Q: Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe declined a trip Lincoln to present your team with the Big 12 North...

Q: Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe declined a trip Lincoln to present your team with the Big 12 North Division trophy because of vile messages and death threats. What was your reaction to that?

A: I was disappointed. If he did get death threats, I was disappointed that someone would be that exercised. And secondly, a little bit disappointed that it was a matter of public information because most anybody who has been in coaching for any length of time or a political figure has had some pretty serious threats. I've had a great number of death threats during my time as a coach, and most of them just got thrown in the waste basket, unless someone had a particular method that they mentioned or a time and place sometimes we'd turn in over to campus police. Usually it's somebody who lost a bet or was mad at the world.

Q: This was unfortunate because it reflected, however small, a segment of the fan base?

A: Yeah, and I think if you listen to opposing coaches and fans that come in here, this is probably one of the more well mannered fan bases in the world. The hospitality is good, the people are knowledgeable and understand good football when they see it. So I was really disappointed in that.

Comments

And the Tom Osborne haters from other Big 12 schools will arrive in 3...2...1...

by Wolvie on Mar 30, 2011 9:37 PM CDT reply actions

My favorite part of the interview

Q: The William Jennings Bryan quote (“Destiny is Not a Matter of Chance. It is a Matter of Choice”) on the outside of the building, how was that chosen?

A: I wasn’t the one who chose it. I think that was the previous athletic director, Steve Pederson. This building was not built while I was here. I was in Congress at the time.

Q: How do you feel about the quote?

A: It’s something that has never resonated with me all that much.

Just feel the ice in those words. Feel it.

by Cheeseandcorn on Mar 30, 2011 10:36 PM CDT reply actions

Tom is a gentleman.

But damn, underneath that polite exterior is a core of hardened, ice-cold steel.

"Wer viel Bier trinkt, schläft gut. Wer gut schläft, sündigt nicht. Und wer nicht sündigt, kommt in den Himmel!" Martin Luther

by Go Big Rev on Mar 30, 2011 10:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Fo sho.

He has his coach-speak like everyone else, then he has his sense of humor(which is quite underrated,as you know, I’m sure) that let us know that, yes, he is in fact human.

I'm your huckleberry.

by Brizzle T on Mar 31, 2011 2:09 AM CDT up reply actions

Cold, Dr. tom

So, no Osborne Christmas card for the Pedersens again this year, huh?

by Ricky Smith on Mar 31, 2011 5:21 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Which is kind of sad, actually,

given that Steve Pederson had a long and mainly good history at Nebraska prior to coming back as AD. When they hired him, I was actually excited for the first few months. Always sucks when one of your own "turns’ on you.

"Wer viel Bier trinkt, schläft gut. Wer gut schläft, sündigt nicht. Und wer nicht sündigt, kommt in den Himmel!" Martin Luther

by Go Big Rev on Mar 31, 2011 8:40 AM CDT up reply actions