A Most Interesting At-Bat for Callahan

Now batting for Husker Nation...Bill Callahan.

Before I start, let me state for the record that this post is not about Mo Purify. It's obvious that the dude has issues. It's obvious that he's a young guy with talent, who needs to change his direction in life somewhat. With that being said, you will never ever hear me mock or attack the guy for having problems. There are thousands of everyday Joe's who get busted for DUI, cracking a chick in the face or a variety of other crimes and misdemeanors.

This post is not about Mo Purify. This post is about You and Bill Callahan. What do the two have in common?

Following or supporting a player during good times or bad is not the issue at hand. How Callahan handle's the issues is. What happens to Mo Purify off the field is secondary in this discussion to what Callahan does when he has to deal with one of his best players gets arrested for the second time in 5 weeks. My point is, Callahan and Warden Pederson have yet to rule on the FIRST arrest and that was over a month ago. Nice also to see that the Lincoln court system thought Mo was perfectly fine to skip a hearing if he went to some anger management classes. Hopefully the AA meeting is right next door, because from the sound of it, dude is going to have some meetings to attend going forward. (Anybody who has been arrested for DUI can attest to that).

But the BIGGEST story to me, or at least the most important one, is how YOU as Husker fans will come to Purify's defense on this. Many of you mocked the chick who was on the receiving end of an incomplete JC Keller Dixie cup back in the winter. Many of you spun like a tilt-o-whirl when Purify was arrested for assault. Excuses such as, "The bouncer was asking for it", "The police are always looking out for Husker players to bust" and "This happens all the time, suspend him for a game and move on."

So what's it going to be now?

Do you stand by your man? Or call for him to pack his crap and get out of Dodge? I'm sure this is extremely difficult for some of you, especially those who fight to the death to defend your team from those (like me) who accuse you of being a renegade program full of thugs. However, this particular incident doesn't even fall in the "thug" category. It falls in the "sad" category. Despite what you think, drunk driving isn't amusing or something to joke about. It's a serious offense and should be treated as such. Football is secondary on a granular level.

However, for the sake of this discussion, the pressure now falls on you people and the man who has to step up to the plate and deal with him. Will he cut Mo on the spot? Will he suspend him "Indefinitely"? Will he suspend him at all and "let the legal system take it's course"? Lots of interesting directions to take on this one.

Let the record show, I have my suspicions, but I will wait for the obligatory, "No comment" to come out this afternoon from Lincoln before I comment further. If you want a hint though, just remember that the guy making the decisions was once coach of the Oakland Raiders. Looks like the Commitment to Huskerlence is alive and well in Lincoln.

Back on Monday.