Thursday, August 10, 2006
Comment Changes
I converted over to a new commenting program that allows me to do some fancier blog stuff. In doing so all of the previous comments were deleted...Sorry. I also apologize for switching when you had probably just figured out the other one. I tried the new one out and it seems easier. All you need to do is enter your name and the comment. Let me know what you think, by you know...leaving a comment.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Hump Day Extras
The team is taking the day off so here are some links to keep you busy.
•Nebraska may have found a replacement for Harrison Beck in juco QB Brian Hildebrand. Hildebrand has some academic work to finish, but would be eligible to compete for a spot on the depth chart this fall. It would be nice to have another capable body, but you never know what you are getting from a transfer like this. My guess is if he arrives, the outcome of his career path will fall somewhere in between that of Jordan Adams and that of Zac Taylor.
•Tyrell Spain has moved from wide receiver to cornerback. He becomes the second receiver in as many days to switch to defense, joining Isaiah Fluellen who made the move on Monday. Either the staff feels good about the influx of talent at WR or it has decided that two WRs equal one Zackary Bowman.
•Sunday Morning Quarterback has included Nebraska in their list of four teams that potentially fit the profile of “underdog” National Championship contenders. Their analysis is solid, and the whole concept involves a unique and interesting angle. Also included on their list are Cal, Louisville, and Iowa.
•Sports Illustrated points out that the Huskers have five players fighting it out at I-back. And that’s pretty much all the article says. With the departure of Beck, it should be evident that whoever picks up the blitz best eventually wins the job.
•The Fremont Tribune tells Harrison Beck to take his act elsewhere in their “beating a dead horse” section.
•Finally, for those dying to read just one more 2006 Husker preview, I stumbled upon one from Just College Football.
•Nebraska may have found a replacement for Harrison Beck in juco QB Brian Hildebrand. Hildebrand has some academic work to finish, but would be eligible to compete for a spot on the depth chart this fall. It would be nice to have another capable body, but you never know what you are getting from a transfer like this. My guess is if he arrives, the outcome of his career path will fall somewhere in between that of Jordan Adams and that of Zac Taylor.
•Tyrell Spain has moved from wide receiver to cornerback. He becomes the second receiver in as many days to switch to defense, joining Isaiah Fluellen who made the move on Monday. Either the staff feels good about the influx of talent at WR or it has decided that two WRs equal one Zackary Bowman.
•Sunday Morning Quarterback has included Nebraska in their list of four teams that potentially fit the profile of “underdog” National Championship contenders. Their analysis is solid, and the whole concept involves a unique and interesting angle. Also included on their list are Cal, Louisville, and Iowa.
•Sports Illustrated points out that the Huskers have five players fighting it out at I-back. And that’s pretty much all the article says. With the departure of Beck, it should be evident that whoever picks up the blitz best eventually wins the job.
•The Fremont Tribune tells Harrison Beck to take his act elsewhere in their “beating a dead horse” section.
•Finally, for those dying to read just one more 2006 Husker preview, I stumbled upon one from Just College Football.
NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse
“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.” So said, Eugene McCarthy. You might want to keep that quote in mind as you read this post.
This is the time of year that most freshmen hit the field as their first fall camp begins. Many athletes, however, have their freshman campaign delayed by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Currently Nebraska is awaiting the arrival of Ricky Thenarse who was completing a summer class and will then need to be cleared by this organization. At last check USC was also anxiously awaiting the clearance of Vidal Hazelton and Jamere Holland. So just what is the Eligibility Clearinghouse and what causes these seemingly inevitable delays?
The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse is the governing organization that officially certifies student -athletes as academically eligible to compete in NCAA Division I or Division II athletics. The Clearinghouse is not the NCAA per se, but is instead, an organization that performs academic evaluations for the NCAA. This body acts as the central "clearinghouse" of information for all colleges to verify that the student athlete meets the minimum set academic standards of participation.
Athletes are encouraged to register with the Clearinghouse at the end of their junior year of high school. To register students simply obtain an NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse application from their high school or guidance counselor. The athlete then completes the student-release form, which authorizes the high school to send his or her academic records to the Clearinghouse. The registration form and records are then sent to the Clearinghouse along with a $30 registration fee.
During the summer before the athlete’s senior year, the Clearinghouse provides them with an evaluation of their academic record. This evaluation includes information regarding what high school coursework they still need to take in order to become certified as eligible to play NCAA Division I or Division II athletics. The athletes are to then use this evaluation to schedule courses during for their senior year. Once the athlete graduates a final copy of their transcript must also be sent to the Clearinghouse to confirm their graduation and to continue the evaluation process.
The clearance process seems fairly straightforward on paper, however, as many athletes can attest; it can be anything but that in practice. As this New York Times piece relates, the problems are numerous.
The process is also slowed simply by the numbers involved. Each of the 24,000 U.S. high schools has their own curriculum and the Clearinghouse is often too far removed from these schools to make accurate assessments. As Daniel Sagaran, Phillips's lawyer, stated:
In addition, the Clearinghouse is likely under-staffed to deal with the quantity of cases they handle. The size of the organization ranges from 25 full-time evaluators up to 100 during the summer crunch time. The number of incoming freshman they have to deal with is around 130,000, and that figure was from 1996. Cases also become increasingly complicated if students attend more than one high school, or if the student must complete summer school before his transcript is finalized.
The Clearinghouse guidelines were put into place to protect the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and the NCAA says it needs the power to evaluate courses properly and to achieve uniform eligibility standards among the nation's colleges. But just how should that power be wielded and shouldn’t it be regulated in some manner?
“The NCAA is rigid with respect to its rules," said Gary Roberts, professor of sport and law at Tulane University. "With every coach trying to get someone in, they have a difficult job to do. It is not surprising that it is almost a police-state type of organization."
Surprising? No, but that is of little consolation to the players, coaches, and schools affected by the rulings. Oh and don’t forget the fans. Won’t someone please think of the fans?
This is the time of year that most freshmen hit the field as their first fall camp begins. Many athletes, however, have their freshman campaign delayed by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Currently Nebraska is awaiting the arrival of Ricky Thenarse who was completing a summer class and will then need to be cleared by this organization. At last check USC was also anxiously awaiting the clearance of Vidal Hazelton and Jamere Holland. So just what is the Eligibility Clearinghouse and what causes these seemingly inevitable delays?
The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse is the governing organization that officially certifies student -athletes as academically eligible to compete in NCAA Division I or Division II athletics. The Clearinghouse is not the NCAA per se, but is instead, an organization that performs academic evaluations for the NCAA. This body acts as the central "clearinghouse" of information for all colleges to verify that the student athlete meets the minimum set academic standards of participation.
Athletes are encouraged to register with the Clearinghouse at the end of their junior year of high school. To register students simply obtain an NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse application from their high school or guidance counselor. The athlete then completes the student-release form, which authorizes the high school to send his or her academic records to the Clearinghouse. The registration form and records are then sent to the Clearinghouse along with a $30 registration fee.
During the summer before the athlete’s senior year, the Clearinghouse provides them with an evaluation of their academic record. This evaluation includes information regarding what high school coursework they still need to take in order to become certified as eligible to play NCAA Division I or Division II athletics. The athletes are to then use this evaluation to schedule courses during for their senior year. Once the athlete graduates a final copy of their transcript must also be sent to the Clearinghouse to confirm their graduation and to continue the evaluation process.
The clearance process seems fairly straightforward on paper, however, as many athletes can attest; it can be anything but that in practice. As this New York Times piece relates, the problems are numerous.
“The problem lies in the failure of the NCAA, one of the richest nonprofit organizations in the nation, to evaluate academic eligibility for freshman athletes in a timely manner. From an inadequate number of telephones to answer the calls of parents, students and high schools, to its rigid policy not to inform a student until the end of his or her senior year what credits are needed for eligibility and scholarships, the NCAA's conduct has been arbitrary and shameful, say lawyers for those who have turned to the courts.”No one seems to benefit from waiting for a student’s grades for their entire senior year to be submitted, before informing them of eligibility problems. By then it is too late for the athlete and for the school, which can’t always determine how the Clearinghouse will rule. If an athlete is not cleared, he may not appeal his case directly and it is up to his university to do so. This too, is often not a timely process. The N.Y. Times article discusses the case of Damon Phillips, a 6-foot 7-inch basketball player from Brooklyn, who after the NCAA objected to a preliminary injunction permitting him to play, ultimately missed two-thirds of his freshman season at Fairfield.
The process is also slowed simply by the numbers involved. Each of the 24,000 U.S. high schools has their own curriculum and the Clearinghouse is often too far removed from these schools to make accurate assessments. As Daniel Sagaran, Phillips's lawyer, stated:
"The staff liaisons of the subcommittee consist of two persons of extremely limited experience neither of whom had any training in high school teaching or course accreditation. Their actual review was woeful. No one called the school, learned about the course, determined whether it met the core course definition."
In addition, the Clearinghouse is likely under-staffed to deal with the quantity of cases they handle. The size of the organization ranges from 25 full-time evaluators up to 100 during the summer crunch time. The number of incoming freshman they have to deal with is around 130,000, and that figure was from 1996. Cases also become increasingly complicated if students attend more than one high school, or if the student must complete summer school before his transcript is finalized.
The Clearinghouse guidelines were put into place to protect the integrity of intercollegiate athletics and the NCAA says it needs the power to evaluate courses properly and to achieve uniform eligibility standards among the nation's colleges. But just how should that power be wielded and shouldn’t it be regulated in some manner?
“The NCAA is rigid with respect to its rules," said Gary Roberts, professor of sport and law at Tulane University. "With every coach trying to get someone in, they have a difficult job to do. It is not surprising that it is almost a police-state type of organization."
Surprising? No, but that is of little consolation to the players, coaches, and schools affected by the rulings. Oh and don’t forget the fans. Won’t someone please think of the fans?
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Tour de Camp
The “Tour de Camp” program which was instituted last year during fall camp by Coach Callahan is underway again. Given my background in sport psychology I’ve taken a special interest in this idea, which is a take-off of the yellow jersey sported by the Tour de France leader. The concept is designed to encourage the players to compete on a day-to-day basis and yellow jerseys are then given out each day to the top offensive, defensive and special teams player. At the close of fall camp an overall winner in each category will also be selected. I think this is a novel idea and it seems to be a good way to promote practice performance and to assess this on a daily basis. The players and coaches appear to have fun with it and everyone hopefully takes a lot of pride in wearing the yellow jersey.
Here are the yellow jersey recipients and I've decided to just keep the running list in this post until Fall Camp ends (if I remember to, that is). Keep in mind the jerseys are worn to practice the day after the players earn them. In addition, no results are final until all doping tests have been completed.
Wednesday - 8/16
Kenny Wilson (Offense)
Lance Brandenburgh (Defense)
Tuesday - 8/15
Joe Ganz (Offense)
Cory McKeon (Defense)
Jordan Congdon (Special Teams)
Monday - 8/14
J.B. Phillips (Offense)
Stewart Bradley (Defense)
Ben Eisenhart (Special Teams)
Saturday - 8/12
Greg Austin (Offense)
Cory McKeon (Defense)
Brandon Rigoni (Special Teams)
Friday - 8/11
Zac Taylor (Offense)
Adam Carriker (Defense)
Matt O'Hanlon (Special Teams)
Thursday - 8/10
Terrence Nunn (Offense)
Clayton Sievers (Defense or Special Teams)
Tuesday - 8/8
Lydon Murtha (Offense)
Tierre Green (Defense)
Brandon Rigoni (Special Teams)
Monday – 8/7
Greg Austin (Offense)
Ola Dagundaro (Defense)
Bradon Rigoni (Special Teams)
Sunday – 8/6
Terrence Nunn (Offense)
Ola Dagundaro (Defense)
Dane Todd (Special Teams)
Saturday – 8/5
Terrence Nunn (Offense)
Barry Cryer (Defense)
Andre Jones (Special Teams)
Friday – 8/4
Nate Swift (Offense)
Ben Eisenhart (Defense)
Clayton Sievers (Special Teams)
Random Notes:
Go to Bevo Sports to download an amazing college football schedule spreadsheet. It has tabs for the games of the week, as well as the weekly schedule for each conference. Every true college football fan is required to print this off at work and then place it in a convenient location near the TV.
New Colorado offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich apparently has his quarterbacks studying the playbook using a videogame/simulator hybrid. Lame excuse Dan Hawkins is sure to get sick of hearing on the sidelines: “I don’t know what happened coach. I tried to throw it away, but I couldn’t find the L2 button.”
The NCAA is set to rename its Division I-A and I-AA subdivisions. They will now be known as the Football Bowl Subdivision and the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision respectively. The new names refer the to post-season formats of each subdivision and are meant to reduce the stigma of big-time versus small-time college football. Call me crazy, but no matter what you label the subdivisions, I doubt anyone is going to overlook the obvious differences between USC and say, Weber State.
Here are the yellow jersey recipients and I've decided to just keep the running list in this post until Fall Camp ends (if I remember to, that is). Keep in mind the jerseys are worn to practice the day after the players earn them. In addition, no results are final until all doping tests have been completed.
Wednesday - 8/16
Kenny Wilson (Offense)
Lance Brandenburgh (Defense)
Tuesday - 8/15
Joe Ganz (Offense)
Cory McKeon (Defense)
Jordan Congdon (Special Teams)
Monday - 8/14
J.B. Phillips (Offense)
Stewart Bradley (Defense)
Ben Eisenhart (Special Teams)
Saturday - 8/12
Greg Austin (Offense)
Cory McKeon (Defense)
Brandon Rigoni (Special Teams)
Friday - 8/11
Zac Taylor (Offense)
Adam Carriker (Defense)
Matt O'Hanlon (Special Teams)
Thursday - 8/10
Terrence Nunn (Offense)
Clayton Sievers (Defense or Special Teams)
Tuesday - 8/8
Lydon Murtha (Offense)
Tierre Green (Defense)
Brandon Rigoni (Special Teams)
Monday – 8/7
Greg Austin (Offense)
Ola Dagundaro (Defense)
Bradon Rigoni (Special Teams)
Sunday – 8/6
Terrence Nunn (Offense)
Ola Dagundaro (Defense)
Dane Todd (Special Teams)
Saturday – 8/5
Terrence Nunn (Offense)
Barry Cryer (Defense)
Andre Jones (Special Teams)
Friday – 8/4
Nate Swift (Offense)
Ben Eisenhart (Defense)
Clayton Sievers (Special Teams)
Random Notes:
Go to Bevo Sports to download an amazing college football schedule spreadsheet. It has tabs for the games of the week, as well as the weekly schedule for each conference. Every true college football fan is required to print this off at work and then place it in a convenient location near the TV.
New Colorado offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich apparently has his quarterbacks studying the playbook using a videogame/simulator hybrid. Lame excuse Dan Hawkins is sure to get sick of hearing on the sidelines: “I don’t know what happened coach. I tried to throw it away, but I couldn’t find the L2 button.”
The NCAA is set to rename its Division I-A and I-AA subdivisions. They will now be known as the Football Bowl Subdivision and the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision respectively. The new names refer the to post-season formats of each subdivision and are meant to reduce the stigma of big-time versus small-time college football. Call me crazy, but no matter what you label the subdivisions, I doubt anyone is going to overlook the obvious differences between USC and say, Weber State.
Monday, August 07, 2006
The Luck Effect
In thinking about or discussing success in football, the major factors associated with this are generally thought to be effort, persistence, discipline, passion, and hard work. Rarely does the importance of luck garner mention as a significant contributor to athletic achievement. When luck is referred to, it is generally seen as a byproduct of one of the aforementioned qualities. For instance, Samuel Goldwyn said "The harder I work, the luckier I get" and the Roman philosopher Seneca believed that "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity". This less capricious view of luck makes it seem predictable and perhaps even controllable.
I would argue that sports and life consist of far more randomness. Carl Jung spoke of the concept of “synchronicity,” which he described as "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events". I challenge you then to look at your own life and examine the good and the bad and to consider how many of these could be attributed to luck or at least to some sort of arbitrariness. In the mean time I will introduce you to two former Huskers and present the trajectories of their careers to demonstrate the apparent power of the luck effect.
Toby Wright was born November 19, 1970, in Phoenix, Arizona. He played running back and defensive back for Dobson high school. As a junior in 1987, he led the Mustangs to their first state championship. While his team was unable to repeat this feat during his senior season, Toby was named to the Arizona all-state team as a defensive back. Following high school he attended Phoenix Junior College. In 1991 Toby was a unanimous junior college All-American while leading his team with 119 tackles, nine sacks and two interceptions. After his successful junior college stint Toby became a member of Nebraska’s 1992 recruiting class.
Grant Wistrom was born July 3, 1976 in Webb City, Missouri. He attended Webb City High and played football, basketball and competed in track. As a senior Grant had 122 tackles, eight sacks, six fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles, and a blocked punt as a linebacker. He also played tight end and caught 30 passes for 527 yards and five touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns. During his career he led his football team to two class 4A championships. Grant was a first-team All-America selection by Super Prep, Blue Chip and USA Today and later became a member of Nebraska’s 1994 recruiting class.
In 1992 Toby Wright arrived on the campus of the University of Nebraska and quickly became an important special teams player and also saw action in the Huskers’ nickel and dime defensive packages. Toby drew rave reviews for his ability to blitz from the secondary and became known as a ferocious hitter. Nebraska finished the season 9-3 and ended their season with a loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
Nebraska began the 1993 season ranked ninth and Toby earned a blackshirt as the starting Rover. In the regular season finale he picked off his third pass of the season as Nebraska remained undefeated by finishing off Oklahoma 21-7 and clinched a spot in the Orange Bowl. In the Orange Bowl #2 ranked Nebraska would face off with heavily favored and #1 ranked Florida State for the national championship.
Given that Nebraska was tagged a as a 17 1/2 point underdog going into this match up, it was clear that they would need some sort of good fortune or luck. Toby Wright had his brush with chance in the third quarter. Following a long completion, Florida State had the ball at the one yard line and Charlie Ward handed off to William Floyd. As Floyd went airborne and surged for the endzone he was met head on by Wright dislodging the football from Floyd’s grasp. Although Nebraska recovered the loose ball, Florida State was awarded a touchdown on the play. Television replays indicated Floyd appeared to fumble prior to breaking the plane of the goal line. Was it a bad call, bad luck or the unseen hands of fate?
After a frantic final few minutes Florida State won the game 18-16 as Byron Bennett’s last second field goal sailed left. It was certainly a hard luck ending to Toby’s Nebraska career. During the 1993 season Wright had 79 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He was also named Honorable mention All Big-8 and made one publication’s All-Bowl team following his Orange Bowl performance. In April of 1994 he was drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams with the 49th pick.
1994 also saw the arrival of Grant Wistrom to Lincoln. Grant made an immediate impact at Nebraska and was one of only two true freshmen to letter. Playing in every game as a reserve outside linebacker he finished with 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Grant was also selected as the Newcomer of the Year by the Big Eight conference. Nebraska finished the regular season undefeated and ranked #1. This created a match up with Miami in the Orange Bowl and another shot for a Nebraska national championship. Grant had three tackles and a tackle for loss late in fourth quarter and Nebraska took care of Miami 24-17 and secured its first national title since 1971. So just one year after Wright’s heartache, Grant was celebrating a national championship on the same field. Here we see the randomness of life demonstrated by Toby’s bad timing and Wistrom’s good fortune. It would not be the first time.
Wistrom would finish his Husker career by winning two more national championships in 1995 and 1997. His Nebraska teams compiled an incredible 49-2 record. Grant’s career totals include 206 total tackles, 26.5 sacks for -178 yards, one interception, three passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. As a senior he was a unanimous All-American and a First-Team All-Big 12 Conference selection. He was also the recipient of the Lombardi Award, given to nation's top collegiate lineman. The St. Louis Rams made Wistrom the 6th pick of the first round in the 1998 NFL draft.
While Grant Wistrom was completing his illustrious career at Nebraska, Toby Wright was beginning his NFL career with the Rams. As a rookie in 1994 he played 16 games and made two starts. He finished second on the team in special teams tackles with 18. In 1995 the L.A. Rams moved to St. Louis and Wright had his best year as a pro. He led Rams’ defensive backs with a career-high 126 tackles (100 solo), which was a club record for tackles by a DB. He also tied for fourth in the NFC and fifth in the NFL with six interceptions. His performance earned him a spot as a Pro Bowl Alternate.
In 1996 Wright ended the season ranked fifth on the club with 79 tackles despite being limited to only 12 games due to a shoulder injury. Toby also defended nine passes, forced a fumble and returned his only interception of the year 19 yards for a touchdown. During the 1997 season, Wright played and started 11 games. He finished the year with 92 tackles after missing the first three games with a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason. Toby also missed the final two games of the 1997 season with a right knee injury sustained on the very last play of a game at New Orleans. Injuries can be considered the worst type of luck. They are incidental in nature and cannot be controlled.
The paths of our two players crossed for the first time in 1998 as both were members of the St. Louis Rams. Wistrom played in 13 games that season on both defense and on special teams as a rookie. He finished the season with 30 tackles, three sacks, one fumble recovery, and five special teams tackles. He was also named the Rams’ Defensive Rookie of the Year by the coaches. Wright, on the other hand, played in just three games while trying to recover from reconstructive knee surgery from the previous season. The Rams finished the season 4-12.
Prior to the 1999 season Wright’s knee continued to bother him. When it failed to respond, he was eventually cut by the Rams in a salary cap move before training camp. During his tenure with the Rams, the team compiled a combined record of 26 wins and 54 losses. Wright was picked up by the Redskins but appeared in only one game in 1999. Wistrom, by contrast, started all 16 regular season and three playoff games during the 1999 season. He was selected to 1999 All-Madden team while setting career highs in tackles (60), sacks (6.5), interceptions (two), interception returns for touchdown (two), passes defensed (two), and tied a career high with one fumble recovery. The 1999 Rams rode their offense nicknamed, “The Greatest Show on Turf” all the way to the Super Bowl against the Tennessee Titans.
So in the year in which he is cut Toby Wright is forced to watch his Rams from home in what many consider at the time to be the greatest Super Bowl ever. To further the insult, the game included goal line dramatics reminiscent of those Wright had been involved in during the 1994 Orange Bowl. Trailing by seven, Tennessee mounted a desperate, last-minute drive, reaching the St. Louis 10-yard line with six seconds left and no timeouts. Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair threw to Kevin Dyson on a slant. Dyson caught the pass at the 3 but was tackled by Mike Jones just eighteen inches shy of the goal line, ending the game and giving the Rams their first Super Bowl victory. Eighteen inches or an apparent fumble here a salary cap move there. The power of the luck effect is evident again as Wright’s bad timing is overshadowed only by Wistrom’s good fortune.
By 2000 Toby Wright was out of the NFL because of injuries. He finished his NFL career with 304 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 interceptions and 3 touchdowns. In 2001 Toby was drafted by the Las Vegas Outlaws of the short-lived XFL. During the lone XFL season he was traded to the San Francisco Demons who eventually made it the league’s championship game. As luck would have it Wright and the Demons lost to the Los Angeles Xtreme 38-6. That made three championship game appearances for Wright and no victories.
While injuries cut Wright’s career short, Wistrom has enjoyed a successful eight year NFL career. In 2004 he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks and in typical Wistrom fashion he wound up in the Super Bowl again in 2005. Unfortunately this time Grant Wistrom’s luck finally ran out as the Seahawks fell to the Steelers.
It is impossible to examine the careers of these two athletes and not see the role that has been played by luck. I mean honestly, did Wistrom work harder? Was his passion more evident or his persistence more deserving? I doubt it. Luck doesn’t care about any of that. Luck works independently of the laws of probability; it shuns the notion of predictability and is influenced solely by the randomness of life. There is an amazing quote in the Woody Allen movie “Match Point” that illustrates the impact of luck:
I would argue that sports and life consist of far more randomness. Carl Jung spoke of the concept of “synchronicity,” which he described as "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events". I challenge you then to look at your own life and examine the good and the bad and to consider how many of these could be attributed to luck or at least to some sort of arbitrariness. In the mean time I will introduce you to two former Huskers and present the trajectories of their careers to demonstrate the apparent power of the luck effect.
Toby Wright was born November 19, 1970, in Phoenix, Arizona. He played running back and defensive back for Dobson high school. As a junior in 1987, he led the Mustangs to their first state championship. While his team was unable to repeat this feat during his senior season, Toby was named to the Arizona all-state team as a defensive back. Following high school he attended Phoenix Junior College. In 1991 Toby was a unanimous junior college All-American while leading his team with 119 tackles, nine sacks and two interceptions. After his successful junior college stint Toby became a member of Nebraska’s 1992 recruiting class.
Grant Wistrom was born July 3, 1976 in Webb City, Missouri. He attended Webb City High and played football, basketball and competed in track. As a senior Grant had 122 tackles, eight sacks, six fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles, and a blocked punt as a linebacker. He also played tight end and caught 30 passes for 527 yards and five touchdowns and rushed 11 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns. During his career he led his football team to two class 4A championships. Grant was a first-team All-America selection by Super Prep, Blue Chip and USA Today and later became a member of Nebraska’s 1994 recruiting class.
In 1992 Toby Wright arrived on the campus of the University of Nebraska and quickly became an important special teams player and also saw action in the Huskers’ nickel and dime defensive packages. Toby drew rave reviews for his ability to blitz from the secondary and became known as a ferocious hitter. Nebraska finished the season 9-3 and ended their season with a loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
Nebraska began the 1993 season ranked ninth and Toby earned a blackshirt as the starting Rover. In the regular season finale he picked off his third pass of the season as Nebraska remained undefeated by finishing off Oklahoma 21-7 and clinched a spot in the Orange Bowl. In the Orange Bowl #2 ranked Nebraska would face off with heavily favored and #1 ranked Florida State for the national championship.
Given that Nebraska was tagged a as a 17 1/2 point underdog going into this match up, it was clear that they would need some sort of good fortune or luck. Toby Wright had his brush with chance in the third quarter. Following a long completion, Florida State had the ball at the one yard line and Charlie Ward handed off to William Floyd. As Floyd went airborne and surged for the endzone he was met head on by Wright dislodging the football from Floyd’s grasp. Although Nebraska recovered the loose ball, Florida State was awarded a touchdown on the play. Television replays indicated Floyd appeared to fumble prior to breaking the plane of the goal line. Was it a bad call, bad luck or the unseen hands of fate?
After a frantic final few minutes Florida State won the game 18-16 as Byron Bennett’s last second field goal sailed left. It was certainly a hard luck ending to Toby’s Nebraska career. During the 1993 season Wright had 79 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He was also named Honorable mention All Big-8 and made one publication’s All-Bowl team following his Orange Bowl performance. In April of 1994 he was drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams with the 49th pick.
1994 also saw the arrival of Grant Wistrom to Lincoln. Grant made an immediate impact at Nebraska and was one of only two true freshmen to letter. Playing in every game as a reserve outside linebacker he finished with 36 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Grant was also selected as the Newcomer of the Year by the Big Eight conference. Nebraska finished the regular season undefeated and ranked #1. This created a match up with Miami in the Orange Bowl and another shot for a Nebraska national championship. Grant had three tackles and a tackle for loss late in fourth quarter and Nebraska took care of Miami 24-17 and secured its first national title since 1971. So just one year after Wright’s heartache, Grant was celebrating a national championship on the same field. Here we see the randomness of life demonstrated by Toby’s bad timing and Wistrom’s good fortune. It would not be the first time.
Wistrom would finish his Husker career by winning two more national championships in 1995 and 1997. His Nebraska teams compiled an incredible 49-2 record. Grant’s career totals include 206 total tackles, 26.5 sacks for -178 yards, one interception, three passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. As a senior he was a unanimous All-American and a First-Team All-Big 12 Conference selection. He was also the recipient of the Lombardi Award, given to nation's top collegiate lineman. The St. Louis Rams made Wistrom the 6th pick of the first round in the 1998 NFL draft.
While Grant Wistrom was completing his illustrious career at Nebraska, Toby Wright was beginning his NFL career with the Rams. As a rookie in 1994 he played 16 games and made two starts. He finished second on the team in special teams tackles with 18. In 1995 the L.A. Rams moved to St. Louis and Wright had his best year as a pro. He led Rams’ defensive backs with a career-high 126 tackles (100 solo), which was a club record for tackles by a DB. He also tied for fourth in the NFC and fifth in the NFL with six interceptions. His performance earned him a spot as a Pro Bowl Alternate.
In 1996 Wright ended the season ranked fifth on the club with 79 tackles despite being limited to only 12 games due to a shoulder injury. Toby also defended nine passes, forced a fumble and returned his only interception of the year 19 yards for a touchdown. During the 1997 season, Wright played and started 11 games. He finished the year with 92 tackles after missing the first three games with a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason. Toby also missed the final two games of the 1997 season with a right knee injury sustained on the very last play of a game at New Orleans. Injuries can be considered the worst type of luck. They are incidental in nature and cannot be controlled.
The paths of our two players crossed for the first time in 1998 as both were members of the St. Louis Rams. Wistrom played in 13 games that season on both defense and on special teams as a rookie. He finished the season with 30 tackles, three sacks, one fumble recovery, and five special teams tackles. He was also named the Rams’ Defensive Rookie of the Year by the coaches. Wright, on the other hand, played in just three games while trying to recover from reconstructive knee surgery from the previous season. The Rams finished the season 4-12.
Prior to the 1999 season Wright’s knee continued to bother him. When it failed to respond, he was eventually cut by the Rams in a salary cap move before training camp. During his tenure with the Rams, the team compiled a combined record of 26 wins and 54 losses. Wright was picked up by the Redskins but appeared in only one game in 1999. Wistrom, by contrast, started all 16 regular season and three playoff games during the 1999 season. He was selected to 1999 All-Madden team while setting career highs in tackles (60), sacks (6.5), interceptions (two), interception returns for touchdown (two), passes defensed (two), and tied a career high with one fumble recovery. The 1999 Rams rode their offense nicknamed, “The Greatest Show on Turf” all the way to the Super Bowl against the Tennessee Titans.
So in the year in which he is cut Toby Wright is forced to watch his Rams from home in what many consider at the time to be the greatest Super Bowl ever. To further the insult, the game included goal line dramatics reminiscent of those Wright had been involved in during the 1994 Orange Bowl. Trailing by seven, Tennessee mounted a desperate, last-minute drive, reaching the St. Louis 10-yard line with six seconds left and no timeouts. Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair threw to Kevin Dyson on a slant. Dyson caught the pass at the 3 but was tackled by Mike Jones just eighteen inches shy of the goal line, ending the game and giving the Rams their first Super Bowl victory. Eighteen inches or an apparent fumble here a salary cap move there. The power of the luck effect is evident again as Wright’s bad timing is overshadowed only by Wistrom’s good fortune.
By 2000 Toby Wright was out of the NFL because of injuries. He finished his NFL career with 304 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 interceptions and 3 touchdowns. In 2001 Toby was drafted by the Las Vegas Outlaws of the short-lived XFL. During the lone XFL season he was traded to the San Francisco Demons who eventually made it the league’s championship game. As luck would have it Wright and the Demons lost to the Los Angeles Xtreme 38-6. That made three championship game appearances for Wright and no victories.
While injuries cut Wright’s career short, Wistrom has enjoyed a successful eight year NFL career. In 2004 he was signed by the Seattle Seahawks and in typical Wistrom fashion he wound up in the Super Bowl again in 2005. Unfortunately this time Grant Wistrom’s luck finally ran out as the Seahawks fell to the Steelers.
It is impossible to examine the careers of these two athletes and not see the role that has been played by luck. I mean honestly, did Wistrom work harder? Was his passion more evident or his persistence more deserving? I doubt it. Luck doesn’t care about any of that. Luck works independently of the laws of probability; it shuns the notion of predictability and is influenced solely by the randomness of life. There is an amazing quote in the Woody Allen movie “Match Point” that illustrates the impact of luck:
“The man who said ‘I’d rather be lucky than good’ saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It’s scary to think so much is out of one’s control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward and you win. Or maybe it doesn’t and you lose.”
Already Gone
Harrison Beck’s career as a Husker has now officially come to an end. This is a sad ending to a once happy tale. Beck was the kid who carried a Nebraska lunch box in high school and helped recruit several players who would later join that much revered 2005 class. During the recruiting process Beck was quoted as saying:
Beck’s Husker career was anything but magical. His final stat line looks like this:
Beck’s lone completion was a 21-yard strike to Nate Swift to set up last season’s game-winning field goal against Kansas State. His heroics in that game left him just 29 come-from-behind wins shy of his hero Brett Favre.
When his development seemed too slow, many people questioned Harrison’s focus for football. When he wasn’t holding clipboards, one of Harrison’s other passions was music. Thanks to the magic of google cache we can catch a glimpse of his band’s myspace page. Unfortunately the music player is not working denying us the sounds of what can only be described as…screaming. Horrible…awful…screaming from Harrison on vocals. You can also see this quote from his bandmates:
Overall, Beck’s departure leaves me feeling as sad and empty as his official website. It clearly was designed to amass all of his honors and accomplishments. Many Nebraskans were guilty of filling that space with unrealistic expectations. Expectations that in the end, were easier to run from than to face head-on.
"I'm not going to let any of this get to my head," Beck said. "I'm the same guy. I still hang with the same friends, still do the same things. I know the attention won't last for long. But it is fun."It sounds like in this case, the attention outlasted the fun.
Beck’s Husker career was anything but magical. His final stat line looks like this:
Games: 2
Attempts: 10
Completions: 1
Percentage: 10%
INT: 1
YDS: 21
YDS/ATT: 2.1
TD: 0
RATING: 7.6
Beck’s lone completion was a 21-yard strike to Nate Swift to set up last season’s game-winning field goal against Kansas State. His heroics in that game left him just 29 come-from-behind wins shy of his hero Brett Favre.
When his development seemed too slow, many people questioned Harrison’s focus for football. When he wasn’t holding clipboards, one of Harrison’s other passions was music. Thanks to the magic of google cache we can catch a glimpse of his band’s myspace page. Unfortunately the music player is not working denying us the sounds of what can only be described as…screaming. Horrible…awful…screaming from Harrison on vocals. You can also see this quote from his bandmates:
“HARRISON IS NOT THE BAND, HE IS IN THE BAND. EVERYBODY IN THIS BAND IS AS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD NOT ELEVATE HARRISON TO BEING THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS BAND”.This is what he dealt with even when trying to enjoy his hobbies. He was bigger than his band and perhaps even bigger than his team. His mom thought so, maybe he thought so. But didn’t we think so too? Did any of us truly think he would sit for two years behind Zac Taylor?
Overall, Beck’s departure leaves me feeling as sad and empty as his official website. It clearly was designed to amass all of his honors and accomplishments. Many Nebraskans were guilty of filling that space with unrealistic expectations. Expectations that in the end, were easier to run from than to face head-on.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Spoke too soon...
As you’ve no doubt heard by now - the once immature, then more mature and now immature again, Harrison Beck - went AWOL and missed practice Saturday.
To make matters worse, Beck's mother then did a spot on impression of Kurt Warner's wife with these comments to the Lincoln Journal Star.
Sipple then fired-back at those accusations in his blog (scroll down a few entries).
Coach Callahan confirmed that Beck missed practice again on Sunday and indicated that he had not spoken yet with the quarterback. This should probably serve as evidence that Harrison’s days in Lincoln might be numbered.
As proof that things could always be worse - cornerback Zackary Bowman tore his ACL and is out for the season. This means that Courtney Grixby must step-up his game and the learning curve for junior-college transfer Andre Jones just got much steeper. The injury also depletes an already thin cornerback position and highlights the need for Ricky Thenarse to get his academics in order and make it to Lincoln...like yesterday.
Oh, and tight end Ryan Hill picked the worst time ever to commit to the Huskers for 2007. Welcome aboard Ryan. Please check your drama at the door and be sure pack an extra set of knee ligaments.
To make matters worse, Beck's mother then did a spot on impression of Kurt Warner's wife with these comments to the Lincoln Journal Star.
“It’d be different if (Beck) was sitting behind Matt Leinart or Brady Quinn,” Evelyn Beck-Bothwell said. “Zac’s OK; I wish him all the best, but he’s just OK. The bottom line is, my son isn’t learning anything. He’s just on his own. If he got more time and attention from the coaches, he would be ahead of (Taylor). That’s just my opinion, but I’m his mother.”The soap opera continued as message board speculation insinuated that Mrs. Beck-Bothwell believed she was speaking off-the-record when making her comments to Steve Sipple.
Sipple then fired-back at those accusations in his blog (scroll down a few entries).
Coach Callahan confirmed that Beck missed practice again on Sunday and indicated that he had not spoken yet with the quarterback. This should probably serve as evidence that Harrison’s days in Lincoln might be numbered.
As proof that things could always be worse - cornerback Zackary Bowman tore his ACL and is out for the season. This means that Courtney Grixby must step-up his game and the learning curve for junior-college transfer Andre Jones just got much steeper. The injury also depletes an already thin cornerback position and highlights the need for Ricky Thenarse to get his academics in order and make it to Lincoln...like yesterday.
Oh, and tight end Ryan Hill picked the worst time ever to commit to the Huskers for 2007. Welcome aboard Ryan. Please check your drama at the door and be sure pack an extra set of knee ligaments.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Fall Camp - Day 1
•The Huskers are apparently more comfortable as they open their third season under Coach Callahan.
•Stewart Bradley’s hair was the major focus of the press conference…and for good reason. It's coif-ilicious. Look at that body, look at that bounce, and the texture is fabulous. It’s a shame he has to wear a helmet. If Dick Butkus were dead he’d surely be spinning in his grave.
•Harrison Beck has a new attitude to go along with a new physique this Fall. Ahh, the magic ofmaturity selective reporting?
•The running backs are hoping to improve their protection of Zac Taylor. My favorite quote is this "Maddenism" from Marlon Lucky: “If you let (the defenders) go, and they get to the quarterback, that’s not good.” Nope. See, football is a game of inches and profound insights.
•If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor and check out Everyday Should Be Saturday’s (from now on abbreviated as EDSBS) piece on white wide receivers. So is Todd Peterson “gritty” or is it his “deceptive speed” that makes him so dangerous?
•Finally, Burnt Orange Nation is your one-stop-shop for all of your Rhett Bomar humor, including Oklahoma's new logo. Is there some sort of rivalry between UT and OU that I should be aware of?
•Stewart Bradley’s hair was the major focus of the press conference…and for good reason. It's coif-ilicious. Look at that body, look at that bounce, and the texture is fabulous. It’s a shame he has to wear a helmet. If Dick Butkus were dead he’d surely be spinning in his grave.
•Harrison Beck has a new attitude to go along with a new physique this Fall. Ahh, the magic of
•The running backs are hoping to improve their protection of Zac Taylor. My favorite quote is this "Maddenism" from Marlon Lucky: “If you let (the defenders) go, and they get to the quarterback, that’s not good.” Nope. See, football is a game of inches and profound insights.
•If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favor and check out Everyday Should Be Saturday’s (from now on abbreviated as EDSBS) piece on white wide receivers. So is Todd Peterson “gritty” or is it his “deceptive speed” that makes him so dangerous?
•Finally, Burnt Orange Nation is your one-stop-shop for all of your Rhett Bomar humor, including Oklahoma's new logo. Is there some sort of rivalry between UT and OU that I should be aware of?
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Thug U?
Bill Callahan recently reinstated the scholarship of Major Culbert, a defensive back recruit who had been accused of sexual assault while on a recruiting visit to Oregon. In clearing Culbert to play, Callahan has perhaps revived the image of Nebraska as “Thug U". This was evident as message boards across the country lit up with anti-Nebraska sentiment and posters once again questioned our apparent “win-at-all costs” mentality.
In this post I thought I would do the dirty work for our critics and discuss some the biggest criminals ever to wear the Scarlet and Cream. I guess you could look at this as analogous to Eminem’s battle-rap finale in 8 mile. In that last battle B-Rabbit admits his faults and acknowledges his white trash roots with lines like: “I am white, I am an eff’n bum, I do live in a trailer with my mom.” By using this strategy Rabbit steals the ammunition of his opponent, rendering him speechless and defeated.
So this post is going to be just like that scene…sans Mekhi Phifer on the “ones and twos”. Oh and I also won’t be rapping, or rhyming for that matter. But other than that,it will be just like 8 mile.
So who are the Big Red’s biggest thugs?
Johnny Rodgers: “Johnny the Jet” is our “O.G. – Original Gangsta”. Early in his playing days, Rodgers was arrested for his role in a gas station robbery. Rodgers has since said the following about the event: "We robbed a gas station as a prank. We didn't have any weapons or anything like that. We could have got ourselves killed if he'd had a gun, for eighty darned dollars." Some have said that friendly relationships between Bob Devaney and important members of the criminal justice system kept this story from receiving more publicity at the time. But whatever the reason, it is doubtful that in today’s era, a player could recover from this type of incident and go on to win the Heisman trophy.
Lawrence Phillips: If I had decided to rank order this list, Phillips would no doubt garner the top spot. He has a criminal record that reads like a Tolstoy novel. His rap sheet has more entries than a “catch the greased altar boy” contest at a Catholic priest convention. It’s hard for us to forget Phillips’ transgressions as we are reminded of them at every opportunity by sportswriters and opposing fans alike. One of the most dreaded phrases for every Husker fan has surely become, “Former Nebraska football player Lawrence Phillips…” I suppose our only consolation in the L.P. saga lies in recognizing that at least he isn’t Rae Carruth.
Christian Peter: First off, Christian deserves special recognition for being accused of raping the same woman on back-to-back days. However, in addition, to the sexual assault allegations, Peter was arrested a total of eight times, and convicted four times while a Husker. The charges included threatening to kill a parking attendant, trespassing, public urination, refusing to comply with police, illegal possession of alcohol, failure to appear in court, and grabbing a woman by the throat. Christ, who knew all of that was even possible in a five-year college career. Maybe the race to decide Nebraska’s thuggiest thug whoever thugged, is closer than I expected.
Riley Washington: Washington played during the 1995 season despite being charged with attempted second-degree murder after allegedly shooting and wounding a man outside of a Lincoln convenience store. Coach Osborne stated that he believed that it was a case of mistaken identity and that Washington was innocent of the charges. Osborne said, "I realize that the prosecution feels that they have a strong case, however, I have not been privy to all of their information, and all I can do is act on the facts I have been presented." Washington left the team in 1996 and was later acquitted of these charges in 1997. By that time, however, the damage to his reputation and to the character of the university was already done.
Tyrone Williams: In 1994 Williams was charged with firing into an occupied vehicle. He later pleaded no contest to these charges and was convicted of a felony charge of unlawfully discharging a gun and a misdemeanor assault charge while a rookie with the Green Bay Packers. Williams was sentenced to six months in jail and also ordered to serve three years of probation and perform 400 hours of unpaid community service. In addition, in 2002 Williams’ wife peppered sprayed him and he also suffered a cut during a domestic disturbance.
Abdul Muhammad: Considering Muhammad was “straight outta Compton”, perhaps we should have known what we were getting into. He played at least part of his career with a bullet lodged in his ass after being the victim of a drive-by shooting. In another example of his “wrong place at the wrong time” tendencies, Muhammad was also a witness in the Riley Washington case. If that wasn’t enough, he is also shown displaying an apparent gang sign on one season’s schedule poster and after his career, in 2003 he pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon while living in Omaha.
Terrell Farley: Terrell Farley was like Nebraska’s own version of Chuck Norris, he was just that good. I mean, “Terrell Farley has two speeds: Walk and Kill” and “Terrell Farley is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Terrell Farley.” Despite this prowess, however, Farley could not avoid trouble while a Husker. He was suspended for the first two games of 1996 after pleading guilty to charges following a drunk-driving arrest. Farley was contrite when Osborne reinstated him, saying, "It isn't going to happen again. I'm getting back to business." Unfortunately just prior to the Big 12 Championship Game against Texas, Farley was charged with seven misdemeanors following another arrest, this time for suspicion of drunken driving and resisting arrest. Osborne suspended him again, this time ending Farley's career at Nebraska.
Broderick Thomas: As my family can attest “The Sandman” was one of my favorite players while growing up and it hurts me to have to add him to the list. Broderick is a good example of the notion that it should be easy to avoid trouble while in Lincoln. His pro career, however, is a different story. Broderick’s five seasons in Tampa Bay were marred by an altercation at a nightclub in which an Air Force staff sergeant shot Thomas twice. Doctors removed only one bullet and the other remains lodged in his right shoulder. There was also the year in Detroit in 1994 in which he led the Lions in sacks and was called a positive influence by then coach Wayne Fontes. And then came the 1995 season in Minnesota, in which he was arrested twice for illegally carrying a handgun and was generally run out of town. The only good news is that while at Nebraska when Broderick referred to “our house” he wasn’t talking about the “big house”.
Josh Brown: I guess you should know you are in trouble when this list includes a kicker. I mean how hardcore is your team, when the kicker is a bad ass? I don’t remember all of the details, but Brown apparently served 23 days in jail after fighting with his ex’s new boyfriend and allegedly assaulting her as well. Given his company on this list, Brown almost seems angelic by comparison. Which I suppose is a lot like being the valedictorian of summer school.
Shevin Wiggins: Shevin was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA in 1999. Unfortunately, Wiggins missed the extra year of eligibility after being suspended from the team. His suspension occurred after he was accused of fondling two 14-year-old girls. The charges were later reduced to contributing to the delinquency of a minor. However, Wiggins’ charges offer more evidence that the “N” on our helmets definitely does not stand for N.O.W.
Well there is the list and it is impressive. But I don't mean impressive in a good way. Trust me I'm as big a fan as there is and I'm a believer in second chances and in some cases third chances. However, I feel it never hurts to attempt to understand where the criticism of our program stems from. We have had our fair share of thugs, as have many programs. But there's no reason for our scarlet colored glasses to serve as blinders and by admitting our shortcomings perhaps we can eliminate some of the sting when they are pointed out by others.
Or as B-Rabbit closed his final rhyme: "Here, tell these people something they don't know about me."
In this post I thought I would do the dirty work for our critics and discuss some the biggest criminals ever to wear the Scarlet and Cream. I guess you could look at this as analogous to Eminem’s battle-rap finale in 8 mile. In that last battle B-Rabbit admits his faults and acknowledges his white trash roots with lines like: “I am white, I am an eff’n bum, I do live in a trailer with my mom.” By using this strategy Rabbit steals the ammunition of his opponent, rendering him speechless and defeated.
So this post is going to be just like that scene…sans Mekhi Phifer on the “ones and twos”. Oh and I also won’t be rapping, or rhyming for that matter. But other than that,it will be just like 8 mile.
So who are the Big Red’s biggest thugs?
Johnny Rodgers: “Johnny the Jet” is our “O.G. – Original Gangsta”. Early in his playing days, Rodgers was arrested for his role in a gas station robbery. Rodgers has since said the following about the event: "We robbed a gas station as a prank. We didn't have any weapons or anything like that. We could have got ourselves killed if he'd had a gun, for eighty darned dollars." Some have said that friendly relationships between Bob Devaney and important members of the criminal justice system kept this story from receiving more publicity at the time. But whatever the reason, it is doubtful that in today’s era, a player could recover from this type of incident and go on to win the Heisman trophy.
Lawrence Phillips: If I had decided to rank order this list, Phillips would no doubt garner the top spot. He has a criminal record that reads like a Tolstoy novel. His rap sheet has more entries than a “catch the greased altar boy” contest at a Catholic priest convention. It’s hard for us to forget Phillips’ transgressions as we are reminded of them at every opportunity by sportswriters and opposing fans alike. One of the most dreaded phrases for every Husker fan has surely become, “Former Nebraska football player Lawrence Phillips…” I suppose our only consolation in the L.P. saga lies in recognizing that at least he isn’t Rae Carruth.
Christian Peter: First off, Christian deserves special recognition for being accused of raping the same woman on back-to-back days. However, in addition, to the sexual assault allegations, Peter was arrested a total of eight times, and convicted four times while a Husker. The charges included threatening to kill a parking attendant, trespassing, public urination, refusing to comply with police, illegal possession of alcohol, failure to appear in court, and grabbing a woman by the throat. Christ, who knew all of that was even possible in a five-year college career. Maybe the race to decide Nebraska’s thuggiest thug whoever thugged, is closer than I expected.
Riley Washington: Washington played during the 1995 season despite being charged with attempted second-degree murder after allegedly shooting and wounding a man outside of a Lincoln convenience store. Coach Osborne stated that he believed that it was a case of mistaken identity and that Washington was innocent of the charges. Osborne said, "I realize that the prosecution feels that they have a strong case, however, I have not been privy to all of their information, and all I can do is act on the facts I have been presented." Washington left the team in 1996 and was later acquitted of these charges in 1997. By that time, however, the damage to his reputation and to the character of the university was already done.
Tyrone Williams: In 1994 Williams was charged with firing into an occupied vehicle. He later pleaded no contest to these charges and was convicted of a felony charge of unlawfully discharging a gun and a misdemeanor assault charge while a rookie with the Green Bay Packers. Williams was sentenced to six months in jail and also ordered to serve three years of probation and perform 400 hours of unpaid community service. In addition, in 2002 Williams’ wife peppered sprayed him and he also suffered a cut during a domestic disturbance.
Abdul Muhammad: Considering Muhammad was “straight outta Compton”, perhaps we should have known what we were getting into. He played at least part of his career with a bullet lodged in his ass after being the victim of a drive-by shooting. In another example of his “wrong place at the wrong time” tendencies, Muhammad was also a witness in the Riley Washington case. If that wasn’t enough, he is also shown displaying an apparent gang sign on one season’s schedule poster and after his career, in 2003 he pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a deadly weapon while living in Omaha.
Terrell Farley: Terrell Farley was like Nebraska’s own version of Chuck Norris, he was just that good. I mean, “Terrell Farley has two speeds: Walk and Kill” and “Terrell Farley is not hung like a horse... horses are hung like Terrell Farley.” Despite this prowess, however, Farley could not avoid trouble while a Husker. He was suspended for the first two games of 1996 after pleading guilty to charges following a drunk-driving arrest. Farley was contrite when Osborne reinstated him, saying, "It isn't going to happen again. I'm getting back to business." Unfortunately just prior to the Big 12 Championship Game against Texas, Farley was charged with seven misdemeanors following another arrest, this time for suspicion of drunken driving and resisting arrest. Osborne suspended him again, this time ending Farley's career at Nebraska.
Broderick Thomas: As my family can attest “The Sandman” was one of my favorite players while growing up and it hurts me to have to add him to the list. Broderick is a good example of the notion that it should be easy to avoid trouble while in Lincoln. His pro career, however, is a different story. Broderick’s five seasons in Tampa Bay were marred by an altercation at a nightclub in which an Air Force staff sergeant shot Thomas twice. Doctors removed only one bullet and the other remains lodged in his right shoulder. There was also the year in Detroit in 1994 in which he led the Lions in sacks and was called a positive influence by then coach Wayne Fontes. And then came the 1995 season in Minnesota, in which he was arrested twice for illegally carrying a handgun and was generally run out of town. The only good news is that while at Nebraska when Broderick referred to “our house” he wasn’t talking about the “big house”.
Josh Brown: I guess you should know you are in trouble when this list includes a kicker. I mean how hardcore is your team, when the kicker is a bad ass? I don’t remember all of the details, but Brown apparently served 23 days in jail after fighting with his ex’s new boyfriend and allegedly assaulting her as well. Given his company on this list, Brown almost seems angelic by comparison. Which I suppose is a lot like being the valedictorian of summer school.
Shevin Wiggins: Shevin was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA in 1999. Unfortunately, Wiggins missed the extra year of eligibility after being suspended from the team. His suspension occurred after he was accused of fondling two 14-year-old girls. The charges were later reduced to contributing to the delinquency of a minor. However, Wiggins’ charges offer more evidence that the “N” on our helmets definitely does not stand for N.O.W.
Well there is the list and it is impressive. But I don't mean impressive in a good way. Trust me I'm as big a fan as there is and I'm a believer in second chances and in some cases third chances. However, I feel it never hurts to attempt to understand where the criticism of our program stems from. We have had our fair share of thugs, as have many programs. But there's no reason for our scarlet colored glasses to serve as blinders and by admitting our shortcomings perhaps we can eliminate some of the sting when they are pointed out by others.
Or as B-Rabbit closed his final rhyme: "Here, tell these people something they don't know about me."
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
My Preseason Top 25
I figure the night before the first day of Fall Camp is the perfect time to finally release my preseason Top 25. While everyone else rushed to get theirs' out, I sat back and, um...drank. So now Phil Steele is wishing for a mulligan, while my rankings benefit from and reflect the Rhett Bomar news.
- Ohio State
- Notre Dame
- USC
- Auburn
- Texas
- Florida
- West Virginia
- LSU
- Louisville
- FSU
- Miami
- Georgia
- California
- Penn State
- Virginia Tech
- Iowa
- Nebraska
- Clemson
- Texas Tech
- Tennessee
- Oklahoma
- Michigan
- Arizona State
- TCU
- Alabama
I can't say there are many surprises and it pained me to no end to place Ohio State and Notre Dame at the top. My only joy, therefore, will come in watching one, if not both of those teams choke. It should also be interesting to watch teams like West Virginia, Louisville and California attempt to solidify their place among the elite, while perhaps losing their coaches in the process.
As for Nebraska, I think this is where we belong right now. I've never been a proponent of the idea that momentum carries over from one year to the next, but in this case it impacted where I placed us. When I look at the teams around Nebraska in these rankings I can't help but think, "yeah, that seems about like us". I think that I would be very happy finishing anywhere in the Top 15 and a Top 10 finish would be ideal.
I plan on comparing these rankings to the final ones come January. Until then let me know what you think or put your own Top 10 in the comments.
Taking the Field
Ok, so I've decided to start a second blog due to my varied interests. This one will cover college football, with a specific focus on the Huskers (because clearly there is not enough coverage of both on the Web already). In other words, my friends and family now have to bookmark two sites to keep up with my incessant ramblings.
In addition, if you thought the birth of this site and the opening of Fall practices were a clever coincidence...you would be right. I'm hoping Fall camp provides sufficient "grist for the mill'' to keep this thing going.
Subscribe to:
Comment Feed (RSS)
Posts
