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Corn Flakes: Conditions Are Right For An Explosion

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

I'd like you to recall last year around this timeframe when some guy some where posted a comment on Facebook that he had inside knowledge that Bo Pelini would be fired after the Iowa game and that the decision had already been made. It got picked up, spread across social media like wildfire despite the fact that it was complete bullshit.

The conditions are right for it to happen again.

You have a fanbase that's very passionate, while at the same time very divided. You might as well place some oily rags in a hot garage next to a loosely fitted can of gasoline. All you need is a flashpoint to make an explosion.

That flashpoint can be easily written. All it takes is for someone to write a short piece that includes some truths mixed in with some made up bullshit that people want to believe. For example, were I to tell you I have inside information that Shawn Eichorst already has a list of names that he'd consider as Nebraska's head coach, you'd probably believe it.

Fact is, you should believe it because Eichorst should always have a list of names that he'd consider because he should always have a plan in place. That would be good contingency planning.

Next, I'd tell you that Scott Frost is on that list because you'd believe it because of his Nebraska ties. That I'd given you something you'd believe makes everything else I'm going to tell you more believable despite the fact that Frost has never been a head coach, a frequent complaint against Bo Pelini.

I'd mention angry rich boosters (or rich angry boosters, take your pick) because you always have to mention them, and I'd probably throw in something about Tom Osborne because the mere mention of his name carries credibility. Let's go with something along the lines of  "Tom Osborne isn't happy with Bo Pelini" here, then include "You'll notice that Osborne hasn't said anything about Pelini lately...", even though Osborne has plenty of other things going on his life that don't include the Nebraska Athletic Department. Things like... oh, being part of the first College Football Playoff Committee in history.

If you're a Bo-hater, I've just given you a whole gob of candy. You could poop yourself over the content. You share it with everyone you know.

Face facts. Shawn Eichorst isn't going to fire a coach right now because you want him to. And he's not going to fire a coach who goes 10-2, given Pelini wins his next two games. Crowdsourcing having a "Fire Bo" banner flown over the stadium this Saturday is a bad look (I'm not linking to that), mostly because it's Senior Day, but also it makes you look cheap.

Did I mention the social media conditions are right for this to happen again?

I did? Good. Because it will, and it will explode all over the place because we love being angry about something much more than we like being happy. I will secretly laugh all the while because I love yanking people's chains.

Nebraska is set to play Minnesota this weekend. It should be a good game between two good teams.

I wonder how many of us will enjoy it for what it is, Nebraska football being something we should all love, especially given that the regular season is winding down.

Huskers Overcome Sluggish Effort to Bury Bears - Corn Natio

It wasn't a pretty effort for Husker Hoops, but after a sloppy start, the Huskers were able to wear out an overmatched Central Arkansas squad, 82-56.

Gophers football: Confident is good; cocky is not - TwinCities.com
It's OK to be confident, but don't get ahead of yourself. That was the message Gophers defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys had for his players this week.

Gophers football: Briean Boddy-Calhoun making name for himself in secondary - TwinCities.com

A couple of months after arriving at the University of Minnesota two years ago, Briean Boddy officially changed his last name to Boddy-Calhoun.

HuskerOnline.com - RojoBreakdown: How can NU stop the avalanches?

Midway through the fourth quarter Saturday, with Wisconsin's blowout well under way, Jordan Westerkamp looked up at the scoreboard and wondered to himself, "Dang, what happened?"

Blackshirts half on, half off

Michael Bruntz will be along to post photos shortly but Nebraska's defenders looked to be in a disagreement about the Blackshirts. Half of the group wore them and the other half didn't.

Much will be made of this because much is being made of everything right now.

How Melvin Gordon and Wisconsin shattered the FBS record against Nebraska - SBNation.com

The Cornhuskers had a simple approach to keeping the Heisman contender bottled up. The Badgers' star and his blockers made it look silly.

It's not just the article, but the comments that are worth the read here.

Of course, the article includes this damning bit:

Given that straightforward game plan, it's interesting that Nebraska's defenders failed to make decisive fills. They were either confused by the variety of schemes and blocking patterns Wisconsin brought or unwilling to grapple with the Badgers in a 20-degree game.

Bell says talk surrounding Pelini is crazy - Nebraska - Scout

Nebraska senior wide receiver Kenny Bell said talk of firing Bo Pelini is "literally insane."

"Anybody that says he needs to go is crazy. It's literally insane," said Bell. "If 9 wins, 10 wins isn't good enough for you, I don't know who you should be a fan of.

I realize Kenny Bell thinks he's trying to help here, but he's not. This is why most great athletes have figured out they can't be as honest as fans want them to be, because if they'd were, we'd crucify them for their honesty.

Fans have loved Kenny Bell throughout most of his career at Nebraska. I'd recommend you continue to love him. Were I to respond directly to him, I'd probably conjure up my best old man Johnston and say:

"Sonny, I've been wanting Nebraska coaches fired before your parents were born."

Then I'd ask for a photo with him and his autograph.