Yellow Flag Plagues Huskers

Huskers need to get past the yellow flag. Read my take at Bleacher Reports.

New stories @ Bleacher Reports

How did the Huskers fare this weekend? Check out my scorecard at http://bleacherreport.com/articles/249947-nebraska-huskers-did-they-make-the-grade-against-florida-atlantic

Huskers vs. ISU

A slow and unproductive third quarter today. Otherwise, the Husker machine looked pretty good today. Need to take care of the turnover situation though. In a big game, that will cost us more than it did today.

Liked the occasional return of the option game! Yeah, now that's what I call Husker football.

Like Sports? Think Outside the Box for Writing Ideas

If you enjoy sports and are a writer, combining the two doesn't mean you have to pen the play-by-play of a game. Any game.

Instead, think about all the other elements associated with that sport, and you are bound to develop a plethora of ideas.

Check out my latest blog post at The Muffin, the daily blog for WOW! Women on Writing. You'll be glad you did.

A Saturday without Husker football....

is depressing. So depressing. But, it will allow me to get some work accomplished at home!

Gearing up for the Nebraska Beef Cookoff which is the same day as the Va Tech game. Husker Jambalaya at the Qwest Center! Woo hoo!

In Search of I.M. Hipp

Thirty years ago, when I was a high school junior, my family met a Husker walk-on - Isaiah Moses Hipp - who had traveled from his home in Chapin, South Carolina to play football at Nebraska.

We understood the travel difference. During the summer of '68, we ventured to Greensboro, North Carolina, and spent part of the summer there while my dad attended classes at UNC-Greensboro.

We'd travel to out-of-town games and wait at the locker room for him to come out. Sometimes, he'd be hit up for autographs, which he would always sign. And he always spent time talking to our family. Once, at a KU-NU game in Lawrence, he and fellow Husker Andre Franklin asked if we were going home through Lincoln because they wanted to ride with us. Umm, Isaiah, I'm pretty sure Coach Tom wouldn't have allowed that, although I know we would have done it had he granted permission.

And there was the time we played at OSU. Our family had t-shirts made that said "I'm hip for Hipp" along with the number 32 blazing on the back. After meeting and talking at the locker room door, we began our journey home. We stopped somewhere in Kansas - I think Hutchinson - and the kid at the gas station said, "Hey, I saw you on TV. They showed your shirt."

And at home games, my sister and I always made a mad rush to the south field house and staked our spot to wait for him to come out. We'd wait with Tom Sorley's wife, dad and mom, and some times, Rick Berns' family would wait there with us, too.

The last time I remember seeing him was after the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day in 1980. We lost to Houston, 17 - 14. I don't remember seeing him at Andre's and Becky's wedding either (but that is another story in itself).

He was the subject of my first story I submitted to a newspaper, a personal profile of the Husker walk-on.

Why am I writing about the most famous walk-on football hero of all time? I read something about him today and it made me wonder where he is. And when I subbed at an area high school a few weeks ago, a teacher was telling the lunchroom crowd that he lived above her in the dorm. And I just smiled, remembering a small apartment, I think over on 18th street, where we met him a few times.

I discovered he lives in Virginia Beach. But I want to know more. Did you get married? Have children? When did you finish your degree? What things are important to you now? What do you think of Husker football and your time in Lincoln?

I'm searching for I.M. Hipp. And I'll find him. :)

T minus 9 and counting - The Pelini Era

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go. Today is the dawn of the Bo Pelini era of Nebraska football. And I can't wait!

My prediction is Nebraska 54 - Western Michigan 28. The hubby says that WMU won't score 28 on our defense. Yes, he's also the man who decided to spend a little more $$ on the NU-ISU game last year and started his downward spiral into football predictions. :)

I'm hoping that throughout the season, fans realize that he's not GOD. He's a human being who shares his passion and vision for college football with young men from around the country. He's going to make mistakes in calls. The team will make mistakes on some plays. We'll win and we'll lose, but the bottom line is that we are learning and getting better! I just don't want fans to get down on him if something happens beyond his control.

Last year's negativity reached from Omaha to Sydney, Rulo to Harrison. Fans need a level head and then, good things will happen.

Spring Fling in Lincoln

From all indications, Saturday (April 19) in Lincoln mirrored a sunny fall day in Husker Nation.

Rock The Dock was jamming at The Embassy. Lil Red and Herbie Husker joked with the crowd at Misty's. An 80,000+ sea of red filled Memorial Stadium. There were cheerleaders, the Scarlets, and the Husker band. The ORIGINAL tunnel walk music pumped up the crowd.

The only thing missing was the fly over. Oh, and Bill Callahan. (Thank God....I mean T.O.)

The opening play - which was supposed to be a throwback to the days of option football - fell flat as the fumble rolled across the turf. Sure, there were broken plays, dropped passes and missed tackles. That's part of the game.

But something was different in Lincoln on one of the warmest days this spring. A new beginning. A rebirth of a withered (and weathered) team.

There's a new deputy in town - (he can't be the sheriff, because that role has been delegated to T.O.) - and the fans seem to be having a love affair with Bo Pelini. One highlight on the big screen was when a pick of Pelini sporting a Husker cap flashed up with the words "The Tradition Lives in 2008." The crowd went crazy!

The state of football appears to be looking up in Lincoln and across the Cornhusker State; however, fans still need to realize that the deputy is not a miracle worker and he has his work cut out for him. Trying to undo four years of hands-off football and reinstating order are keys to success. The Huskers face a tough autumn schedule, and true fans realize that year one will be a rebuilding year.

Remember T.O.'s first year?

Year two will be better.

Sure, there will be surprises and disappointments this fall. But hopefully, Husker Nation will begin its resurgence to prominence.

Big Red Rock: Paint It Black

Now if this doesn't get you pumped up for football, then something is wrong with you. Seriously wrong with you! :)

I'm itching for Husker football to begin. And since Coach Bo is trying to get the spring game moved to a night time kickoff, I'm hoping I can talk you-know-who (I hope you are reading this, Scott) to go to Lincoln that day.

Take a look at this video from You Tube!

Husker Parody of former coaches

Thank goodness they are gone.....

Why didn't Danny Woodhead get a Hesiman Invite?

Danny Woodhead, who was a standout at North Platte High School and went on to earn some of the top honors in college football did not receive an invitation to last weekend's Heisman ceremony. And I'm wondering why.

The Chadron State College back ran for more yards than any player in the history of college football. Let me say that again. Woodhead ran for more yards than ANY player in the history of college football. In four years, he ran for 7.962 yards. That's six hundred yards more than the previous record.

He also ranks second in career all-purpose yards. He has 109 career TDs, which ties the NCAA record. Plus, he scored 654 career points, ranking him 2nd in that category. And for the second season, Woodhead was named to the AP Little All-America first team.

So tell me why this outstanding football player didn't get asked to NY last weekend? And more importantly, why didn't he win?

Oh, that's right. He doesn't play for a Division IA school. No, he was passed over by Nebraska when they Billy Blue Eyes was at the helm. Instead, Woodhead chose Chadron State and made it fun to watch football.

Even one game was televised on NET this season. Unfortunately, it's the game Woodhead got injured in shortly after kickoff.

It's a shame that if football's highest honor is supposed to honor the best player in all of college football, Woodhead was ignored. Obviously, he deserved to be invited and given serious consideration. After all, his name is etched in the record books.

The End of the Season

What a strange day in Boulder! In the fist half, Nebraska looked like they did against KSU. Joe Ganz, even though he had a bit of trouble connecting, looked good and ran a terrific 1-minute offense at the end of the first half.

And then, the half time collapse.

How, and more importantly, why does this happen to this team?

It will be a bleak winter in Lincoln. No practice; no bowl game.

The only thing to look forward to is that there surely will be a new sheriff in town, and hopefully, the announcement will come in the morning.

5 - 7.

Not acceptable.

T minus 40 and counting

40 hours until the final regular season Husker game.

40 hours until the Huskers squeak by the Buffs (35-31 Huskers) in Boulder.

40 hours until a minor bowl bid is received. Hey, a bowl game is a bowl game is a . . .

40 hours until mediocrity comes to an end.

Wait - the decision doesn't come until Saturday. Man, I would love to cover that press conference!!

Saturday without football?

It's Saturday and there's no Husker football! After such a great week last week, I wish they had a game so they'd keep up the momentum. But it will have to wait until Friday, when they travel to Boulder, to beat the Buffs.

Seasonal Widows

Beginning in the early fall, women across the country dread the season. You know, when you can't capture your significant other's attention because he is too deeply involved in a sporting event. No matter what you try, or say, nothing can divert his attention. He keeps his eye on the prize; he knows the good shot is near.

I wouldn't mind being a football widow; however, I can't belong to that group. The truth is, I enjoy football. Why? I like the atmosphere of a football game on a crisp - and sometimes even hot - autumn day. I long for the bone-crushing, ego-bruising, throw-'em-to-the-ground, smashmouth football that I grew up watching. Nothing beats a Saturday filled with ESPN Game Day, a Husker game, and then three or four college games on TV. You know, a typical Saturday football marathon. I like it!

Instead, I'm a hunting widow. Hunting season begins shortly after football kicks off in late August. And it's kind of like football. First, you begin with the little creatures like squirrels, doves, or prairie chickens. Or if you're really lucky, you'll participate in a snipe hunt. These animals are the non-conference game schedule. The critters you know you can handily defeat because 1.) of their size and 2.) because of their ability (or lack of) to hide.

After a month or so, you progress from small, innocent game to something a bit more challenging. That's right, you're ready for those conference foes that might make a splash, but in reality, you more than likely will defeat them by at least 20 points. You know what I'm talking about. Foes like ducks and wild turkeys. Sometimes, the enemy flies high; other times, he can't get away. Kind of like a linebacker throwing the QB for a loss.

And then, you are ready for the big game(s) of the season. That's right. It's time to go after Bambi, or the conference teams that you wait to battle late in the season. The games everyone enjoys watching on mid-November afternoons when a season is at stake, like Oklahoma v. Nebraska, Michigan v. Ohio State, USC v. UCLA. You know the BIG games!

If I put it in to proper perspective, I shouldn't mind the fact that during hunting season, life, as we know it, comes to a standstill. After all, I thoroughly anticipate any good game (and I'm not talking grouse or pheasant).

So yesterday, when I witnessed Scott killing a buck (the first time I've seen a deer get shot), I tried to relate it to football. Scott is really the quarterback rifling the bullet (yes, pun intended) through the air for a completion. Adrenaline races through Scott and I'm sure if we were in a football stadium, the crowd would be cheering crazily. At the very least, they'd be doing the wave. :)

But there's a part of me that doesn't get the love for this game. Yes, you're still in the hunt, like a team trying to maintain a successful season. You're still attempting to annihilate the opponent, like a team destroying another with a score of something like, oh, say, 73-31. You proudly show your support by sporting the team's favorite color of orange; I prefer scarlet and cream. And you're still in the hunt (yes, pun intended) for bragging rights over who earned the biggest trophy.

I'm growing accustomed to the game that I'm still learning. Or at least I'm learning the rules.

But for now, I'll stick with the game that I was introduced to at the young age of five, the game I used to keep statistics for and could name every player on the roster, the game where Christmas vacation occasionally meant Christmas in Dallas, or Miami, or San Diego.

Yup, I just prefer the game played between the goal posts, on a carpet of field turf, with 85,000 screaming fan(atic)s.......and a possible trip to a post-season game.

Husker Movie Poster

Some Husker fan obviously has quite a bit of time (and Photoshop experience). There's a new Husker movie poster floating through cyberspace and landing in inboxes. It's funny yet sad how things change in four short years.

I didn't have a problem with having Frank Solich has our coach, but I listen to others talk and they mention how he was ruining our recruiting prospects. Obviously it takes more than one person to ruin a program. He produced a winning record, qualified for bowl games keeping the Husker streak alive, and played in a National Championship game. Do people forget that fact?

Anyway, the reign of mediocrity appears to be nearing the finish line. For some folks, change is difficult to accept; however, change can be productive as long as those associated with making changes keep integrity and tradition intact. It's time for a change!

All in Due Time

I meant to write this entry yesterday, in honor of National Cliche Day; however, at the last minute, I realized that my schedule was full and time was running out for my chance to write this. So, now I'm a day late. I guess it's better late than never.

Yes, yesterday proved to be an extremely busy day. I decided early to get to the business at hand and start reading and sorting through press releases that I've had for over six weeks. I figured it would be a long row to hoe, considering that I have over 1500 items to peruse. But, in two shakes of a lamb's tail, I had cleared out over 100 releases. Time flies when you're having fun! Plus, sorting through possible story ideas takes time and creativity. You know, Rome wasn't built in a day!

Then, I started marking time by perusing football matchups while listening to the Husker Sports Network. With so much time on my hands prior to kickoff, my mind began to dream of the possibility of a Husker upset. Then Cassie called from Lawrence, Kansas, and told me about the group's escapades from the prior evening. It sounded like they had a laugh a minute.

Then, in a split second, it was game time. Two quick scores by both teams. And at the 11th hour, Jody called and asked me if I wanted to come over for lunch and the game. So, I arrived at their house just in the nick of time to watch the Huskers score their second TD of the game.
Time after time during the first quarter, the score seesawed. In the second half, the Husker defense appeared to be spinning their wheels, so most of us decided to eat lunch and chew the fat. The times, they are a changing, for Nebraska football. But fans must remember that time heals all wounds, and Coach Tom will right the ship.

I returned home and worked on some newspaper articles. I know I shouldn't have put it off, but sometimes I do my best work when I come in under the wire. Pressure gets the creative juices flowing!

Next, I decided that a power nap might perk me up, so I decided I'd rest my eyes for just a second. That second turned into just a minute. Sixty minutes, to be exact.

When I woke up, I picked up Jodi Picoult's novel Nineteen Minutes and picked up where I'd left off. When I read, I like to picture how I'd stage the movie version. I like putting the visual picture with the written words. It really makes the action come to life. It's a technique I liked to teach when I taught full time.

By this time, the Husker volleyball team was set to spike it out with K-State. Since the game was on NET, I flipped to that channel. Another seesaw battle, but the Lady Huskers came to life. In the midst of a Sarah Pavan serve, my phone rang. Scott needed to know if I'd come to the farm and help load feed. I told him I would, but he would need to wait just a cotton pickin' minute because I wanted to see the end of the first set.

We fed the south dairy cattle: I drove the tractor and he operated the feed wagon. And then we sat in the tractor and talked for an hour.

Finally, we decided to continue the talk at home. We watched the rally to 15 - and yes, the Huskers were victorious - and talked a little more before deciding to call it a day. Scott fell asleep before I did; that happens time and again. So, I returned to Nineteen Minutes and have only 70 pages remaining. I'll finish it . . . all in due time.

There's A New Sheriff In Town

There's an excitement in the Husker football air today. Actually, it's been there since the clock in the NU - Texas game showed about 1:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. That's when backup QB Joe Ganz made his way onto the field and wowed the Husker faithful with a touchdown and two-point conversion. The outstanding part about his play - he proves he can pass and run the ball - which will give Nebraska's offense a fresh look today.

Ganz has spent his time on the bench, and if the Huskers win today, and then go ahead and post victories against KSU and CU, many people will wonder why the Huskers invested so much faith in Sam Keller. They'll say Ganz should have received earlier chances, which is true. But you can't deny Keller's performance. For the most part, he proved he could throw the ball. Could he run? Not so well. Did he make poor decisions on the field? At times, but so do other players. Plus, he does not determine which plays are called, so you can't always blame Sam.

Today's game will be interesting for several reasons. Will there be a renewed energy among team members? Will the defense show the blitz package that dominated last week's game until late in the game? Will the Huskers upset #8 Kansas on their home field?

Let us hope the answers to these questions are YES!

Riley's first Husker game

Okay, Okay, so I finally found time to add our pic from the Husker game.

Did the Huskers listen to Lou Holtz?

Huskerland travels to Austin, Texas, today for what is sure to be an interesting game. In fact, the last six have been decided by a four-point margin or less.

But what I'm really interested in is whether or not the Huskers listened to former coach Lou Holtz give his pep talk on ESPN. Holtz mentioned some valid points, but his primary comment was 'if we didn't show up, who would care?'

That's right. Who would care if the Huskers didn't show up? Some fans wouldn't, because some fans have been bashing the players from behind the bench. True red Husker fans might express disappointment, but they would not tell players 'they suck' as a defensive player pointed out this week in the Omaha World-Herald.

Sure, there are plays and games that are disappointing, but that's a fact of life. Someone will win and someone will lose. It's just that we have become so accustomed to winning that it is difficult to understand the losses. But what is at stake in Lincoln is more than winning and losing. It is the loss of tradition, the end of an era, and everyone who is associated with Husker football - from the youngest fan to the Chancellor of the university - needs to realize that this is the one element that unites most Nebraskans. This is a matter of pride.

If you play your hardest and give 100 percent and suffer a loss, it is tough, but at least you know you have given your best performance. If you play with half a heart and are clearly out of shape - physically and mentally - then maybe you should be on the sideline and let a player who is willing to honor the tradition enter the game.

So, Huskers, if you didn't show up, I would care. I've been watching Husker football since - well, probably from birth - but I can definitely remember seeing games on TV before I sat in Memorial Stadium for the first time. And you know, there are thousands of other fans who feel the same way.

If people didn't truly care about the state of the team, would people be talking about the team as much as they are?