A lot of folks, myself included, have wondered if, or when, Shawn Watson will be gone from the Husker football program. I won't claim to even have the slightest clue as to what is going on in the Tom and Nancy Osborne Athletic Complex, but I do know a bit about how businesses and teams work, so I have one theory as to how change might happen on the offensive sideline. The theory is just an answer to a question, though: if Watson is on his way out, why wasn't he fired after the Holiday Bowl?
First, we know that Shawn Watson is a very good recruiter, and is responsible for bringing quite a bit of talent to Lincoln over the last several years. We also know that Bo Pelini is most concerned with results on the field. He has a bit of a dilemma on his hands, though. Does he keep Watson around as offensive coordinator and keep his recruiting skills, or does he kick Watson out in an effort to rebuild the offense and lose some recruits in the process? I think he'll do both.
Watson, if he's going to be let go, will be let go after the signing day for National Letters of Intent, which is on February 2. What happens after he's let go, though, is anyone's guess. Who would replace him? Barney Cotton? Not if Bo knows what's good for him. As I detailed in a previous post, Barney isn't putting together a power offense any time soon. Rich Rod? I jokingly said in an email to my college buddies that I needed an outlandish statement from my friend Brian. He said that Rich Rod should be the next offensive coordinator at Nebraska. On the surface, this sounded ridiculous, until he pointed out that Taylor Martinez would fit in his offense perfectly. Then I thought about NCAA violations and realized that TO would never go for it. Couple that with the fact that I can't stand Rich Rod, and I really don't want him to come to Nebraska.
Who does that leave?
Mike Leach? His pass attack is fun, but it wouldn't fly at NU. Also, we really don't need two huge egos in the same building. I can't see Leach and Bo getting along at all.
Gus Malzahn? He's not leaving Auburn without a truck full of cash, and TO's not parting with that any time soon.
Norm Chow? I doubt he's going to leave sunny LA for Nebraska.
Jim McElwain? That's a possibility, actually. He might leave Alabama if the right offer came along. If he's a bit ego driven, it must be tough being behind Nick Saban and forced into the "one voice" approach that Saban uses for Bama's media relations. I kind of doubt, though, that NU would be able to lure him away.
So who will lead the offense? NU needs someone who can coach a smashmouth style to suit the Big 10. NU need someone who understands the mindset of Nebraska's dedication to excellence both on and off the field. NU needs someone who is creative with an old-school flair. Most of all, though, Nebraska needs someone who will give the listless offense an identity and a boost. I think it's obvious: Nebraska needs Tom Osborne as its next offensive coordinator.
I'm not joking. How incredible would a team led by Bo Pelini's defense and Tom Osborne's offense be? Would TO willingly step into a coaching role, though? He probably can't be both athletic director and offensive coordinator, so which would he choose if given the opportunity? Would he get Alberts away from UNO and into UNL? Maybe promote from within and give Bob Burton a shot? I don't know - it's Perlman and Osborne's call. All I know is that this needs to happen. Fast. I have a son entering college in the fall and he doesn't remember Nebraska ever winning a conference title, let alone a national title.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Thoughts on the BCS Championship Game
Some thoughts from the game:
- Why couldn't Oregon figure out that running the ball up the gut inside the 10 wouldn't work?
- I couldn't have been happier that Newton fumbled the ball.
- I couldn't have been more disappointed that he was bailed out by his running back and kicker.
- ESPN continued their longstanding tradition of killing momentum by putting a five minute ad block on right after Auburn stoned Oregon at the goal line. This HAS to change.
- How long before Auburn has to vacate this win?
- How long will Newton have his Heisman Trophy?
- I hate the SEC
"Honeymoon is over" and other text messages during the Holiday Bowl
My friend Nick and I have a standing routine during Husker games: we both watch the game and text one another observations, jokes, and disparaging remarks while either extolling or lamenting the virtues of the Huskers and/or their opponents. He lives in DC and watches in a bar, while I'm usually in Sacramento watching the game on my sofa courtesy of DirecTV (I can't explain how much I love DirecTV. It's ... unhealthy.).
This season ended on a sour note, and our exchange of text messages during the game really summed up most of our feelings on the program as a whole, let alone this game. Without further ado, here's my take on the game and the program, set to text message.
Me:"How has Tmart looked?" Nick: "Shitty."
Sent during the first quarter, a quarter of which I missed about 90 percent of the game play due to an overtime game and then women's basketball. Is there any reason that someone watching the Nebraska game on ESPN needs to have their broadcast completely interrupted for a women's basketball game? I don't care if it was Stanford ending UConn's 90-game win streak - there is no reason to interrupt a legitimate football game for a game between teams who can't touch the rim. If I wanted to watch the women's game, I would have been on ESPN2, where it was being broadcast. Thanks, ESPN. You continue to ruin my Husker viewing experience. The only thing you coul have done to make it worse for me during the game was to thrown Kirk and Brent in the booth.
That exchange of text messages, though, pretty much sums up the 2010 Husker offense. As Taylor Martinez goes, so does the offense. But I don't put it all on Martinez. In fact, I put very little of it on Martinez. I put most of it on Bo Pelini, Shawn Watson, and Barney "Fife" Cotton. They share the blame for the major failing on the offensive side of the ball. Here are some questions that need to be answered by the staff:
1. Why are there so many false start and delay of game penalties on the offense? Penalties are a sure sign of an undisciplined team, and nothing looks more undisciplined during a Husker football game than the offense. Missed blocks, missed reads, missed assignments, fumbles, lost fumbles, too many men on the field, breaking the huddle with 12 players: the list of mistakes committed during every game by the offense is seemingly endless, and there seems to be no rush to correct it. Nebraska offenses led by Watson have always had issues with clock management and play calling. What has to happen for this to change? How did Nebraska get two delay of game penalties in a row during the Holiday Bowl?
2. Why don't offensive linemen get better while they're at Nebraska? This one is for Barney Cotton. I have no idea why he is employed on this staff other than Bo worked with him in 2003, and even that doesn't explain his gainful employment at Nebraska. He was line coach and offensive coordinator for the 2003 Nebraska team that had a whopping 235 yards per game on the ground, and his 2008, 2009, and 2010 have averaged 169.8, 147.1, and 247.6 rushing yards per game, respectively. Take out the non-conference schedule and it's just appalling how bad Nebraska is at running the ball. This is the guy who is supposed to be returning Nebraska to Milt Tenopir's glory days? This is the guy who is supposed to allow Nebraska to be physical? I understand that Barney was on the 1983 team, but that doesn't mean he's a great coach. Nebraska doesn't produce great linemen anymore, and Barney's part of that problem. The fact of the matter is, folks, that if Nebraska wants to dominate the college football landscape again, it needs a great line, and Barney Cotton hasn't shown that he's going to make one appear. This was supposed to be his year - three years in, minimal injuries, great backfield, and a head coach who's had his back. What do we get? An offensive line that made Washington look like LSU and Alabama's defensive lines hiding inside TCU's ugly uniforms.
3. What's the offense going to be? Sorry, Bo, but the offense can't be everything all the time. The offense can't run short passes, play action passes, triple option, zone-read option, power-blocked running, zone-blocked running, drop-back passes, Wildcat, and God knows what else and expect to be successful. The game hasn't changed that much since 1995, Bo. If you line up with 300-lb gorillas that can execute their blocks every time, it doesn't matter who is in the backfield. You're going to win. Also, if you can execute the West Coast offense to perfection, you're going to win. Also, if you can execute the zone-read offense to perfection, you're going to win. But if you try to execute all of them to perfection, there will be mediocrity across the board. There isn't enough practice time in an NCAA schedule to perfect all those offenses on one team, especially since you lose 25-35 percent of your starters every year. Bo, you need to focus on one style of offense, perfect it, then add in a few wrinkles as needed, like when TO added to the offense the QB draw that he stole from Central Florida in 1997 after watching Dante Culpepper run it to perfection. That's a slight wrinkle, not a whole overhaul.
Another thing: you can't change offensive philosophies mid-season like you did after the Iowa State game last year. Hell, if just one idiot could have held on to the ball inside the 10 yard line in that game, it's a win. You changed the entire offense because someone didn't emphasize ball handling enough over the summer. That's just dumb, Bo. Either let Shawn Watson run his offense, or let him go an bring in someone to run a different offense. This style of 'we have no style' and 'we're multiple' needs to go. Right now. Give the offense an identity. They look lost.
A perfect example of this is how Mike McNeil was moved to a slot receiver position. Was it because Bo or Watson thought he'd be better suite to get open against a DB instead of a linebacker like who usually covers him? Was it because they thought he'd be that much more of an asset blocking? Was it because Ben Cotton is the coach's kid? I don't know why, but the move makes no sense in hindsight. If it's to make the Huskers better at run blocking, does that mean that the team has given up on passing, since McNeil had trouble getting open against DBs all season? It makes no sense to put your best receiver in a position where he can't get open. Was it because Ben Cotton is the coach's kid? I think that's probably the best bet.
Me: "Watson needs to go. Offense looks undisciplined."
See above.
Me: "Our red zone offense sucks." Nick: "Correction. Our offense sucks. Lucky play."
Sent after the lone offensive touchdown by the Huskers. That pass to Kyler Reed should have been picked, but thank God it wasn't. Bo might've killed Martinez on national TV.
Me: "Watching Coyotes and Cardinals ads. Funny how they act like they're relevant."
I was down in Scottsdale for the New Year holiday, and was watching the game in the house we rented for the week when an ad touting Phoenix sports came on. The whole ad was just hilarious. Nothing quite like seeing Kurt Warner tout a team on which he no longer plays. I'd have laughed harder if I hadn't immediately remembered the ads I always see in Sacramento for my 49ers. It has to be tough to sell tickets to a game when your head coach and principal spokesman is best known for removing his pants during a speech. So long, Mike. Wish things had worked out. I always liked you.
Me: "I'm pissed that we had a five minute ad block after that fourth down stop. Kills momentum."
This goes out to ABC/ESPN: **** you. Seriously. You ruin games. You take all the momentum from the game by showing me five-minute blocks of Chevy, Toyota, Ford, Bud Light, Cialis, and Viagra ads at least 10 times each half. I understand that you need to make money, but college football games shouldn't be four hours long. This is your fault. It's your fault that the rules had to be changed to have a running clock outside two minutes remaining in each half when a runner goes out of bounds. Think about that for a second, TV executives. You are the reason that a rule changed happened. You're the reason there are less plays in a game and now in a season. **** you. You're also the reason there's such a playoff clamor, too. I miss the old bowl tie-ins. **** you. Hard.
Me: "David is a stud. Forced the pitch, then set up and made the tackle on the option." Nick: "Farley like."
Nebraska has produced a few studs at linebacker in the last few seasons, which means that NU fans are going to miss Mike Ekeler in a big way. I wish him nothing but the best as helps the rebuilding effort at Indiana.
Oh, and Lavonte David is a stud. Seriously. I hope he sticks around for next season.
Me: "I can't believe UCONN is in a BCS game and we're playing the puppies in the Holiday Bowl."
It's been written before, but I can't believe NU has to play Washington three times in one calendar year. What a crock. And the Big East is a prime example of what's wrong with the BCS. I can't wait to get out of the Big 12. What a screw job by the league office all year.
On a side note, I did attend the Insight Bowl and witnessed Iowa beat Missouri. Oh, what a beautiful sight, seeing all those Misery fans distraught by their loss to the Iowegians. What was great, though, was seeing the hundreds of Nebraska fans at the game. I even led an impromptu "GOOOO BIIIIIG REEE-ED GO BIG RED" chant on the east concourse of Sun Devil Stadium. My wife heard some Mizzou fan mutter under his breath about "f-ing Nebraska" or something like that. I'll kind of miss those slave-state idiots, in the same way one misses his dipshit coworker because mocking him makes the day go faster. Oh well. There were also a ton of OU and Ohio State fans at the game, and I took the time to congratulate the OU fans on their win in the Big 12 championship and to wish them a merry time watching the Sooners kill the defending back-to-back women's basketball champions. Seriously, how did UConn make it to a BCS game?
Nick: "Our d-line is getting outplayed." Me: "I don't get that feeling."
This one goes out to the Pelini brothers: you guys can really coach defense. In fact, you're so good that when the defense gives up 10 points to an offense led by a supposed future NFL star, my buddy thinks you're getting outplayed. You guys are awesome on defense. Now pull your head out of your asses on the offensive side of the ball, okay?
(Note: I believe that 9 points were given to UW by the offense in the Holiday Bowl.)
Me: "Wrap up, f*******!" Nick: "No kidding. We're going to lose." Me: "Yeah, I think so, too."
I think this was from the third quarter. there's something wrong with this program, in that no one has faith in the offense to come back. The body language of the team looked defeated in the second part of the third quarter, and I'm pretty sure every Nebraska fan knew there was no way Nebraska would win the game without a defensive touchdown. Giving the ball to a Shawn Watson-led offense inside the 20 does not guarantee a score, let alone a touchdown, as we've see before.
Nick: "The just don't look like they care. That's partly the coach's fault." Me: "Yeah, but it's hard to get up for a team you beat by 35." Nick: "I know."
I think we're both right on this one. Bo did a poor job of focusing the team. Watson did a very poor job of preparing the offense. The players did a poor job of disciplining themselves. Maybe they should have paid attention to their "Finish 0:01" wristbands.
Me: "I'm drinking heavily." Nick: "Me too."
Sent at 9:31 pm MST. I don't know where we were in the game, but I was six or seven Bud Light Limes in at that point, and I only had one before halftime. I'd given up on any chance of the Huskers winning, and my wife was across town with a childhood friend who lives in Phoenix. She saw the score on the way home and told her friend, "He'll either be grumpy or drunk." I went for option two.
Me: "This broadcast is a Jake Locker blowjob." Nick: "I know."
The game, when talked about on ESPN throughout the week, was hyped as "Jake Locker and the Huskies versus the Cornhuskers of Nebraska." There was no mention of Taylor Martinez in the promotions. Then, when the game finally was shown on ESPN, they spent the entire game talking about Locker's draft status, his great abilities, and how he was such a changed quarterback from the first game. Newsflash ESPN: Locker didn't change from game one to game two. Here's the stats:
Game 1: 4/20, 71 yards. 3.5 yards per attempt, 2 int
Game 2: 6/19, 72 yards, 3.8 yards per attempt, 0 int
Locker played like crap against a decent defense that he faced twice this season. The Nebraska defense made him look like an idiot in both games, but the announcers couldn't stop from talking about how great he was. If Joe Blow QB from Nowhere State gave that performance, the best he would have heard was that he did a good job "managing the game." Locker was responsible for about 10 points in this game. How about some Taylor Martinez love in the buildup, if not in the game? He only ran for 137 yards on 19 carries, with three touchdowns, one of which was an 80 yard run. Oh, and he passed for more yards in the first game than Locker passed for in both games combined. Martinez was 7/11 for 150 yards and a touchdown in the September game. Maybe he should be number one in the draft. Yes, I'm looking at you, ESPN. Quit slanting your broadcasts like this. At best, it's annoying. At worst, it's dishonest.
Nick: "Message for Bo. We aren't 'back.'" Me: "Yes we are. We're back to the 2009 offense."
I just liked this all-too-true joke.
Me: "Wow. We need a 48-yard Mackovica run right now."
In response to the punt that backed the Huskers up on the 1 as a throwback to the 1997 game. I miss having a consistent run game. Hell, I miss having a consistent anything on offense.
Me: "At least Henery is on our side."
After UW missed a field goal, I think. I was pretty plowed by this point so I don't remember exactly when this was sent. I'd spent the day driving from Scottsdale to the Grand Canyon and back in a blizzard, then the evening watching the Huskers get embarrassed by a crap team from a crap conference. Watching UW struggle in the kicking game made me remember how much I'm going to miss having Henery on the sidelines. That guy is a stud kicker, and his absence will be felt next year, I'm sure.
Nick: "Honeymoon is over."
Too true. There are too many issues with the program right now on the offensive side of the ball. The responsibility for this lies squarely with Bo Pelini, and it's his job to figure them out and get the program back in the right direction. I think Watson and Cotton need to go, but that's just me. If Bo can make it work with them, that's great. Continuity is a wonderful thing. It's his decision, though, and he has to live with the consequences.
Nick: "I'm ready for this season to be over." Me: "Yeah. This is painful." Nick: "At least it was a good trip to Seattle."
I'm going to try to focus on my trip to Seattle for the game in September when I remember this season. The losses to Texas, A&M, and UW were painful an unnecessary, and lie squarely with Shawn Watson, Barney Cotton, and Bo Pelini. The game in Seattle, though, was really fun and I had a fantastic time. I just wish every game felt like that one.
Next up is a series of text messages sent to Nick to end the night. He didn't respond until the next morning.
"Sirles is in a world of his own." (False start, I think.)
"This is just laughable. We're bad."
"B.A.D."
"Wandering the streets of Scottsdale. Drunk." (I was looking for an In and Out Burger. Found one. So good. Double-Double animal style always makes things better. Please note that I had a DD. Don't drink and drive, kids.)
"I stopped at 11. Drunk. Passing out now. [expletive] Shawn Watson."
I stopped after 11 Bud Light Limes. Yes, I know it's a cheap beer, but I love the stuff. It's sweet, girlie, and I love it. Judge me as you will, I love the stuff.
Nick (sent NYE at 10pm MST): "Happy new year from the future!" Me: "Oh my God! Happy new year from the past!" Nick: "It's glorious here. Nebraska has an offense since Watson was fired."
Yeah, that about sums it up.
This season ended on a sour note, and our exchange of text messages during the game really summed up most of our feelings on the program as a whole, let alone this game. Without further ado, here's my take on the game and the program, set to text message.
Me:"How has Tmart looked?" Nick: "Shitty."
Sent during the first quarter, a quarter of which I missed about 90 percent of the game play due to an overtime game and then women's basketball. Is there any reason that someone watching the Nebraska game on ESPN needs to have their broadcast completely interrupted for a women's basketball game? I don't care if it was Stanford ending UConn's 90-game win streak - there is no reason to interrupt a legitimate football game for a game between teams who can't touch the rim. If I wanted to watch the women's game, I would have been on ESPN2, where it was being broadcast. Thanks, ESPN. You continue to ruin my Husker viewing experience. The only thing you coul have done to make it worse for me during the game was to thrown Kirk and Brent in the booth.
That exchange of text messages, though, pretty much sums up the 2010 Husker offense. As Taylor Martinez goes, so does the offense. But I don't put it all on Martinez. In fact, I put very little of it on Martinez. I put most of it on Bo Pelini, Shawn Watson, and Barney "Fife" Cotton. They share the blame for the major failing on the offensive side of the ball. Here are some questions that need to be answered by the staff:
1. Why are there so many false start and delay of game penalties on the offense? Penalties are a sure sign of an undisciplined team, and nothing looks more undisciplined during a Husker football game than the offense. Missed blocks, missed reads, missed assignments, fumbles, lost fumbles, too many men on the field, breaking the huddle with 12 players: the list of mistakes committed during every game by the offense is seemingly endless, and there seems to be no rush to correct it. Nebraska offenses led by Watson have always had issues with clock management and play calling. What has to happen for this to change? How did Nebraska get two delay of game penalties in a row during the Holiday Bowl?
2. Why don't offensive linemen get better while they're at Nebraska? This one is for Barney Cotton. I have no idea why he is employed on this staff other than Bo worked with him in 2003, and even that doesn't explain his gainful employment at Nebraska. He was line coach and offensive coordinator for the 2003 Nebraska team that had a whopping 235 yards per game on the ground, and his 2008, 2009, and 2010 have averaged 169.8, 147.1, and 247.6 rushing yards per game, respectively. Take out the non-conference schedule and it's just appalling how bad Nebraska is at running the ball. This is the guy who is supposed to be returning Nebraska to Milt Tenopir's glory days? This is the guy who is supposed to allow Nebraska to be physical? I understand that Barney was on the 1983 team, but that doesn't mean he's a great coach. Nebraska doesn't produce great linemen anymore, and Barney's part of that problem. The fact of the matter is, folks, that if Nebraska wants to dominate the college football landscape again, it needs a great line, and Barney Cotton hasn't shown that he's going to make one appear. This was supposed to be his year - three years in, minimal injuries, great backfield, and a head coach who's had his back. What do we get? An offensive line that made Washington look like LSU and Alabama's defensive lines hiding inside TCU's ugly uniforms.
3. What's the offense going to be? Sorry, Bo, but the offense can't be everything all the time. The offense can't run short passes, play action passes, triple option, zone-read option, power-blocked running, zone-blocked running, drop-back passes, Wildcat, and God knows what else and expect to be successful. The game hasn't changed that much since 1995, Bo. If you line up with 300-lb gorillas that can execute their blocks every time, it doesn't matter who is in the backfield. You're going to win. Also, if you can execute the West Coast offense to perfection, you're going to win. Also, if you can execute the zone-read offense to perfection, you're going to win. But if you try to execute all of them to perfection, there will be mediocrity across the board. There isn't enough practice time in an NCAA schedule to perfect all those offenses on one team, especially since you lose 25-35 percent of your starters every year. Bo, you need to focus on one style of offense, perfect it, then add in a few wrinkles as needed, like when TO added to the offense the QB draw that he stole from Central Florida in 1997 after watching Dante Culpepper run it to perfection. That's a slight wrinkle, not a whole overhaul.
Another thing: you can't change offensive philosophies mid-season like you did after the Iowa State game last year. Hell, if just one idiot could have held on to the ball inside the 10 yard line in that game, it's a win. You changed the entire offense because someone didn't emphasize ball handling enough over the summer. That's just dumb, Bo. Either let Shawn Watson run his offense, or let him go an bring in someone to run a different offense. This style of 'we have no style' and 'we're multiple' needs to go. Right now. Give the offense an identity. They look lost.
A perfect example of this is how Mike McNeil was moved to a slot receiver position. Was it because Bo or Watson thought he'd be better suite to get open against a DB instead of a linebacker like who usually covers him? Was it because they thought he'd be that much more of an asset blocking? Was it because Ben Cotton is the coach's kid? I don't know why, but the move makes no sense in hindsight. If it's to make the Huskers better at run blocking, does that mean that the team has given up on passing, since McNeil had trouble getting open against DBs all season? It makes no sense to put your best receiver in a position where he can't get open. Was it because Ben Cotton is the coach's kid? I think that's probably the best bet.
Me: "Watson needs to go. Offense looks undisciplined."
See above.
Me: "Our red zone offense sucks." Nick: "Correction. Our offense sucks. Lucky play."
Sent after the lone offensive touchdown by the Huskers. That pass to Kyler Reed should have been picked, but thank God it wasn't. Bo might've killed Martinez on national TV.
Me: "Watching Coyotes and Cardinals ads. Funny how they act like they're relevant."
I was down in Scottsdale for the New Year holiday, and was watching the game in the house we rented for the week when an ad touting Phoenix sports came on. The whole ad was just hilarious. Nothing quite like seeing Kurt Warner tout a team on which he no longer plays. I'd have laughed harder if I hadn't immediately remembered the ads I always see in Sacramento for my 49ers. It has to be tough to sell tickets to a game when your head coach and principal spokesman is best known for removing his pants during a speech. So long, Mike. Wish things had worked out. I always liked you.
Me: "I'm pissed that we had a five minute ad block after that fourth down stop. Kills momentum."
This goes out to ABC/ESPN: **** you. Seriously. You ruin games. You take all the momentum from the game by showing me five-minute blocks of Chevy, Toyota, Ford, Bud Light, Cialis, and Viagra ads at least 10 times each half. I understand that you need to make money, but college football games shouldn't be four hours long. This is your fault. It's your fault that the rules had to be changed to have a running clock outside two minutes remaining in each half when a runner goes out of bounds. Think about that for a second, TV executives. You are the reason that a rule changed happened. You're the reason there are less plays in a game and now in a season. **** you. You're also the reason there's such a playoff clamor, too. I miss the old bowl tie-ins. **** you. Hard.
Me: "David is a stud. Forced the pitch, then set up and made the tackle on the option." Nick: "Farley like."
Nebraska has produced a few studs at linebacker in the last few seasons, which means that NU fans are going to miss Mike Ekeler in a big way. I wish him nothing but the best as helps the rebuilding effort at Indiana.
Oh, and Lavonte David is a stud. Seriously. I hope he sticks around for next season.
Me: "I can't believe UCONN is in a BCS game and we're playing the puppies in the Holiday Bowl."
It's been written before, but I can't believe NU has to play Washington three times in one calendar year. What a crock. And the Big East is a prime example of what's wrong with the BCS. I can't wait to get out of the Big 12. What a screw job by the league office all year.
On a side note, I did attend the Insight Bowl and witnessed Iowa beat Missouri. Oh, what a beautiful sight, seeing all those Misery fans distraught by their loss to the Iowegians. What was great, though, was seeing the hundreds of Nebraska fans at the game. I even led an impromptu "GOOOO BIIIIIG REEE-ED GO BIG RED" chant on the east concourse of Sun Devil Stadium. My wife heard some Mizzou fan mutter under his breath about "f-ing Nebraska" or something like that. I'll kind of miss those slave-state idiots, in the same way one misses his dipshit coworker because mocking him makes the day go faster. Oh well. There were also a ton of OU and Ohio State fans at the game, and I took the time to congratulate the OU fans on their win in the Big 12 championship and to wish them a merry time watching the Sooners kill the defending back-to-back women's basketball champions. Seriously, how did UConn make it to a BCS game?
Nick: "Our d-line is getting outplayed." Me: "I don't get that feeling."
This one goes out to the Pelini brothers: you guys can really coach defense. In fact, you're so good that when the defense gives up 10 points to an offense led by a supposed future NFL star, my buddy thinks you're getting outplayed. You guys are awesome on defense. Now pull your head out of your asses on the offensive side of the ball, okay?
(Note: I believe that 9 points were given to UW by the offense in the Holiday Bowl.)
Me: "Wrap up, f*******!" Nick: "No kidding. We're going to lose." Me: "Yeah, I think so, too."
I think this was from the third quarter. there's something wrong with this program, in that no one has faith in the offense to come back. The body language of the team looked defeated in the second part of the third quarter, and I'm pretty sure every Nebraska fan knew there was no way Nebraska would win the game without a defensive touchdown. Giving the ball to a Shawn Watson-led offense inside the 20 does not guarantee a score, let alone a touchdown, as we've see before.
Nick: "The just don't look like they care. That's partly the coach's fault." Me: "Yeah, but it's hard to get up for a team you beat by 35." Nick: "I know."
I think we're both right on this one. Bo did a poor job of focusing the team. Watson did a very poor job of preparing the offense. The players did a poor job of disciplining themselves. Maybe they should have paid attention to their "Finish 0:01" wristbands.
Me: "I'm drinking heavily." Nick: "Me too."
Sent at 9:31 pm MST. I don't know where we were in the game, but I was six or seven Bud Light Limes in at that point, and I only had one before halftime. I'd given up on any chance of the Huskers winning, and my wife was across town with a childhood friend who lives in Phoenix. She saw the score on the way home and told her friend, "He'll either be grumpy or drunk." I went for option two.
Me: "This broadcast is a Jake Locker blowjob." Nick: "I know."
The game, when talked about on ESPN throughout the week, was hyped as "Jake Locker and the Huskies versus the Cornhuskers of Nebraska." There was no mention of Taylor Martinez in the promotions. Then, when the game finally was shown on ESPN, they spent the entire game talking about Locker's draft status, his great abilities, and how he was such a changed quarterback from the first game. Newsflash ESPN: Locker didn't change from game one to game two. Here's the stats:
Game 1: 4/20, 71 yards. 3.5 yards per attempt, 2 int
Game 2: 6/19, 72 yards, 3.8 yards per attempt, 0 int
Locker played like crap against a decent defense that he faced twice this season. The Nebraska defense made him look like an idiot in both games, but the announcers couldn't stop from talking about how great he was. If Joe Blow QB from Nowhere State gave that performance, the best he would have heard was that he did a good job "managing the game." Locker was responsible for about 10 points in this game. How about some Taylor Martinez love in the buildup, if not in the game? He only ran for 137 yards on 19 carries, with three touchdowns, one of which was an 80 yard run. Oh, and he passed for more yards in the first game than Locker passed for in both games combined. Martinez was 7/11 for 150 yards and a touchdown in the September game. Maybe he should be number one in the draft. Yes, I'm looking at you, ESPN. Quit slanting your broadcasts like this. At best, it's annoying. At worst, it's dishonest.
Nick: "Message for Bo. We aren't 'back.'" Me: "Yes we are. We're back to the 2009 offense."
I just liked this all-too-true joke.
Me: "Wow. We need a 48-yard Mackovica run right now."
In response to the punt that backed the Huskers up on the 1 as a throwback to the 1997 game. I miss having a consistent run game. Hell, I miss having a consistent anything on offense.
Me: "At least Henery is on our side."
After UW missed a field goal, I think. I was pretty plowed by this point so I don't remember exactly when this was sent. I'd spent the day driving from Scottsdale to the Grand Canyon and back in a blizzard, then the evening watching the Huskers get embarrassed by a crap team from a crap conference. Watching UW struggle in the kicking game made me remember how much I'm going to miss having Henery on the sidelines. That guy is a stud kicker, and his absence will be felt next year, I'm sure.
Nick: "Honeymoon is over."
Too true. There are too many issues with the program right now on the offensive side of the ball. The responsibility for this lies squarely with Bo Pelini, and it's his job to figure them out and get the program back in the right direction. I think Watson and Cotton need to go, but that's just me. If Bo can make it work with them, that's great. Continuity is a wonderful thing. It's his decision, though, and he has to live with the consequences.
Nick: "I'm ready for this season to be over." Me: "Yeah. This is painful." Nick: "At least it was a good trip to Seattle."
I'm going to try to focus on my trip to Seattle for the game in September when I remember this season. The losses to Texas, A&M, and UW were painful an unnecessary, and lie squarely with Shawn Watson, Barney Cotton, and Bo Pelini. The game in Seattle, though, was really fun and I had a fantastic time. I just wish every game felt like that one.
Next up is a series of text messages sent to Nick to end the night. He didn't respond until the next morning.
"Sirles is in a world of his own." (False start, I think.)
"This is just laughable. We're bad."
"B.A.D."
"Wandering the streets of Scottsdale. Drunk." (I was looking for an In and Out Burger. Found one. So good. Double-Double animal style always makes things better. Please note that I had a DD. Don't drink and drive, kids.)
"I stopped at 11. Drunk. Passing out now. [expletive] Shawn Watson."
I stopped after 11 Bud Light Limes. Yes, I know it's a cheap beer, but I love the stuff. It's sweet, girlie, and I love it. Judge me as you will, I love the stuff.
Nick (sent NYE at 10pm MST): "Happy new year from the future!" Me: "Oh my God! Happy new year from the past!" Nick: "It's glorious here. Nebraska has an offense since Watson was fired."
Yeah, that about sums it up.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
What's the point?
My wife asked me last night why I was starting a blog about Husker football. My reply?
"It's not just about Husker football."
I guess my point is that I want this to be an outlet for me to vent about sports and the crap that goes on in the sports world, including the media's coverage. I'll probably also use it as an opportunity to share some of the ridiculous arguments my college buddies and I have had over the years, including: "Who's more important: the garbage man or Michael Jordan" and "If winning a Super Bowl makes a quarterback great, does that mean you think Trent Dilfer is a great QB?"
Up next - Urban Meyer.
"It's not just about Husker football."
I guess my point is that I want this to be an outlet for me to vent about sports and the crap that goes on in the sports world, including the media's coverage. I'll probably also use it as an opportunity to share some of the ridiculous arguments my college buddies and I have had over the years, including: "Who's more important: the garbage man or Michael Jordan" and "If winning a Super Bowl makes a quarterback great, does that mean you think Trent Dilfer is a great QB?"
Up next - Urban Meyer.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
About SacramentoHusker
Okay - a little bit about me. This post will be boring, I'm sure, but please stick around! I'm a UNL alum, class of 2000. For those who went to school with me, my nickname in the Engineering Department was "California" as assigned to me by Professor Chou. I've been married for a couple of years and have an 18 year old stepson and 18 month old daughter (ages correct as of December 2010).
While at UNL, I played a little rugby, worked for the marching band, and occasionally took my talents to South Beach (well, in 1996 and 1997, at least). As a student employee of the band, I received press passes for every home game and all championship and bowl games, which allowed me to take shoeboxes full of Nebraska football photos from the sidelines, and to be mocked as that guy who was on the sidelines moving stuff around for the band. Hey, I didn't have to pay for tickets to a game for three years, got to go to all the bowl games for free, and traveled to three or four away games each year for free, too. Not a bad gig for moving a ladder around.
The first game I attended was the 1990 Fiesta Bowl in which Florida State thrashed Nebraska 41-17. My main memory of that game is the fake punt in the first quarter, which was promptly followed by my dad taunting the FSU fan seated in the adjacent section, which was followed by three and a half quarters of humble pie as the Seminoles beat on Nebraska like Ike on Tina. We ducked out of there before the end of the game, my dad leading the way while listening to the jeers of the FSU fan. Looking back on it, I realize that I didn't want to leave, but my dad did. He's never been one to watch the Huskers, simply because he thinks it will kill him eventually. I happen to agree, especially after these last few years.
Anyhow, the first game I remember is the 1987 Game of the Century II, which was a fitting introduction to Husker football. Lots of hype, huge expectations, followed by an abrupt crash landing back to reality as another choke job gets filed in the annals of Husker lore. Let's just say that while I enter every game thinking the Huskers will win, any sign of weakness or an opponent's lead makes me nervous. Really, really nervous.
That's a little history of my fan roots and of my family. You'll learn more about me as I post more things.
While at UNL, I played a little rugby, worked for the marching band, and occasionally took my talents to South Beach (well, in 1996 and 1997, at least). As a student employee of the band, I received press passes for every home game and all championship and bowl games, which allowed me to take shoeboxes full of Nebraska football photos from the sidelines, and to be mocked as that guy who was on the sidelines moving stuff around for the band. Hey, I didn't have to pay for tickets to a game for three years, got to go to all the bowl games for free, and traveled to three or four away games each year for free, too. Not a bad gig for moving a ladder around.
The first game I attended was the 1990 Fiesta Bowl in which Florida State thrashed Nebraska 41-17. My main memory of that game is the fake punt in the first quarter, which was promptly followed by my dad taunting the FSU fan seated in the adjacent section, which was followed by three and a half quarters of humble pie as the Seminoles beat on Nebraska like Ike on Tina. We ducked out of there before the end of the game, my dad leading the way while listening to the jeers of the FSU fan. Looking back on it, I realize that I didn't want to leave, but my dad did. He's never been one to watch the Huskers, simply because he thinks it will kill him eventually. I happen to agree, especially after these last few years.
Anyhow, the first game I remember is the 1987 Game of the Century II, which was a fitting introduction to Husker football. Lots of hype, huge expectations, followed by an abrupt crash landing back to reality as another choke job gets filed in the annals of Husker lore. Let's just say that while I enter every game thinking the Huskers will win, any sign of weakness or an opponent's lead makes me nervous. Really, really nervous.
That's a little history of my fan roots and of my family. You'll learn more about me as I post more things.
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