Summer of Tom
by Ricky Smith on Aug 13, 2011 8:03 AM CDT
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PrintI make no bones about my respect for Tom Osborne. That, in and of itself, is a post worthy for if/when he retires and if/when Paul Meyers, Trev Alberts, and NOT Dave Rimington takes over the helm. (FWIW, my money is on Meyers)
The man is a legendary coach, a visionary as A.D., blah blah blah, but what amazes me about him is this:
His patience.
When fans were clamoring for his resignation, he calmly went about his business and slowly changed (some would say too slowly) the way he did things. He patiently started tweaking his offense and he started recruiting the type of athletes (on both sides of the ball) that he knew would bring success. The result: countless more conference titles and, oh yeah, a few national titles as well.
When the Big XII was formed, Osborne was the lone wolf in his dissension of the league becoming Texas-centric. He didn't like the fact that Texas was changing the rules for qualifiers. He didn't like that the offices were moving to Dallas. And, when he became athletic director, he didn't like that the championship game wouldn't rotate to Arrowhead once in awhile.
Lone. Wolf.
Did he threaten to leave the conference? Not that we know of, although I can't imagine he threw tantrums at conference meetings in Kansas City. That would've been kind of funny, wouldn't it? I digress.
What he did was bide his time. For over 15 years, he bided his time and waited for an opportunity. Granted, he did that whole Congress/run for governor thing, but that ruins my point. When the time was right and the landscape was about to make a seismic shift, it seemed as though his conversations with Delany were those of a shrewd car buyer who really REALLY wants that new BMW, but doesn't want the salesperson (Delany) to know it. Even though the salesperson knows that he (T.O.) knows. OK, even I'm confusing myself here.
He patiently listened to the B1G, the B1G listened to T.O. and both are now in a much better place.
Now, Kansas, K-State, Iowa State, etc. are sweating bullets. They trusted Texas, took their pittance and thumb their noses at Nebraska. This morning, you can be DAMN sure that they're making phone calls. Well, maybe not Baylor. I just kind of imagine them eating glue in the corner.
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Yep
Cannot tell you how much easier it is to watch this whole thing when you don’t have to white knuckle whether you and Boise State were going to be “headlinging” the new and improved Great Plains conference.
I think many of our former Big Eight friends...
…have resigned themselves to a fate of, we’re Texas’ b*ch, and we like it. Missouri is probably the most jumpy, as they’ve obsessed about the B1G for years. Kansas, K-State, and Iowa State are just happy to not be in the Mountain West.
The one I don’t understand is Oklahoma, who just sits there, perfectly content to sit there at Texas’ feet.
by Husker Mike on Aug 13, 2011 8:57 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
A few of the folks from other former Big 8 schools at EDSBS
are basically aware they just didn’t have the chance Nebraska had, and one of them summed it all up the other day when he said “I don’t blame you for going one bit – I just wish you weren’t so damned gleeful about it.”
I can’t figure Oklahoma either. I know that UT-OU has always been a lot more important than anyone in NE realized, but man, why would you pay this price?
"I have never been noticeably reticent about talking on subjects about which I know nothing." Prince Phillip
OU Hangs It's Hat on The Red River Shootout
It is a lot older than the NE/OU series and features a level of tradition that OU seems determined to ride right off a cliff. Nebraska fans view the OU matchup as a treasured rivalry, but to OU it was a good but relatively short era that never was as big a deal as the Red River Rivalry. Unfortunately, UT, the flagship university of the “let’s secede” state, clearly cares only about itself.
And given the way all the Big 8 brethren ran into the arms of UT it would seem NE was deluding itself about the level of collegiality in the old conference. I agree with Shatels article that the other 7 likely saw the Big 12 as a way to bring Nebraska ’ the bully ’ down, and now they have to live with it.
"What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as true today may turn out to be falsehood tomorrow, mere smoke of opinion." Thoreau
by UltimaRatioRegum on Aug 13, 2011 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions
And who was that fan, a fan of?
I’m going to guess Missouri, possibly Kansas.
In reading around a bit this weekend, OU has been positive towards Nebraska. In fact, many (by no means all) are hoping to land in the B1G and renew our conference relationship. Missouri is somewhat neutral, and sounds very much like the “we understand why you left, we want out too…we’re just mad you took the spot we wanted”.
KSU? Nothing but venom towards A&M and Nebraska. It’s to the point they’re the one school I actually hope twists in the wind when all this is done. Unlikely, because I do think ultimately Kansas lands in an AQ conference because of their basketball, and KSU will get to come along for a ride. But…damn.
What really got me from mild amusement reading their unmitigated hatred of Nebraska, was the assertion that A&M “can not” and “will never” compete in the SEC. Excuse me? Who the F are you to say that about another school? You’re KSU. Kansas Freaking State.
Over the next sixty years, Kansas State would experience very little success on the football field. From 1935 to 1988, Kansas State would have only four winning seasons.
Typical of this era was a 28-game losing streak from 1945–1948 (second longest in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history), additional losing streaks of 18 and 17 games in the 1960s, and being outscored 188-0 by Kansas from 1960 to 1965.
That’s KSU, and the epitome of “can not” and “will never” compete. And guess what, they’re competing now. Got a decent coach (despite any Nebraskan’s feeling about him, you can’t deny Snyder built a never-was into a relevant team), and started winning. So for them to turn around and claim that the Wrecking Crew will never compete in the SEC is ridiculous. It just REALLY rubbed me the wrong way. Let ’em rot.
hard to figure?
UT and their networks said “Hang with us, and we’ll keep you in diamonds”…and OU believed it
(I’m an OU Fan)
"Summer Of Tom" Indeed. Strong With The Force He Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QX9tZ5hiiw&feature=related
Paddle faster, I hear banjos!!
Tom is the Man
He kept the program always going in the right direction and fielded some of the most elite teams in college history. He saved the program from Pederson, The Pittsburgh Infiltrator and Destroyer. And he set up our future with the move away from the imploding Big XII. His contributions to the program are legendary and will never be forgotten. Perhaps him not becoming Governor was divine intervention? If he became Governor, he would most likely be a senator right now and be in Washington.
The more I read about Tom, the more I like him, but...
…it is a stretch to paint him as orchestrating Nebraska’s move to the Big Ten.
From an old link on Corn Nation, a lot of bizarre circumstances went into that move.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100830/BIGRED/708309872
Hey Dr. Tom
think you can hook a brother up with yo Big10 daddies?
-signed…University of Oklahoma fan
if we take you , does Oklahoma state have to come too?
Ohio State might not like another OSU in the conference //kidding
by LincolnParkWildcat on Aug 13, 2011 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions
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