Solich Invited Back to Receive Tom Osborne Award

Moiraine said:
Not kidding. There was never a narrative that "Bo was the only coach who got mad at the refs or his players." That's a huge exaggeration.

One of the reasons he was fired is because he was an a$$h@!e, although more of it was the plateauing and blowouts, but that doesn't in any way make your claim true.
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We agree on most of the reasons why he was fired.  Yes he was (and probably still is) an a-hole and the increasingly common blow-out losses under his watch were unacceptable.  However, I'll just say we agree to disagree on the narrative issue because at this point there is nothing to be gained by exhuming, beating even more, that dead horse.

 
Making Chimichangas said:
You're kidding, right?  You seriously don't remember reactions from some in our fan base, that worm Harvey Perlman and his toadie AD, and the national media when Bo got in Taylor Martinez's face?  Or about how he acted on the sidelines in that travesty @ Texas A+M?  Or how during our games ABC, ESPN, or any other network carrying our games would focus a camera on Bo at all times just waiting for that meltdown?  And, you don't remember that one of the reasons Bo was fired was because he was such a meanie?

Bo was constantly singled out for getting angry.  You may not agree, but there definitely was that narrative being pushed.
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It was a narrative that Bo went out and earned time and time again. 

My understanding is that in his unguarded moments, free to just be himself, Bo could be even worse. There are a couple audio tapes suggesting this.

The one narrative I'd like to retire is that Bo was a "meanie" who hurt people's feelings with his strong language and actions. 

When you blame the fans and the AD for your team's meltdown losses, you're not hurting the fans' feelings. You're just being an assshole

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
It was a narrative that Bo went out and earned time and time again. 

My understanding is that in his unguarded moments, free to just be himself, Bo could be even worse. There are a couple audio tapes suggesting this.

The one narrative I'd like to retire is that Bo was a "meanie" who hurt people's feelings with his strong language and actions. 

When you blame the fans and the AD for your team's meltdown losses, you're not hurting the fans' feelings. You're just being an assshole
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I concur with your statement.  However, it doesn't diminish the fact Bo was often the go-to, low-hanging-fruit, example whenever some national media hack needed a caricature to point out, "out-of-control" coaches. 

All I am saying really is that often times Bo was unfairly singled out for behavior that nearly every football coach does/exhibits.  Not condoning said behavior, just saying it isn't isolated or the exception.

 
Making Chimichangas said:
All I am saying really is that often times Bo was unfairly singled out for behavior that nearly every football coach does/exhibits.  Not condoning said behavior, just saying it isn't isolated or the exception.
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Part of the reason the media focused on Pelini was to fan the flames of the "will Nebraska fire another 9 win coach?".

That was a very real storyline at the time.

 
TheSker said:
Part of the reason the media focused on Pelini was to fan the flames of the "will Nebraska fire another 9 win coach?".

That was a very real storyline at the time.
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Because it was a very real story.  No one had to fan any flames. The same media covers every coach on the hot seat.

Although most storylines don't have a coach saying f#&% the state, f#&% the fans, f#&% the media, I'm so outta here on audio tape.

If you'll remember, the majority of national pundits sided with Pelini and suggested Husker Nation needed to be more patient. 

One of the reasons they thought we should be more patient is because they honestly believe Nebraska has fallen out of the elite, and we shouldn't expect to get back anytime soon.

i.e. we should by happy with 9 win seasons and second place in the division.

That was the storyline.

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Although most storylines don't have a coach saying f#&% the state, f#&% the fans, f#&% the media, I'm so outta here on audio tape.
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That recording bothered some way more than others.

The good news for those it bothered is Perlman ultimately got rid of both Osborne and Pelini before giving a public acknowledgement himself of how well he'll be remembered for handling the football program.

One storyline has many subtitles in the past 20 years of Husker football.

But there is that whole audiotape thingy......

 
TheSker said:
That recording bothered some way more than others.

The good news for those it bothered is Perlman ultimately got rid of both Osborne and Pelini before giving a public acknowledgement himself of how well he'll be remembered for handling the football program.

One storyline has many subtitles in the past 20 years of Husker football.

But there is that whole audiotape thingy......
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That's a pretty reductive way of looking at things.

The other storyline covered 20 years of Husker football, too.

Fun facts: Tom Osborne was Bo Pelini's AD at the time of Tapegate One and Bo Pelini has continued to be an a$$h@!e at Youngstown State.

You really think this is about one audiotape?

Dude.

 
brophog said:
The worst of the 70s teams were substantially better in comparison to their peers than the 2003 team was to its peers. I understand where this perception may come from, due OU's relative dominance, but Nebraska did very well against other ranked teams throughout the decade.

2003 very much did not. No comparison.
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1974:  We played only one team who finished the season ranked, and we lost.  We lost to two teams that finished the season unranked.

1975:  We played three teams who finished the season ranked, and we lost two.  The great 10 win season came against teams that went a combined 46-64.

1976:  We beat a couple teams that finished the season ranked.  We lost to a ranked opponent.  We lost to a 6-5 unranked Mizzou squad.  We tied an unranked LSU squad. 

1977:  We played two teams that finished ranked, and won one and lost one.  We lost to two teams who finished the season unranked.

2003:  We played two teams who finished the season ranked, and we lost.  We lost to one team that finished the season unranked.   

The 70's were thought to be better because of where we were ranked.  Football changed a lot from the 70's to the 000's.  For instance, in 1974 after losing to two unranked opponents and not even playing a ranked opponent yet the furthest we fell in the rankings was #12. There just wasn't nearly as may peers to be compared to in the 70's as there was in the 000's.  The playing field was a lot more level in the 000's than the 70's.  The perennial doormat teams got quite a bit better.  Things really had started to change by the 00's.  I don't think it's a coincidence that some of TO's worst ranked teams at season end came in the early 90's when he had almost identical win/loss records as those in the 70's that yielded top 10 finishes.   

 
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