Flakes: RIP27, Big Ten Media Days, and Kindness

Kindness has been on my mind a lot lately. There are tragedies all over the world happening because people think they can terrorize their way into changing other people's minds.

I have also noticed my sons being very bossy and impatient with each other. One day, I snapped at them, "Dammit, when are you going to learn how to speak more kindly to each other!?!".

Yes, I really did that.

In that moment, I truly understood whose example they were following in their behavior toward one another. I have resolved to do better, but I am afraid much of the damage is done.

I see it regularly in comment sections all over the Internet, even occasionally here at Corn Nation. Arguing and disagreements are not what I'm talking about. Disrespect and bullying are.

That is why I was so relieved to see an email that Jon shared with the CN staff. It came from Joe Piechowski, the managing editor of Bruins Nation, the SB Nation blog for UCLA. I also noticed a FanPost on their site asking UCLA fans to reach out to Husker fans and express condolences. They remember when Nebraska honored Nick Pasquale, a Bruins player who died a few days before the Nebraska/UCLA game in Lincoln in 2013.

Just as anger, violence, intolerance, and outrage seem to replicate, it is nice to see kindness and empathy grow and spread too. Maybe we all need reminders of that from time to time.

On behalf of Bruins Nation, I want to express our condolences to the entirety of Corn Nation on the death of Sam Foltz.

We are so very saddened by your loss.

Words cannot express the sadness we know Husker fans are experiencing because of this.

To this day, Bruin fans remember the outpouring of love displayed by Husker fans following the death of UCLA's Nick Pasquale several years ago and we would like to return a small amount of that to all the Nebraska fans at this tragic time.

It was that display when UCLA lost a player that cemented a deep respect for the Nebraska fan base and all of Corn Nation.

Sincerely,

Joe Piechowski

Managing Editor

Bruins Nation

Thank you Joe. We appreciate your kind words.

RIP27

Even though I know Sam Foltz died, I was still startled to see "Sam Foltz, 22, the Grand Island Independent: Obituaries" in my search for articles for today's Flakes. Whenever I see the word 'obituary' I still think of someone old, or at least middle-aged. I just can't reconcile applying the word to young people.

Huskers punter Sam Foltz is remembered for tenacity, good humor – The Denver Post
An evening he spent at a high school basketball game over the holidays revealed the best of Sam Foltz, the star Nebraska punter who died in a car accident in Wisconsin over the weekend.

Foltz's death a hit to the heart of Central Nebraska - The Grand Island Independent: Local News
About to begin his senior season as the Cornhuskers’ top-notch punter, former walk-on Sam Foltz had a very bright future.

I did not put the following link here to start any debates about Bo Pelini. I did it because I noticed some angst among Husker Nation (mostly on Twitter) that he must be a terrible person to not have publicly acknowledge the death of a player he recruited and coached for so long. I personally think Pelini handled it perfectly in waiting until current coaches and players made their statements and in being very understated in what he released.

Former Husker coach Bo Pelini issues statement on death of Sam Foltz
Bo Pelini, Youngstown State Head Football Coach, issued a statement about the death of Sam Foltz, an athlete he coached at Nebraska for three seasons.

Nebraska and Big Ten Media Days News...

Report: Tyronn Lue agrees to 5-year, $35 million extension | Huskers - KETV Home
Tyronn Lue just got paid.

Woman shares her sexual assault story with Baylor Bears players
WACO, Texas -- A woman who said she was raped by two Oregon State football players and two other men in 1998 shared her story with the Baylor football team Monday. Brenda Tracy's talk with the Bears came two months after a 13-page report said Baylor failed to properly handle accusations of sexual assault, including some against former football players.

Day 2 at Big Ten media days: Coaches fire back over negative recruiting flap - Chicago Tribune
Urban Meyer reacted strongly after being told Penn State coach James Franklin seemed to accuse Ohio State and others of negative recruiting.

Recap Monday’s videos from Big Ten Football Media Days " Big Ten Network
We've posted the press conferences from Monday's Big Ten Football Media Day in the YouTube player at the top of this post as well as on our YouTube page. BTN coverage runs from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany to retire in 2020
Delany later refused to confirm he would retire when his contract expires in 2020.

This and That...

we are the media
Social media can extend the emotion of our words, while obsolescing the linearity of long-form writing. They can retrieve the immediacy of oral communication, with the caution that this can quickly reverse into constant outrage.