Nov

16

New Rules: College Football Edition (November 16th)

Filed Under Bo Pelini, ESPN Sucks, Huskers, Huskers Football, Steve Sipple | 3 Comments

New Rule: should be the new head coach of . He already is the best coach in upstate New York so he ought get the best job in upstate New York.

New Rule: Steve Sipple should write something other than ‘this team is making progress but we aren’t quite there yet.’ Yes, we know that. In fact, has met most Huskers expectations in the first year and we should celebrate 7-4.

New Rule: HG proclaims ESPN’s Mark May as the best analyst anywhere. The guy has a unbiased insight into that is an increasingly rare trait on the national stage. He gives props where props are due, and criticizes what should be criticized. No regional bias at all.

When Mark May praises the Huskers, then you’ll know theyve arrived.

New Rule: Charlie Weis getting a Gatorade bath for beating NAVY is pathetic. That’s like a Husker coach getting a Gatorade bath for beating Kansas! You’re supposed to beat Navy, you fools!

They are trying to protect the country first AND win football second. Your only mission is to win football games.

New Rule (Pro Football Edition): Football Night in America makes me long for the days of . A bloated staff, lack of analysis during highlights, ’so serious’ music, pretentious “lights out b/c we are green” and a cast of characters depletes the talented Collinsworth and unspectacular and Jerome Bettis.

Plus, Keith Olbermann has branded himself as a firebrand liberal opponent of the Bush administration. That’s fine. He’s allowed to take a stand. But that also means about 46% of the country’s blood pressure rises when they see him. That’s not what sports are about.

New Rule: ’s overtime system is superior to the NFL because of one reason: you get a result.

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Sep

22

Nebraska to play Missouri in prime time on ESPN!

Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment

From the Big 12 schedule…

Update: Could the Gameday crew be far behind? Looking at the schedule for the day, the ABC prime time game will most likely be Wisconsin vs. Ohio State (perfect for people with an early bedtime!).

If the Huskers win this weekend, CFG would have to choose between Nebraska vs. Missouri or Wisconsin vs. Ohio State, unless they think outside-the-box that weekend. The knock against the Nebraska-MU game would be that Ohio State and Wisconsin would both have Top 15 rankings, if they hold up this weekend.

ESPN (along with Kirk Herbstreit - please click on “”) is in love with Ohio State and will soon give Terrell Pryor the “Tebow Treatment” over the next 4 years. So covering Ohio State-Wisconsin makes sense for ESPN.

But you know what, I really don’t care. Those two teams are Big 10 teams and the Big 10 will probably be in FBS in 10 years.

Seriously, Wisconsin has been running the same 3 plays for the past 15 years.

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Jul

16

Corn Feed - In the year 2010, Nebraska will be…

Filed Under 2008 Preview, Corn Feed, ESPN Sucks, Ivan Maisel | 3 Comments

CollegeFootballNews has an ongoing round table discussion with CF ‘experts’ from around the country.

On of the questions on topic was the 2010 pre-season ranking of Nebraska, Notre Dame, , Miami, and Florida State.

It seems most of the participants expect a return to the Top 25 although Bruce Feldman isn’t as bullish on the 2010 Huskers, but then again, we aren’t that bullish on his work or his colleagues at ESPN.

Charles Davis: 2010 pre season rankings for Florida State (20), Miami (15), (10), Nebraska (25), Notre Dame (5)

Stewart Mandel: 1) , 2) Miami, 3) Florida State, 4) Nebraska, 5) Notre Dame

Fiu: 3rd, Notre Dame 11th, Miami 15th, Nebraska 23rd, Florida State 25th. I have a gut feeling RichRod will get one or two key players, like a Pat White and a Steve Slaton, to quickly turn around the Wolverines. ND will be fine, Miami will be building to one big year, and then be slightly disappointing, Nebraska will be good, but won’t be Nebraska again, and FSU doesn’t seem to have any positive momentum right now.

Steve Greenberg: 1. FSU 2. Nebraska 3. Miami 4. Notre Dame 5.

Teddy Greenstein: 6. Miami, 9. , 13. Nebraska, 24. Florida State, receiving votes: Notre Dame

Dennis Dodd: , top five
Nebraska, top 10
Notre Dame, top 15
Miami, top 25
Florida State, unranked

Richard Cirminiello: …No. 15. Better get the Wolverines now before Rich Rodriguez recruits well and doesn’t take kindly to losing (see Urban Meyer).
Miami…No. 17. With a year of seasoning for the young kids, the ‘Canes might be ready for an ACC crown.
Nebraska…No. 24. By 2009, ’s fingerprints will be all over the program. In other words, the Blackshirts will be back in Lincoln.
Florida State…unranked. After another season of mediocrity, any optimistic pollsters will have vanished.
Notre Dame…unranked. The Irish will inch closer to the Top 25, but still are a year away.

Bruce Feldman: , Miami, FSU, Notre Dame, Nebraska

HG: (Top 5), Nebraska (Top 15), Miami (Top 25), Notre Dame (Unranked), FSU (Unranked)

Your predictions?

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Jun

28

The Maisel Retort: Ivan Maisel just embarrasses himself about his knowledge of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and college football

Filed Under 1994 Cornhuskers, 1995 Huskers, 1997 Cornhuskers, Corn Feed, ESPN Sucks, Ivan Maisel, Media on Huskers, Videos | 2 Comments

has a great blog today calling out Ivan Maisel, part of ESPN.com’s Big Ten/USC/Notre Dame/ beat writers, I mean, ‘ writers ,’ for his argument in his new book “The Maisel Report” (doesn’t that sound like a book on Israel’s military capability?) that the ‘97 Huskers are among the most ‘overrated’ championship teams.

(HG Note: HG has read the lastest ESPN Book on . Bruce Feldman’s “Meat Market,” coming soon to a discount bookstore near you, will bore even the die-hard fan. It makes ’s great book,”The Blind Side,” look like a Shakespeare. In fact, 3 of the 5 praising reviews on the back of the book are from ESPN contributors. Oh, calls it a ‘page-turner.’ I’m jacked! So ESPN’s creditably is already in question when it comes to .)

Here’s Sipple going after Maisel:

Of course, Maisel also refers to Matt Davison’s diving grab against Missouri that season. Maisel’s credibility suffers somewhat when he writes of Davison, “He could have converted to quarterback and won three Heisman Trophies . . . ” Huh? Davison a Heisman-caliber QB? Am I missing something here?

In my opinion, he’s confusing Davidson with Bobby Newcombe. That’s no big deal. I use to do that all the time.

Another point: what difference does Matt Davidson’s production as a player have to do with the Huskers being ‘overrated.’ Look at the team. MD is a footnote in Husker History, not a prominent player. He was a receiver on a passing team. What’s up Ivan?

Can we also talk about the substance of claim?

Yes, we can.

First off, they weren’t even the most overrated champions that year. Michigan was. Nebraska deserved the National TItle outright. Second of all, they thrashed a loaded team led by Peyton Manning, while Michigan struggled with Ryan Leaf led Washington State.

If anything, Nebraska’s argument has been strengthening over the years. Every time Peyton gets close to hanging half-a-hundred on an NFL team and Ryan Leaf takes another shot of Jack, Nebraska’s stock goes up just a little.

Ivan Maisel: Just Another Clueless Bristolite

Another point: Nebraska fans don’t even think that the 1997 Huskers are all that. They would easily put 1995 and maybe 1994 over 1997. So who’s rating them so high, Ivan, that you have to call them out?????

Ivan, please let us know who exactly is going around praising them. Is it Scott Frost? Is it Husker Mike? Is it ? We’d really like to know.

And there is more info from Mr. :

Maisel ranks Johnny Rodgers’ punt return in 1971 No. 2 among the most overrated moments..

“The legend that has surrounded Rodgers’ punt return has made it the winning play in a close-fought game between undefeated archrivals,” Maisel writes. “However, Rodgers didn’t score the winning touchdown. He scored the first one.”

Also, Maisel ranks Osborne fifth among the most underrated retired coaches (behind Frank Leahy, Shug Jordan, Pappy Waldorf and Bo Schembechler). “Just as his friend (Bobby) Bowden rode his charm and outgoing personality to national acclaim,” the author writes, “Osborne’s natural reticence contributed to a lack of appreciation for what he accomplished.”

…he cites tight end Johnny Mitchell (1990-91) for being overrated.

As for underrated, Maisel lumps together centers under Osborne, noting that in 11 of Osborne’s 25 years, the Huskers’ starting center made at least one All-American team. The honor roll: Rik Bonness (1974-75), Tom Davis (1977), Dave Rimington (1981-82), Mark Traynowicz (1984), Bill Lewis (1985), Jake Young (1988-89), Aaron Graham (1995), and Aaron Taylor (1996)

Anyone else find it odd that Ivan Maisel, who openly admits TO is underrated (which is a shock to me), just listed Tommie Fraizer as a ‘player that transcended the game’ yet didn’t include Osborne on the list of coaches?

Huh?

Osborne is an icon coach. One of the greats who shaped .

The big question, and this speaks a lot about the sheltered culture of North East writers , is who is Ivan Maisel hanging around with that he thinks 1997 Huskers are ‘overrated’ and Osborne is ‘underrated?’

HG Guess: Kirk Herbstreit:

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Jun

20

Corn Feed for Friday, June 20th

Filed Under 1994 Cornhuskers, 1995 Huskers, 1997 Cornhuskers, Classic Videos, Corn Feed, Former Huskers, National Championship | 1 Comment

Two ESPN items:

Ivan Maisel names 4 players and 4 coaches who define the game. Husker Legend Tommie Frazier makes the cut as one of the players who who defined .

Here is a complete list:

The Coaches:

The Players:

One quick note- On the caption, it says: ‘Nobody matched Bowden’s success in the 1990s.’

I don’t know if a 20 year old wrote this, but HG would like to remind ESPN that had 3 National Titles, all unbeaten and untied, in the 90’s vs. ’s 2, with one unbeaten and the other being a one-loss team.

Just saying.

I’m assuming, in the interest of the article, he didn’t want two name players and/or coaches from the same school.

Also, you can vote for the College Football Face of the 90’s. ‘Nebraska’ is tied with ‘Desmond Howard’s Heisman Pose’ and ‘.’

Let’s get after it Husker Fans!

Kirk Herbstreit is begging you!

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Jun

10

Craig Haubert Is Andy Stitzer

Filed Under Bo Pelini, Corn Feed, In Bo We Trust, Recruiting, The Callahan Error | 1 Comment

Craig Haubert

Craig Haubert: Dateless since 2003

Huskers Gameday is not obsessed with recruiting.

Quite frankly, we find the growing industry of monitoring the travels, height, weight, and speed of 16 and 17 year-olds a disturbing trend.

Forgive us for being skeptical, but when Huskers Gameday witnesses West Virginia, perennially ranked in the 20’s in recruiting, manhandle Oklahoma, perennially ranked in the top 5 or 10, we wonder about the importance given to such rankings.

And how can we forget the top recruiting classes of the Callahan Error.

Last time we checked, they don’t rank according to fit in the system, heart, emotion, big-play ability, and football savvy but you can find out how fast they run 40 yards on a track in gym shorts.

While recruiting information is in demand, we try our best to accommodate that and strike an appropriate balance.

Before SmartTech, Andy worked for Scouts, Inc.

Now, Craig has just posted a piece on Bo Pelini’s recruiting efforts and how he has failed to land a player in ’s Top 150. He also mentions that Bo faces difficult challenges recruiting at Nebraska.

Brilliant!

So basically, he’s repeating recycled material. Example: Take out “,” “Bill Callahan,” and “Nebraska’ and replace them with “Charlie Weis,” “Ty Willingham,” and “Notre Dame” and have the roughly the same article from from a couple of years ago.

Huskers Gameday says while recruiting can be a measuring stick of interest in the program, one cannot get too excited about it (remember Harrison Beck?).

The only measuring stick that counts is the one on the field.

For that, hopefully Nebraska already scored its biggest recruit:

“In Bo We Trust”

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