The Tao of Steve

5 comments so far June 14, 2007 by Steve Hanway

"The Tao of Steve" was a fun film that came out back in 2000. It was named for the cool exhibited by guys like Steve McQueen, Steve Austin ($6 million man), and Steve McGarrett (Hawaii Five-0). Those who had it were a “Steve”. Those who lack it might be called a “Stu” who’s more like Barney Fife or Jughead (from Archie Comics).

While the Tao was really a strategy for wooing women, one of the main ideas was to "Be Excellent in her Presence". The “Steve” label applies perfectly to former Husker quarterback Steve Taylor.

Most people might remember Steve Taylor’s appearance as a freshman in the Fiesta Bowl after the 1985 season against Michigan. Taylor stepped in for an ineffective “Stu” in McCathorn Clayton and nearly lead the Huskers back.

Taylor would win the starting job by the beginning of his sophomore year and in true “Steve” fashion Taylor rushed or passed for all four touchdowns as Nebraska avenged its loss to Florida State the year before by a 34-17 margin in the 1986 opener. Even his mistakes were often no big deal, as for example when Keith Jones picked up a Taylor fumble and converted it into a touchdown against Oregon. Taylor was named MVP of the Sugar Bowl that year, the last bowl game the Huskers would win for another eight years.

In 1987, Taylor exhibited his “Steve-ness” by outdueling Troy Aikman and throwing five touchdown passes in a 42-33 early season victory. Later that year, Taylor nearly pulled out another victory over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl, that Nebraska lost 28-31, but a late Tyreese Knox fumble on the FSU 2-yard line, coupled with an illegal procedure penalty on the next and final Husker drive that erased a Taylor pass play that would have put the Huskers back on FSU’s 2-yard line killed the Huskers hopes.

Taylor opened his senior season and exhibited his “Steve-ocity” as MVP against Texas A&M in the kickoff classic. Taylor again outyarded Aikman in a rematch with UCLA in the Rose Bowl, but the 41 points scored by the Bruins was too much for the Huskers. Later that year, Taylor did his part in the Ken Clark versus Barry Sanders battle, accounting for five touchdowns in the Huskers 63-42 victory. Taylor willed the Huskers to their only touchdown on the opening drive in their 7-3 (and Big 8 clinching) victory over Oklahoma. Taylor finished his Nebraska career with many of the quarterback rushing records (most of which were later broken). He also held passing records for most touchdowns and top QB rating in a game at Nebraska (vs. UCLA), and most career yards per completion.

No Taylor won’t go down as the all-time greatest quarterback Nebraska ever had. But considering how he led the Huskers to its first outright Big 8 title in five years and a victory in a major bowl, he definitely distinguished himself as a “Steve” and he was definitely "excellent" in our presence.

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