The "Mike Riley" curse...

Wasn't sure where to put this, but here's as good as any -- I urge you to listen to the latest "Husker Doc Talk" - Rob Z has basically been saying since before the season that if we won 5 games, we should be thrilled.  (I was like, 'blah blah blah', Scott will turn this thing around  fast!  Bzz, wrong).   He talked me down from the ledge a bit.  I wasn't really on the ledge, but was about to climb up. 

One thing he did keep emphasizing was how Riley just completely destroyed this team and it's going to take awhile to rid ourselves of his "curse".  (Not those words, exactly, but same diff).  My thought process was that of, "we're going a little overboard with this blaming EVERYTHING on Riley", but after listening to Rob Z, he was adamant that all the blame is well placed on Riley and that it will turn around but will take time.  He and other former players know that it's going to turn around based on what they're seeing Scott do, but that culture was just more broken than any of us casual fans even knew. 

Skip to about 8 minutes in to get to actual football discussion

https://huskerdoctalk.podbean.com/

 
LaunchCode said:
Then why say the Prodigal Son returns.

Going with your explanation that would translate to: the returning son returns?  I think you're being generous. 

Saying our Prodigy Son has returned would be acceptable, but calling SF a Prodigal Son carries a very negative connotation with regard to his character and decision making.

Ok maybe I'm being way to picky for a football message board, but it bugged me when the announcers used it during UM game and every other time I read or hear it used.  lol  
Click to expand...






Language is made up man. 99% of people hear 'prodigal son' they think of someone who left home and then came back home - they don't think about the literal definition of the word prodigal. 

 
StPaulHusker said:
I think Bob Stoops became Florida DC after the Fiesta Bowl win

And Barry won the Rose Bowl and then followed it up with seasons of 7, 4,8,8 wins.  So it wasn’t until AFTER 97 that he got better significantly.  And he still had another losing season in 2001.
Click to expand...


Thats right, my mistake, he was at KSU. 

I still think at that time what Barry had accomplished with the Wisconsin program as a whole, exceeds what Stoops had done at that point in their respective careers. 

It’s all speculation. But I admit that it’s difficult to see Wisconsin have the success that they’ve had, and know that it’s all due to a guy who wanted to be here. 

 
Landlord said:
Language is made up man. 99% of people hear 'prodigal son' they think of someone who left home and then came back home - they don't think about the literal definition of the word prodigal. 
Click to expand...
That's the same argument some use to encroach on our 1st, 2nd, etc... Amendment rights.  "Well the founders didn't really mean what it looks like they meant, here's what those words really(wink wink) mean"

Seems more and more people aren't that concerned with importance of language and meaning.  Sorry, just a pet peeve and I will quit now. 

 
LaunchCode said:
That's the same argument some use to encroach on our 1st, 2nd, etc... Amendment rights.  "Well the founders didn't really mean what it looks like they meant, here's what those words really(wink wink) mean"

Seems more and more people aren't that concerned with importance of language and meaning.  Sorry, just a pet peeve and I will quit now. 
Click to expand...




Understanding the way that language works in a specific time, place, and context is not the same thing as not being concerned with the importance of language lol

"NO KIDS STOP USING THE WORD 'LIT' TO MEAN SOMETHING IS COOL! IT ONLY MEANS A PAST TENSE ILLUMINATION FROM A LIGHT SOURCE!"

 
LaunchCode said:
Then why say the Prodigal Son returns.

Going with your explanation that would translate to: the returning son returns?  I think you're being generous. 

Saying our Prodigy Son has returned would be acceptable, but calling SF a Prodigal Son carries a very negative connotation with regard to his character and decision making.

Ok maybe I'm being way to picky for a football message board, but it bugged me when the announcers used it during UM game and every other time I read or hear it used.  lol  
Click to expand...


Calling Scott Frost the Prodigal Son makes perfect sense if you are talking about him shunning UNL to attend Stanford, then returning to Lincoln seeking acceptance. It's literally the Prodigal Son story. 

The 20 years since Scott left Nebraska the second time are certainly less prodigal, but it's not a huge reach by the announcers. If the word "Returns" seems redundant, well we probably have bigger fish to fry around here.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Calling Scott Frost the Prodigal Son makes perfect sense if you are talking about him shunning UNL to attend Stanford, then returning to Lincoln seeking acceptance. It's literally the Prodigal Son story. 

The 20 years since Scott left Nebraska the second time are certainly less prodigal, but it's not a huge reach by the announcers. If the word "Returns" seems redundant, well we probably have bigger fish to fry around here.
Click to expand...




He's hung up specifically on the word prodigal meaning, 'spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.' Seems pretty pedantic.

 
68 yo and still going!

mike-riley.gif


 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mavric said:
Does he think he's going to be coaching Mike Rozier???
Click to expand...


I remember how disappointed I was when Rozier signed with the Pittsburgh Maulers back in the day.  Later signed with the Oilers of course but still a far shorter career than I thought he was going to have.  He did make the Pro Bowl 2 years in a row.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Our problems didn't start with Mr. Riley. There is no Mike Riley curse. He was offered the position and accepted. He is a good guy and it wasn't a fit. Maybe our curse is that we were spoiled, complained too much and our athletic directors didn't make the right selections. When one examines closely, there have been a series of imprecations. How much is it worth to you!

 
M.A. said:
Our problems didn't start with Mr. Riley. There is no Mike Riley curse. He was offered the position and accepted. He is a good guy and it wasn't a fit. Maybe our curse is that we were spoiled, complained too much and our athletic directors didn't make the right selections. When one examines closely, there have been a series of imprecations. How much is it worth to you!
Click to expand...
Mike, is that you?

 
M.A. said:
Our problems didn't start with Mr. Riley. There is no Mike Riley curse. He was offered the position and accepted. He is a good guy and it wasn't a fit. Maybe our curse is that we were spoiled, complained too much and our athletic directors didn't make the right selections. When one examines closely, there have been a series of imprecations. How much is it worth to you!
Click to expand...


You are right.  They mostly trace back to Harvey Pearlman.  Riley was a patsy.

 
Back
Top