The Season Hinges on This Weekend

[coolonetoo]

Well, folks, it's just that simple. The series at Minnesota is Nebraska's chance to either jump start a stretch run or slip into the middle of the pack both nationally and in the conference. On the road versus a top 50 RPI opponent who also happens to lead the league at the moment? It's all there for the taking.

If this happens...

3-0: Hallelujah! Huge RPI bump. Essentially eliminate Minnesota from title contention. Possibly alone in first place. All the sins of the past week are forgiven.
2-1: This should be the expectation. Solid from an RPI standpoint and still in good shape conference race-wise.
1-2: Not great. The absolute minimum acceptable result. Probably means treading water in the RPI.
0-3: Disaster. This would mean losing six out of seven, a sub-.500 conference record and concerns about the wheels falling off the season become real.

The good news is the Huskers have absolutely owned John "Loser" Anderson and his Gophers since joining the Big Ten. They're 11-2 during that stretch including a sweep the last time they visited Minneapolis. Let's hope that continues starting tonight.

 

[huskerbaseball13]

A series loss and I think we still have a chance at a regional...we would have to go on a nice little run to finish the year....but a series loss probably puts a nail in the coffin for winning the Big 10.

 

[saluno22]

I certainly hope the team realizes the importance of this series. Seems they have been playing some uninspired baseball the last week. Maybe being on the road will help.

 

[Truehuskerfan]

Don't tell Coach Erstad the season hinges on this weekend or this series is any more important than any other.

"You start putting more significance on one game over another, what are you going to do, try harder? Play better? Shouldn't you do that all the time? I mean, that makes no sense to me," Erstad said. "You're letting an outside circumstance dictate how you're going to play the game. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. That's not how consistency is built.


"We worry about how we go about our business playing for our family and approaching every game exactly the same. When you respect the game like that, it's going to reward you."

 

[RobsterMobster]

A series loss and I think we still have a chance at a regional...we would have to go on a nice little run to finish the year....but a series loss probably puts a nail in the coffin for winning the Big 10.

This was my thoughts, unless somehow we just go on a tear and sweep the rest of our games which isn't likely. I'm really hoping we win 2/3, tonight and tomorrow would be great so Sunday is just icing on the cake like the Indiana Series.

 

[RobsterMobster]

Don't tell Coach Erstad the season hinges on this weekend or this series is any more important than any other.

"You start putting more significance on one game over another, what are you going to do, try harder? Play better? Shouldn't you do that all the time? I mean, that makes no sense to me," Erstad said. "You're letting an outside circumstance dictate how you're going to play the game. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. That's not how consistency is built.


"We worry about how we go about our business playing for our family and approaching every game exactly the same. When you respect the game like that, it's going to reward you."

I get this mind frame and love it as a parenting tool but that may be why the team seems so up and down. Erstad isn't dad as much as he is a coach. Youth today need a little more outside influence to get going against teams like Creighton or Omaha. Not saying you focus on those aspects but maybe a little influence couldn't hurt at times. I understand keeping your emotions in check but something is missing with his teams mentally at times. Especially when it the team gets into championship mode. Whether he likes to admit it or not, the mental issues are there (hitting and pitching).

 

[Truehuskerfan]

I get this mind frame and love it as a parenting tool but that may be why the team seems so up and down. Erstad isn't dad as much as he is a coach. Youth today need a little more outside influence to get going against teams like Creighton or Omaha. Not saying you focus on those aspects but maybe a little influence couldn't hurt at times. I understand keeping your emotions in check but something is missing with his teams mentally at times. Especially when it the team gets into championship mode. Whether he likes to admit it or not, the mental issues are there (hitting and pitching).

To me, this mindset from him explains a lot of the problems of the players seeming to be lethargic(the term he used to describe Tuesday's performance) or uninterested at times. It is a great idea in theory to think that every game is the same and you should be motivated for every game regardless of the situation. The reality is, especially at the collegiate level, players need a little kick in the rear now and then. He doesn't seem to be able to provide that. At the professional level, players need to be self-motivated to a great extent. That seems to me to be what he expects, and that's just not the reality for college kids.
I found it funny that these comments were portrayed by some in local media in a positive light-as in "wow-Coach Erstad telling it like it is". But to me the comments illustrated part of the problem and did nothing to increase my confidence in where the team is at mentally coming into this series. I want them to think this is an important series and they need to do well and I want to think he can get that point across to them.

 

[saluno22]

They need to stop playing these midweek games like they're some throwaway game up in Rochester!

Sorry, I watched "Miracle" this week.

 

[k9_r]

I don't think our season is on the line this weekend. I get the thinking of others, though. Right now we are in pretty poor shape to claim the BIG title and any loss to Minnesota will likely end any chance we have. That's ballgame to some of us. Not me, though.

We can easily make it to a regional on our remaining schedule and that would be success. We have to win a large majority of these remaining games but that's not impossible.

Five series left and three of them are against the three worst teams in conference. After Minnesota, we have two more road series (OSU & PSU) and both can be swept. Rutgers, at home, can be swept and MSU is very winnable in Lincoln. There are lots of possible wins left to rack up. Lots.

The way RPI math counts up, we still have time to reach an at-large bid worthy RPI. Not giving up on the season just yet.

 

[RobsterMobster]

I don't think our season is on the line this weekend. I get the thinking of others, though. Right now we are in pretty poor shape to claim the BIG title and any loss to Minnesota will likely end any chance we have. That's ballgame to some of us. Not me, though.

We can easily make it to a regional on our remaining schedule and that would be success. We have to win a large majority of these remaining games but that's not impossible.

Five series left and three of them are against the three worst teams in conference. After Minnesota, we have two more road series (OSU & PSU) and both can be swept. Rutgers, at home, can be swept and MSU is very winnable in Lincoln. There are lots of possible wins left to rack up. Lots.

The way RPI math counts up, we still have time to reach an at-large bid worthy RPI. Not giving up on the season just yet.

I understand that the regionals are the ultimate goal but I also feel winning a title would help the mentality of this team going into the future, like it did for the VanHorn teams. After getting close in '99 and winning the tourney it set and mindset for the next few seasons under VanHorn. I'd almost put winning a title (Regular season or Tourney) as a priority at this point. I know a tourney would go hand and hand but finishing as a 3 seed in a regional seems to be assumed and not necessarily progress.

Agree with you regarding ththat RPI however.

 

[donahues17]

Don't tell Coach Erstad the season hinges on this weekend or this series is any more important than any other.

"You start putting more significance on one game over another, what are you going to do, try harder? Play better? Shouldn't you do that all the time? I mean, that makes no sense to me," Erstad said. "You're letting an outside circumstance dictate how you're going to play the game. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. That's not how consistency is built.


"We worry about how we go about our business playing for our family and approaching every game exactly the same. When you respect the game like that, it's going to reward you."

I agree with some of this to an extent. But I kind of chuckled a the "that's not how consistency is built" comment. I don't think he has figured out what builds consistency yet. His teams have been nothing close to that.

 

[sklarbodds]

Worked out alright. Road series win against a solid opponent. Will take it for sure