Reaction to Pederson's Firing
9 comments so far
October 16, 2007 by
It's official. Steve Pederson's reign atop the Nebraska athletic department is over. Chancellor Harvey Perlman fired Pederson yesterday, and explained his reasoning at a press conference. Mulling over how things ended for Pederson has reminded me of various parts of his tenure as the top man in the athletic department. And I honestly believe his departure only has so much to do with football. And when it comes to football, Pederson's ousting (and the naming of his replacement) could spin the 2007 in one of two directions.
A Moment to Reflect
A moment of total honesty - I was very happy when NU hired Steve Pederson in 2003. And, I'm sure I wasn't the only one. This is a man who brought a track record of success with him to NU and who was native to the state. At the time, NU fans didn't exactly love Bill Byrne either. It looked and felt like the right hire. It's okay to admit that.
When he removed Solich's original staff, I was still very happy with him. Craig Bohl and company had to go, and he knew it. He is the one who brought in dear, sweet Bo Pelini, after all. Then, it started to head south.
In firing Frank Solich after a 9-win season (Solich didn't coach the bowl win), Pederson undid some of his own best work by gutting a pretty quality staff. Again, I was a the front of the "Solich can't get it done" line, so I continued to back the AD's play. But, most NU fans did not. He marginalized the traditionalists and appeared egotistical in doing so with his commentary on mediocrity and not surrendering to Texas and Oklahoma.
The search for a replacement really hurt. His one-man crusade for a coach degenerated in to a circus full of debates about planes and Houston Nutt, and left fans very much on the outside looking in. That year, an ESPN poll voted Pederson NE's #1 "Enemy of the State". His lowering of ticket prices, the "year of the fan" (featuring better seats and refurbished bathrooms!) and subsequent PR gaffs didn't make things easier for the man some referred to as the smiling cobra.
And now, with a fractured football team on the field, and a office in significant disarray, Pederson exits. There are many, many things he could have done better in the eyes of the average fan. But to me, his legacy will always be that he thought of everything through the eyes of a recruiter.
He fired Solich out of the belief that he was not the coach to bring in the caliber of talented needed to win. And, he did his best to build facilities that would attract both top-drawer players and coaches to Lincoln. Ultimately, he was undone by his need to cast the program in his own singular vision and the unpopularity that it created among staff and fans.
Not About Football
Pederson's dismissal isn't really about football. It is smaller than that. It is also bigger. It's smaller in that it boils down to his management style, tactics, and ego. There have been gaudy amounts of turnover among the department, from trainers to directors of marketing and planned giving. That is saying something about the health of NU athletics. It's also expensive (though not quite $2M buyout expensive...) in that it costs NU athletics the experience and expertise of seasoned veterans.
This is also bigger than football. It is about our state's collective sense of self. Pederson came in hot. But, within two years was one of the most polarizing figures in "Husker Nation". Big donors and everyday Joes both had too much Pederson. It was about him in all the bad way. And as long as it was about him, it wouldn't be about winning or about being Huskers.
But don't think for a second that this makes the Huskers any better between the lines on Saturday. They will still have to block and tackle better.
Follow the Money
The timing of this firing is a bit odd. And it should tell you how much pressure has been brought to bear. And, when I say pressure...I mean the financial kind. As eluded to earlier, Pederson is getting a pretty sweet little buyout. That likely means very little to Perlman. He said the NU Foundation can cover the costs. He also knows that Pederson's removal opens the wallets of some seriously influential boosters who were holding out because they disliked Pederson. People will pony up plenty of cash now. In a matter of speaking, Pederson was worth more "dead" than he was "alive", and NU athletics is the beneficiary.
Turning to an Icon
So, where does NU and Pearlman go from here? Back to Dr. Tom Osborne, of course! Perlman was candid about saying how much he relies on Osborne for input and judgment on athletic matters. And there is rampant speculation about Osborne being an interim AD for NU. I'm mixed about that. On one hand, I'm glad that placing an icon like Osborne at the top will re-galvanize NU supporters and get people moving in the same direction. On the other, I'm not a fan of tradition for tradition's sake because I think progress sometimes requires serious costs. But, come on...who doesn't love Dr. Tom?
About Football - Rally Effect or Weekend at Bernie’s?
I've said this many, many times. Big Red Network is a site about Husker football. Can we please talk about football for a second? Point blank, changing AD's is almost always a sign of coaching change to come. Leaders like to bring in their people, and hire new staffs. It is pretty simple. Combine with the poor results for the Huskers thus far in 2007, and the dots connect pretty quickly. Some - maybe all - of the coaches are on the way out.
News flash, NU still has games to play. And the knowledge that their coaches are about to be ousted could affect the 2007 squad in one of two ways. It's possible that they will rally behind their embattled staff and play with purpose and mission, as they attempt to rectify as best they can. Or, they will lurch through the motions in a Weekend-At-Bernie's-like charade of false pretenses.
So there you have it. Pederson's office is likely cleaned out by now. What started with such promise ended up very having all the sizzle of an insurance settlement. I only hope that NU's players can muster their courage to prevent 2007 from being a really lost season.
» Enjoy this article?
Send it to your friend or subscribe to our free newsletter!
Related Stories: Steve Pederson
Post a comment
Dwayne Oct 16 07
Very good points Darren. I agree with you totally. And the reference of Alabama in a prior article hits the nail on the head with those that wish for the ties to Osborne. At this point, who knows what is right and wrong as far as firing and hiring, but I haven't sensed the hope that people hold right now after what happened yesterday in a long time. This could do something for the team, but after all the dust settles, it still comes down to x's and o's and that starts with Callahan.
Andrew Oct 16 07
I hate to say it but AJ the Husker hater makes some good points. Maybe it is time we start looking in ward.
http://ajthoughts.blogspot.com/
P.S.
I bet Bill Bryne is laughing his as_ off.
Bill in Iowa Oct 16 07
Really good thoughts Darren. Although I am wondering if you can elaborate on your statement, "...I'm not a fan of tradition for tradition's sake because I think progress sometimes requires serious costs."?
I agree that carrying on traditon for the sake of tradition isn't a good policy to win. NU's rise to dominance was largely due to innovation...the weight program under Boyd Eply, Osborne's Offensive Schemes, recruiting more speed in the 90's...to name a few.
However, isn't there a balance? Don't we need traditions to maintain a sense of pride and identity for the players and fans alike? Isn't there some traditions at NU than inspire greatness and motivate players to play past their ability? Such traditions as the blackshirts, the walk-on program, the family of personnel and coaches who understand the unspoken culture of NU athletics in regards to work ethic, education, and flawless execution.
I have a friend who met Johnny Rogers at the NU vs USC game in Los Angelos. In the course of conversation he found out that Johnny was not allowed to stand on the NU sidelines during the game. It was denied by the NU administration. Yet, coach Pete Carol happened to see him and put his arm around him and invited him to stand on USC's sideline. My friend emailed the NU Athletic office to alert them of this sad state of affairs and the reply was something like...yeah, yeah...we're sorry. This is the kind of arrogance and dis-honoring of icons and heros of the Husker tradition that has reaked havoc behind the scenes. We don't know who the Huskers are anymore, and they don't have any points of reference in tradiation to remind them of who they are...
I think we would do well to consider what traditions we need to keep and what one's we are willing to sacrifice. In doing so, maybe we won't repeat the mistakes that have brick by brick dismanteled this teams heart.
“It really comes down to just the little things — fundamental techniques, the concentration of pursuit and effort, trying to get players motivated to play harder and better,” - Callahan.
Bill in Iowa Oct 16 07
Ran accross this recently and thought it was good food for thought:
Lombardi never had the league’s best talent. He gave some of his players something over and above their fast legs, strong arms and nimble reflexes. He gave them a respect for each other, a strong sense of self-discipline and a deep-seated affection for the traditions that made them want to win.
“The Green Bay Packers must believe in the tradition that has been established before they can learn to love the team. They must know that all the work they do, everything that happens on the field in the name of the Green Bay Packers is the continuance of a tradition of greatness. They must know this and then accept this.”
When the team was preparing for the Super Bowl game at its Santa Barbara, Calif., camp, Lombardi was peppered with the same question: “Why do you think the Packers can win?”
His answer came with almost too much monotonous regularity to suit those who were looking for a blast of the famed Lombardi fire or some super-secret into what his team would do. “We have tradition, they don’t,” was his answer. “We have something going for us that goes back a lot further than one game or one season. We must sustain this and every man on the team feels the same way.”
Entire Article at:
http://www.fordham.edu/campus_resources/public_affairs/fordham_magazine/fordham_online/vince_lombardi_a_coa_26512.asp
darren Oct 16 07
Andrew - you are right. Some of what AJ is saying has merit. Some...not all. Though, I never thought I would agree with that guy. Thanks for sharing the link.
Bill in Iowa - please don't take that statement about tradition too far or out of context. I should have been clearer. I'm all for tradition and what makes being a Husker great. I just think relying on it solely can create problems. I think Alabama is a real good example. They lost a decade chasing the notion of traditon only. Success requires us to know ourselves and our culture, for sure. It also requires new ideas and perspectives sometimes. That's all I'm saying.
Andrew Oct 16 07
Darren,
Overall not a great article by AJ, but it does force you to take a look at yourself, and right now I personally feel that is what Husker Nation needs to do.
darren Oct 16 07
Andrew - we agree. Sometimes it is good to examine yourself and scrutinize what is going on. And, commentary like AJ's forces that.
I'm just not a huge fan of anybody whose whole purpose or goal is to be "anti" on someone or something. It has limited use.
doombob Oct 16 07
Steven M. Sipple's info on the firing
The is the best explaination for the questions I've been asking my friends: If not for football, why was Pederson fired? I've heard a lot on his "management style" and "culture" but no details on those vague terms until now.
Dwayne Oct 16 07
As far as AJ's comments, parody is not 38-0 at home at halftime. Don't blame the fans.