October 17, 2007
Callahan signals that he is out at Nebraksa
With the firing of Steve Pederson as Athletic Director at Nebraska and the appointment of Tom Osborne as the interim (at least) AD, the writing is clearly on the wall for Huskers head coach Bill Callahan. And he knows it.
Callahan is saying all the right things...
"I feel responsible for the results of this program," Callahan said. "I feel responsible for a lot of things, good and bad. Ultimately, it lies on my shoulders to provide the results you have to provide."...
"I know in my heart of hearts I'm doing an excellent job, a good job," Callahan said.
He said his self-evaluation was based on more than the wins and losses.
"It's everything that has to do with organization, preparation, game-planning, direction of the staff, direction of the whole, entire program. I have no hesitation about that," he said. "There are so many things we've done in a positive nature. I'm confident we've done some great things here."
...
"It's unfortunate we're in a championship game last year in December, and here we are struggling," Callahan said. "It happens. Why it happens? Boy, I wish I could tell you all the reasons. We know we're struggling more than what normal teams do when they are struggling because we've given up a lot of points and a lot of yards. That's where the hurt lies."
... but giving clear signals that he is on the way out at Nebraska.
Callahan knows that he's out after the season. His brown sweater at the press conference was a non-verbal statement that he's no longer "N".
Yeah, I would say that Callahan's choice to wear a brown sweater to his press conference -- when everyone knows damn good and well that he owns 800+ red ones -- is a pretty clear sign that the coach has checked out of the program.
Callahan has a 26-18 record in his four years in Lincoln, with fourteen of those eighteen losses against the Big XII conference opponents. Under his leadership, the Huskers are 3-8 against teams in the Top 25 and 0-6 against the top 10.
If Pederson was the root of the problems at Nebraska, then Callahan is the gnarled weed the Huskers reaped... brown sweater and all.
Comments:
Jon said:
posted on October 17, 2007 9:50 AM — 68.84.19.20 — link — abuse?
P.S. If they wait long enough, they may just be able to sign coaching genious Norv Turner (after he gets fired for ruining the Chargers)... I mean, if Callahan driving the raiders into the ground was a green light, then NORV is GOLD.
You guys keep eating that corn, you're going to need the energy for that dead horse.
posted on October 17, 2007 11:56 AM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?War Eagle Atlanta
said:
Jon: Don't sign the death certificate on Nebraska quite yet. To address your points:
1) Most of the states in the country are landlocked. What do beaches and football have in common?
2) What does nightlife matter to football players if they can't legally go into clubs until their junior or senior years? We certainly know the ramifications of underage drinking on such issues as playing time and eligibility. Besides, some of these kids are there to learn, not just party.
3) Black kids aren't the only ones who play football. Besides, Nebraska atrracts quality athletes because of their winning tradition.
I've never been to Nebraska, and I suspect you haven't either. You really shouldn't disparage other parts of the country if you don't know anything about them.
I'm a Southerner, so if this post makes you ill, I'll expect some redneck/hillbilly/hick comment to come. But just remember, virtually every southern state has a beach!
"You guys keep eating that corn, you're going to need the energy for that dead horse."
Now that's funny!
Zac said:
posted on October 17, 2007 1:06 PM — 209.36.193.14 — link — abuse?
Jon, I don’t know if you’ve ever been to NE, let alone Lincoln or Omaha. Trust me; this place has a lot to offer. In fact, it’s the land of opportunity out here. When I came out here 7 years ago, Lincoln had less than 200,000 people, and Omaha was less than half a million. Now, Lincoln has over 250,000 people, and Omaha has over 550,000. Even Belleview’s population, not to mention the area itself, has exploded.
As for night life, the only things Lincoln or Omaha don’t offer are beaches. I’m from back east. I’ve walked along the shores of the Atlantic in DE, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, & VA. I’ve even walked along the shores of Long Island & Block Island Sounds, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the Hudson, Monongahela, Mohawk, Susquehanna, & St Lawrence rivers. It’s OVERRATED! If girls in bikinis are what you’re looking for, you don’t have to travel 1500 miles in any direction to see them. They’re already here, and they’re among the most beautiful I’ve seen anywhere.
What are football recruits looking for? If they’re smart, they’re looking for the right combination of coaching, facilities, and support from the fans and institution. They can find all of that here; all but the coaching. That’s the problem, and that’s what has to be corrected. The BS you mentioned??? That’s just gravy.
Tom Blogical
posted on October 17, 2007 8:13 PM — 24.95.77.153 — link — abuse? said:
TE (#6):
One minor issue that doesn't invalidate your point. Shawn Springs played for tOSU.
Jon said:
posted on October 17, 2007 8:56 PM — 68.84.19.20 — link — abuse?
My point was not that Nebraska never had anything appealing to offer. My point = as recruiting went national and legacy means less-and-less, Nebraska has a lot less to offer (IMHO) and are done being a national powerhouse. They used to be able to recruit their little area and pull the best athletes from Nebraska and the surrounding states... but those days are over, because Nebraska and the surrounding states does not offer the same quality (and amount) of athletes as the southern states.
Lets see... To disprove my point about the Nebraska program going down the toilet since the mid-90s, you rattle off (3) Nebraska players who played during the mid-90's, (1) who barely slid into this decade, (1) LSU player and (1) Ohio State player?
You are correct, I am not smart. But what does that make you?
Jon said:
posted on October 17, 2007 9:22 PM — 68.84.19.20 — link — abuse?
Zac - I have been to Nebraska. I thought it was wonderful... and it is... if you are white.
I haven't met too many white people who have a desire to live in a place that is 97% non-white. So on the flip side, I wouldn't expect there are a lot of black people who want to live in Nebraska. It has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with a human wanting to being in a comfortable environment.
I'm don't want to make this a race issue, but just representing the stats...About 70% of the players in the NFL are black. Black people make up 12.3% of the population in America. In my opinion, considering their population and the % of athletes they produce, they are clearly more athletically gifted in football (for obvious reasons if you go back in history).
Now you look at the heavily white population of the mid-west and weight it against the diverse population of the coastal areas (California, New York, Virginia, etc.) and the south. You end up with a bunch of suck mid-west football teams, who have a hard time attracting black athletes. And most of the "good teams" having a much more diverse population, that draws black athletes.
You may be able to produce a few "exceptions" to the points I have brought up. But just because there are "a few" exceptions...and you disagree with what I'm saying... it doesn't mean I am not right. So if you come, bring some facts, not random exceptions.
/Ha-Ha black athlete = not yours Nebraska.
Lennie Collins
posted on October 18, 2007 1:05 AM — 70.251.186.200 — link — abuse? said:
Hey Jon(Comment#9)you are entitled to your opinion but as an African/Native/European American I have to say your comment about African Americans being "athletically gifted" is foolish! Do not believe Jimmy "The Greek" Synder! African Americans have to be taught, trained, and practice like every other race who plays sports. I know from my life experiences. I did not pick up a basketball, football, baseball, tennis racket, soccor ball, and boxing gloves and automatically knew what to do! If I am not mistaken most college campuses with the exception of Southern California and Miami(FL) are all in heavy populated Caucasian cities. TE (Comment #6) probably did not feel like listing all the great African American Football Players the Cornhuskers have had over the years! Believe me most college towns got this "nightlife" for college students covered. Nebraska not being a dominant team right now is why they are not attracting great football players regardless of race!
Jon said:
posted on October 18, 2007 10:17 AM — 68.84.19.20 — link — abuse?
Lennie,
I may be "foolish" but statistics do not lie. You take a highly healthy group of people, practice selective breeding and force them to perform tons of strenuous physical labor... and over the years you are going to develop a race that has a much better genetic make-up for a lot of types of athletic performance.
We can sit here and pretend that we all start off on an equal footing, but the bottom line is, after you put in all those hours of training and hard work, the limiting factor of professional and semi professional collegiate athletes = genetics.
If you lookup the definition of the word "gifted" it says: having great special talent or ability. To say that all black people are athletically gifted is false and that is not what I meant.. To say that when compared to all other races, black people are a lot more likely to be athletically gifted is true... check out the next Boston Marathon/NFL game/NBA game/Boxing/any other sport they have been given a fair opportunity to excel in.
Lennie Collins
posted on October 18, 2007 11:57 AM — 70.251.186.200 — link — abuse? said:
Jon (Comment #12).....Show me or point me in directions where these statistics can be found. I guess you are refering to slavery when all this selective breeding was to have taken place. Did the male slaves play football? Baseball? Basketball? Box? I don't care what activity or field you get into you got to be trained in it or pratice at it. I guess if African Americans were "gifted" like you say then why for decades they were told that they cannot be quarterbacks. Play hockey? African American youths unfortunately think or are told this is the only way now they can make it in life. Fact, is most of the American inventions and medicial discoveries were from past African Americans. I bet you won't say African Americans are genetically smarter! I bet you won't say Barry Bonds is the Homerun King because he was "gifted"! There were and are great sports players of all races. Look at Samuel Bradford the quarterback of my team the Oklahoma Sooners. He is Native American. Was he "gifted" like you would say. Running around on the plains hunting bisons is that why he leads the nation in pass effiency? You know you got to be accurate to kill those bison, so you can eat! I guess Yo Ming is good at basketball according to you by all the kung-fu and throwing dirty laundry in the washing machines! Acient Chinese secret, huh! I hope that you are not a teacher, coach, or politican. You probably would feed this non-sense to the young African American youths and mess up their minds! Where do you live at? Do you actually tell this non-sense to your African American Friends...oops you probably don't have any! This is just plain ol' stereotypeing! I know you are going to come back stating that you are not but I am sorry Jon, you are! Do you remember a book called the Bell Curve? It basically states that African People are genetically inferior to all other races when it comes to learning(intelligents). Do you believe that? I know you are going to say no for sure even if you do but if you believe that other non-sense then you might as well believe this! If you ask any African American why he is good at his sport I am almost sure he would say he pratices. Go tell Shaquille O'Neal that he is messing up your theory with his (Beep) up free throw shooting. He was genetically breed or gifted so he should be making them doggone it!
TampaGator said:
posted on October 18, 2007 12:40 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Jon:
Re. your first point: the same has said of Alabam, Notre Dame and Oklahoma in years past--yet those programs seem to find a way back into the mix after a few years out.
...what's more, with all the global warming stuff, OU, UA, ND and Neb. may just get beaches in the next few years...
...then they'll be real good, right?
GO GATORS!!TampaGator said:
posted on October 18, 2007 12:40 PM — 205.188.116.136 — link — abuse?
Jon:
Re. your first point: the same has said of Alabam, Notre Dame and Oklahoma in years past--yet those programs seem to find a way back into the mix after a few years out.
...what's more, with all the global warming stuff, OU, UA, ND and Neb. may just get beaches in the next few years...
...then they'll be real good, right?
GO GATORS!!FanoftheGame said:
posted on October 18, 2007 1:08 PM — 198.211.223.194 — link — abuse?
#13 Excellent post!
I have a hard time believing that superior breeding is the root cause for the success of the black athlete. First of all, I can't see as how any human could "fast track" evolution. Slavery has existed in Ireland long before it existed here in the U.S., but I can't recall reading or hearing of a time when the Irish dominated the world of athletic competion. Not to say that there have not been any great Irish athletes, but I think you see my point. On the flip side of things, I believe that the social circumstances surrounding young black children in America have more to so with their athletic achievements. For example; Basketball is the most common athletic form of recreation in the inner cities. Blacks make up the largest amount of the population in the inner cities, so it would be safe to assume that young blacks are spending more time on the courts and honing their skills than other ethnic groups. That accompanied with a desire to have a better quality of life helps drive these young kids to achieve their dreams through athletic competition. That drive pushes these kids to become better through practice and persistance.
Now most kids in the U.S. may have the same privelages to play basketball, but how many are going to practice and play with that type of determination? Those that do are more likely to succeed. Football and track are also ways for these young kids to excell above the attitudes and perceptions that radical americans have for them. Athletics gives them an opportunity at a young age to make a difference in their own lives and many of them are taking advantage of that opportunity.
In my opinion, the main reason that there are more black basketball and football players at the college level is because they have dedicated themselves (some at a very young age) to being better than the average athlete to create opportunities for themselves that otherwise they would have never gotten. These are the ones that weren't just playing for fun, but they had a purpose. Yes there are more black athletes that excell in collegiate sports, but they put in the work to be the best. If they were born with anything special, it was the determination to succeed.
Lennie Collins
posted on October 18, 2007 1:11 PM — 70.251.186.200 — link — abuse? said:
Hey Jon(Comment #1)...I guess Virginia Tech and Virginia should have dominant football/basketball programs since they are near the most popular African American beach...Virginia Beach? How about San Diego State they have a beach there called "Black" Beach. I don't think it was called that because African Americans "hung out" there. I guess that's why Southern California think they were dominant for so long because of the beaches? I guess when these African American football players go on recruiting trips they bring their surf boards and scuba diving equipment along. "Hey coach save your speeches if you ain't got no beaches!" Hey Jon look at a map and you will notice the states that have coastlines. Many of them don't have dominant football/basketball programs.
Lennie Collins
posted on October 18, 2007 1:26 PM — 70.251.186.200 — link — abuse? said:
Hey FanOfTheGame (Comment #16)...That can be said in regards to Canadians/Some Europeans and hockey, Central Americans and baseball, and Europeans/South Americans and soccer. If that is the only sport for them to "unwind" or enjoy that's what they are going to participate in. Many African Americans youth that I talk to think baseball and golf are boring. A few don't think soccor is all that "marketable" or appealling! I am just curious on how this (beep) theory got started? If I am mistaken correct me but where the slaves picking cotton and other household chores? I don't think they were playing sports. Hey masta ya' wanna see me hit one ov'r yundra sir? Hey if yous drop this next pass masta got whup yous! If ya miss dis next free thro masta gone cut off ya foots. Shaquille O'Neal would be hopping around for sure on one foot!
Lennie Collins
posted on October 18, 2007 1:56 PM — 70.251.186.200 — link — abuse? said:
Hey OU Ron I am not tryin' ta be stereotypical myself but all I am gettin' at is that African American males only are goin' ta go to da beaches to check out the females and/or chill and drink. I am 39 years of age and thanks to a movie in the 70's called "Jaws" I will never swim in a pond, lake, river, ocean, or sea. I did not take a bath for 2 days after I saw that movie. I can see Peter Carroll speaking: Hey man after practice you can grab your surfboard and hit the waves." You know what an African American recruit would tell Ol' Pete what he can hit?
Brushpile Bill said:
posted on October 18, 2007 1:58 PM — 129.112.251.26 — link — abuse?
Nebraska's biggest recruiting problems are USF, Cal, OU (the green and yellow one), aTm, and Mizzou. They will always get the Nebraska and Iowa kids but when they were good they got their speed guys from Fla, Tx and Ca. The other teams listed above are doing a better job in those states right now ( I include aTm because Neb heyday coincided with SWC implosion). The loss of Prop 48, walk ons etc. had a lot to do with the steady decline at NU since Osborne left
Lennie Collins
posted on October 18, 2007 2:30 PM — 70.251.186.200 — link — abuse? said:
To get back on the subject Nebraska is going through what all football programs have gone through. Nebraska is down but they will bounce back. They just have a coach that has lost his players and support! Notre Dame and is going through it. Miami, Florida State, Oklahoma, Southern California, Pennsylvania State, texas, and the list can go on have all been down now they are back up again.
VTBobb
posted on October 18, 2007 2:39 PM — 74.1.112.66 — link — abuse? said:
At the risk of being labeled “racist”, I’m going to play devil’s advocate. As in many heated debates, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
First, has anyone heard of the process of natural selection. You know, where the specimen that is best adapted to an environment survives and passes on its genes? Lacking an anthropology doctorate, I can only speculate, but doesn’t it make sense that only the healthiest, physically fit slaves survived the capture, transport, and lifelong ordeal of living as a slave? That would result in the gene pool of African Americans, during and immediately following slavery, being richer in physically fit specimens than the less physically demanding life of the population as a whole. This wouldn’t necessarily result in the “fast-tracked” evolution FOG mentions. However, wouldn’t it have a direct impact on the physical characteristics of the succeeding generations, diminishing with each succeeding generation as more genetic diversity is introduced into the population? It’s the same process that resulted in the European Royal families being afflicted with hemophilia for several hundred years. So, it seems to make sense to me that it would have some, at least minor impacts on the physical attributes of the slaves’ descendants even today.
That being said, professional sports have always been an avenue out of economic hardships for the socially downtrodden. Did you know that in the 1920’s and 1930’s, Jewish basketball teams dominated? Not many people’s preconceived and/or racist notions of an athletic race. Check out this website http://www.jewishmag.com/45mag/basketball/basketball.htm. To paraphrase Jason Whitlock on Fox Sports, and echoing something I’ve said numerous times, it’s not about race, it’s about culture. I honestly believe that the black population in the US is still slightly more athletic than the white population, due to a higher percentage of more athletic ancestors in the recent past (7 or 8 generations). But that can't explain the dominance of black athletes. In general, black youths have more need to improve their circumstance, and they more easily recognize sports as a way to improve their lives and futures, as opposed to studying to be a doctor or engineer. Is it a because of a lack of role models; not wanting to be labeled for “trying to fit into the white man’s world”; a lack of perceived opportunities? I don’t know. Unfortunately, in the long run, it’s much easier to become a doctor or engineer than a professional athlete, and the youths are missing that message and ultimately hurting their future.
Jon said:
posted on October 17, 2007 9:44 AM — 68.84.19.20 — link — abuse?I made a prediction in '96 that the Nebraska program was going to start going downhill and eventually collapse.... and never be able to rebuild itself into a dynasty.
My reasoning went something like this: As recruitment continues to grow more into a nation-wide effect, Nebraska and their big "corn fed" boys will become irrelevant. The University of Nebraska has nothing appealing to offer most 'good athletes'.
1) Who wants to live in Nebraska, when you can be closer to the beach?
2) What college kid wants to live in a heavily religious area with minimal night life?
3) What black athlete wants to live in a place where theres 97% white/other and 3% black?
Nebraska is doomed unless they get a magnificent (Spurrier-esque) type coach.