Metaphors That Define NU's Season

7 comments so far August 28, 2007 by Darren K. Carlson

The season starts this Saturday. Husker Nation is buzzing. More and more, the conversations about our beloved Huskers are turning to the same three topics - it's a big year for Callahan, fan expectations for the year, and Sam Keller. Thankfully, I run around with a pretty colorful cast of characters. So, our discussion of these same topics is anything but tired or boring. In this post, I offer the three definitive metaphors for 2007 that have emerged from those discussions.

Topic One -- 2007 is a Big Year for Bill Callahan

I have a very close friend who - like many people these days - comes from a divorced family. It is fair to say his parents divorcing and both remarrying has affected him. It's not that he's broken somehow, but those events inform his opinion on things sometimes. From his mouth comes metaphor #1, on the topic of Bill Callahan's big year.

"Bill Callahan is NU's 'Step Dad' coach"

Brilliant. I've never heard anyone put it so bluntly or accurately. Dig in to the metaphor and you'll see why. It's not that step dads are always bad guys. So far, Callahan has made "mom" (Pederson) pretty happy and he means well for the family. He's brought home bacon (new recruits) drives a fancy car (the WCO) and has helped get a new addition put on the house (facilities). He's doing what he can to shape the family in his image.

But, the second things hit the fan (like when he lost to Kansas on the road or called a fake punt against Auburn), that's when the refrain of "you're not my real Dad!" can come from the die hard Huskers. Oh, they don't say it exactly that way. But how many of us have evoked Tom Osborne's methods or philosophy in response to not understanding some of Callahan's choices? Yeah...I'm guilty too.

So, this is a big year for Coach Callahan because it marks the first legit chance for him to become the Real Dad for the Husker football team and fans. How? By getting some "kids" of his own. In this case, "kids" are three things - 1) Championships. It doesn't have to be a national title. But, a conference title would go a long way. Results always soothe the masses. 2) His own players. Literally his own kids, I guess. Talent aside, as the percentage of players Solich recruited dwindles and the percentage Callahan recruited grows, Callahan's emotional ownership of the team increases. 3) Most importantly, more fans that only know Callahan as coach. This will take a while. But 4 years is about one turn of the fan base wheel. It is a typical college experience, or a high school experience. It's kids going from age 9 to adolescence. Sure, 10 years is much better. But four years is a good first milestone.

Topic Two - Expectations for the Team

It seems like peoples expectations are varying pretty widely. If you listen to sports talk radio or cruise message boards, you hear everything from people who are convinced that NU can beat USC, win the conference, or go to the BCS all the way to people who feel like this team won't do better than 7-4.

I have a friend who is a former college athlete and plays on basketball and sand volleyball leagues with me. We occasionally will delve in to some pretty bawdy commentary. So, when the Husker expectations topic came up, my friend eventually spit out this very apt metaphor.

"Big 12 North needs to be like a sure thing...like a drunk girl calling you and asking you to come over. And when you get there, she's already on the couch with her top off."

Once you stop laughing or get your mind out of the gutter, you realize he is exactly right. The best expectation for NU fans is to believe the North is a "sure thing". When Missouri is the big threat in the division, opportunity abounds. Keep in mind, MU hasn't won a Big 12 title in anything, and NU beat them by 14 points last year. It was important for NU to beat all North opponents for the first time since 1999 last year. Now, go do it again, and again, and again. NU needs to win the North so many times people are sick of hearing about it. Establish consistency. Then, NU is back to where it should be.

Isn't a Big 12 title and a BCS birth the ultimate goal? Well, sure. But, those things hinge on a one-game situation. And, that conference title game has been a huge upset 30% of the time. So, there are years when you should win but don't and years that you shouldn't but do. The point is to be on that field every stinking year and let your team (and the law of averages) have a chance to get it done.

The Big 12 North needs to become sure thing. That is the most reasonable expectation, since bigger goals all hinge on it.

Topic Three - Sam Keller

Sam Keller is the compelling character of the 2007 campaign. People are optimistic about his talent and unsure about his character. Now, a bit of total disclosure. Contrary to my sports and football loving nature, I am also a huge Star Wars geek. I have at least 50 books about Star Wars. My mind often wonders in to that world, and I sometimes apply Lucas philosophy to my thought processes. Dorky, but true. So, it is a bit alarming that it took a great Dirk Chatelain profile of Sam Keller in the World-Herald for third metaphor to dawn on me.

"Sam Keller is like Han Solo."

My dad the former English teacher would say Keller is like the fictional literary character Shane. But, think about it. He's that roguish Byronic hero who we aren't too sure of at first. He's as much an outcast as he is a dashing gun slinger. He's got the look. Now, can he go from a mercenary smuggler to a hero? I don't want to delve in to the metaphor much farther because it might mean casting Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Chewbacca. But, the Keller story is compelling, no doubt. It's the stuff of science fiction and westerns. As a fan, I just hope he can really pilot a ship and is handy with a blaster.

No doubt, more themes will arise as the season unfolds. I'm glad that my cast of colorful friends will be there to discuss them and give me a new batch of metaphors to consider.

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