publicly stated that he learned in 1995 when his MSU squad suffered the worst defeat of his entire career against Nebraska that the recipe for success was across the field form him that day. His Alabama teams are modeled after Osborne's. Dominating defense, smashmouth running game, game manager QB
Idk
Talent doesn't necessarily gaurantee success. But it sure helps.
idk. There are a lot of examples of talented teams (highly ranked classes) that overwhelmingly under perform. Hoke always had very good classes at Michigan. Franklin has them at Penn State. Texas has had them since Mack Brown left. USC has had a ton of talent the past few years.
Talent doesn't necessarily gaurantee success. But it sure helps.
I agree with the article and have been saying it for years. Nobody fears us anymore. For all you doubter's , would you rather have a Wisconsin's record ( similar talent)or ours in the last 15 yrs ? It's a mindset and we need to get it back. I think we have started to recruiting those type of players on the O line but it remains to be seen if MR has that coaching style.
Wisconsin has 9 more wins over the last 15 years, .6/year. Let's not act like there's much separation between the records of both teams.
This is a knee jerk piece coming off of Dinardo's opinion of watching one watered down practice and saying he thought it'd be a good season if we won a bowl game. This is Dirk's "I told you so" if things don't go right this season. Here's Riley's real dilemma...doesn't have a plethora of elite talent in all positions still. If guys get hurt or can't play in games, the lack of talent will show up in us losing games. If he continues to lose games he should win, we're going to have some major problems. He has to do everything he can to avoid that.
If Dirk is proclaiming that they should shut the water off, bust out the salt tablets & rubber helmets, and that we'll instantly be national champs, I'm sorry that is thoughtless pandering to segment of fans that will eat that ideology up. Everything about the game has changed drastically over the last 15 years (players, parents, rules, helmets, officiating, recruiting, social media, tempo, etc). TO was smart enough to go out on top. Winning football thru hard work is our identity. If our guys weren't tough, they wouldn't be playing football. I'm sure a ton of our players loved reading this (sarcasm)...
GBR
If Dirk is proclaiming that they should shut the water off, bust out the salt tablets & rubber helmets, and that we'll instantly be national champs, I'm sorry that is thoughtless pandering to segment of fans that will eat that ideology up. Everything about the game has changed drastically over the last 15 years (players, parents, rules, helmets, officiating, recruiting, social media, tempo, etc). TO was smart enough to go out on top. Winning football thru hard work is our identity. If our guys weren't tough, they wouldn't be playing football. I'm sure a ton of our players loved reading this (sarcasm)...
GBR
I'm guessing that Frost practices like he did at Oregon in the Pac12 and I'm also guessing that nobody is going to call his teams soft. That is just an asinine comment by Barfie. I hope we're just a little less "soft" than Oregon this year. Something tells me that our defense is not going to be "soft" this year. If our offense plays like it did against UCLA, it's not going to be "soft" either.
Did Pete Carroll's USC teams practice like a Pac-12 team? They had "competition Tuesday's" including scrimmages for starting spots every Tuesday. But they were probably soft and didn't win anything.
I hated this article. It's full of immeasurable points. Is Michigan tough? Take Jake Butt's word for it. Is Ohio State tough? Take another player's word for it.
The reality is that really great coaches are responsible for championships.
Nebraska hasnt had one since Osborne. Solich may have been but the coaches who had coached for Osborne for 20+ years didnt have the same fervor in coaching or recruiting when one of their peers took over. Callahan wasn't one. Pelini and staff were in so far over their heads, frankly, they "toughed" their way to 9 wins.
I think Riley may have it. His first year wasn't a success but let him start recruiting and implementing his program.
Frankly, this article didn't include a lot of research other than to highlight that Nebraska is in the same camp as Purdue and Minnesota for championships. Beyond that it could have been written by any fan who thinks the cure is just "play and act tougher".
The reality is that really great coaches are responsible for championships.
Nebraska hasnt had one since Osborne. Solich may have been but the coaches who had coached for Osborne for 20+ years didnt have the same fervor in coaching or recruiting when one of their peers took over. Callahan wasn't one. Pelini and staff were in so far over their heads, frankly, they "toughed" their way to 9 wins.
I think Riley may have it. His first year wasn't a success but let him start recruiting and implementing his program.
Frankly, this article didn't include a lot of research other than to highlight that Nebraska is in the same camp as Purdue and Minnesota for championships. Beyond that it could have been written by any fan who thinks the cure is just "play and act tougher".
Ha,ha, get real . They have put beatings on us that still give me nightmares. How many Rose bowls ? I don't know why people on this board discount them, they own us and have the rings.
I read it. I thought it is was more about expectations. Making things happen to meet those expectations.
