Back to Work - Tuesday Ramblings

Tuesday morning ramblings, as we're off and running in our pursuit to change NCAA regulations to crowning a National Champion based on home-cooked bashing an undersized WAC team full of underclassmen that resembled something out of Pop Warner.

One of the most ironic and funny things I've gotten in the 3 years I've done this blog, and the subsequent 20+ years I've lived here is the common misconception that the better Nebraska's football team is, the more miserable I become. This is completely insane because of a very simple component: The better your team becomes, the more myopic and out-of-control arrogant you become. That makes my job easier and allows readers from outside the state to better understand my mission here.

I did realize over the long weekend that I've been FAR to lenient on you people over the last couple of years. I must admit that the compassionate human in me felt a bit sorry for you over the past few years, as you suffered through 7-loss seasons and incomplete slant patterns on 4th and inches from the goal line. I mean, I might be angry...but I'm not a monster.

However, in just a 3 hour span, we've hopped back into the time machine, and are quickly reminded what life was like back when the anti-Husker movement began. As annoying and pompous as you are with a crappy team, you're 100x more so with any sort of success, no matter what the opponent, results or situation.

For you see, bashing a very good team isn't nearly as difficult as you think. Take for example the quickly returned Husker fan tradition of judging seasons and future games by 60 minutes worth of rushing statistics. This went away for a while, but thanks to a Nevada defensive unit that resembles the Pussycat Dolls, it's suddenly back. A couple of years ago, it was "All about the W". Today, you're by far the most talented team in the country because you are top ranked in rushing yards.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

With that being said...a few random thoughts from the weekend:

* For as much crap as Ron Prince and Mark Mangino get, they both tend to get the most out of their players. K-State's defense looked extremely salty, although Auburn is quite possibly the most overrated team on earth..especially on offense. However, that's got to be a huge confidence boost to his team. Same goes with Mangino. Sure they have a circus midget as a QB, but the fat man can flat out coach. Dude has an impossible job convincing good players to go to a school where absolutely nobody cares about football...but he's as scary of an opposing coach as anybody. Look what he did to the GRF last year.

* Unconfirmed reports that Bill Clownahan got a 3 year extension? Outstanding. Looks like I'm gonna have to put off that crock-pot class for another 3 years. Too much writing to do.

* I'm not quite ready to write off Texas just because of one home game. Despite evidence to the contrary around my office...the season can not be judged by just one game...whether you win big, lose big or otherwise. You're dealing with 18-22 year old kids...do you HONESTLY think Texas's 5-star guys are all that trilled playing against Arkansas State? Think Arkansas State's players aren't jacked to be taking on that orange steer on the helmets? Same for Appalachian State. Many of you completely underestimate the power of emotion, because you're not dealing with adults...you're dealing with young people who react to things differently than you or I.

People come up with the stupidest conclusions based on one game, which is generally decided by more by random multiple factors (like turnovers) than the mere final score and overall talent. If the Huskers opened with Troy last season, wouldn't many of you be saying the same stupid shit you are now? No questions. Team looks great. BCS here we come?

* Eat me Lee Barfknecht

* Lots of you angry little trolls are pissed that I pointed out that the Rival Star system must mean a whole lot because Illinois (who has back-to-back top 30 classes) is obviously (per you) not even close to as good of a team as Nevada. (Who has back to back 83+ ranked recruiting classes.) It's funny as hell to me when you get caught in your own little fantasy world. Why? Because the same rednecks who spray-paint their monitors white when Jeremy Crabtree gives some QB a 5th Star are the same people who point out that Nevada is obviously a damn quality program, and Illinois sucks donkey balls.

The truth is completely in the middle. Recruiting as a whole matters just fine. But individual performances and records have more to do with who you're playing and how you're coached. So what is it? Does Boise State suck too? (since they're often never ranked by Rivals to be in the top 50?) This just exposes your idiotic rants over rival stars and recruiting in general as just another product of bored people with nothing better to do than fantasize about being on a collegiate football team and brag about a giant crosswalk over I-80.

* BEL will once again be Pod casting on location from the Missouri vs. Nebraska game on 10/6. Look for details on how you can get my slurred voice updates from Columbia, along with beer-fueled analysis, interviews with scared Husker fans and live updates after the game. Starting from the midnight departure of the group all the way to the wild after-party at Harpos, don't miss a single installment. Trust me, it's entertaining if anything. (We tried to do it last year...and recorded 18 segments, but the company that Blogger used went under and they were lost.)

Gameweek continues.

(Photo credit of Ron Prince - KState Collegian)