Who Wants to Go Bowling?

15 comments so far November 21, 2007 by Darren K. Carlson

When Nebraska and Colorado face off on Friday, a bowl game is at stake. The loser will be home for the holidays, while the winner gets to travel to Arizona, Louisiana or Texas. Granted, NU-CU has been designated at "rivalry game" by the powers that be at the Big 12 (I still hate it...but that's a different post entirely). So, the game tends to be heated and competitive, regardless of the stakes. But, I have to ask - is the possibility of a 6-6 record and a bowl bid actually a motivating factor for those involved? Let's consider this from a variety of angles.

Fans?
Based on what I have seen and heard in person and read online and in the paper, I am pretty well convinced that not every fan is too bought in to the idea of this team going bowling. I understand that. A loss and a losing season would make the near-certain coaching turnover even easier and more justifiable. It would put the season out of its misery, so to speak. As my colleague Steve put it, NU is kind of in a no-lose proposition.

For me personally, I can't advocate a loss in any form. I don't like it when pro teams tank late to try and get better draft position. And, I can't imagine advocating not wanting a college season to continue. And hey, if they are keeping a score, then the point is to try and win. As a fan, I want my team to win. Always.

Coaches?
The failures of this coaching staff are all well documented, particularly on defense. For many - and likely all - of them, the chopping block awaits. Knowing you are a lame duck can certainly creep in to a person's thoughts can erode the will to win or give maximum effort. And, you could make a very strong case that many won't even be allowed to coach the bowl. What could possibly be in it for them?

To quote Parcells and others - "you are what your record says you are." And, frankly, 6-6 with the possibility for 7-6 is still better than 5-7 on any day of the week. That alone makes me think the coaches want to win this. Their record is their legacy - good, bad, right, wrong, or otherwise. And, coaches have egos. That is obvious. I don't think anyone on that staff wants to sacrifice time spent with family in order to go out and lay an egg. Callahan's ego is also probably such that he wants to make this as hard to justify or forget as possible. He wants to deliver a statement that only winning can make. That means he wants bowl eligibility, even if he doesn't coach in it.

Administration?
This is one area where there are no doubts. Dr. Osborne has gone on record as saying that if NU is invited to a bowl, they will accept the bid. He correctly cited the best interests of the players in this decision making. That is an impressive set of principles. He is considering the players, their opportunities, and their development. I applaud that. As a former coach, he also knows that teams are never hurt by the increased practice time that bowl trips afford. Players develop during bowl preparation almost as much as Spring football.

It would have been very easy for an administrator in his position to waffle on the topic. A bowl bid makes his job much tougher, I think. It creates a lame duck staff for the bowl, or interim options for the bowl. That's not easy. And, a bowl bid could potentially disrupt his search for the new head coach in some ways. Osborne's willingness to accept a bowl shows he does what is right, not what is easy.

Players?
Here is where the rubber meets the road, folks. If the players don't want to extend their season, it's all over but the shouting. I am sure that the upperclassmen and seniors who started the season with dreams of BCS births have a hard time wanting to go to Shreveport or Phoenix. And in the face of dashed hopes, I've seen plenty of teams a variety of levels who want to hang it up. I don't blame the seniors like Bowman and Octavien if their thoughts wander to All-Star game invitations or pre-draft combine workouts. That's understandable.

Still, you have to hope that there is an collective will to win in that locker room on Friday. I would like to think that newcomers like Anthony Blue and Quinten Castille could inject some energy and urgency in to the team. I imagine Joe Ganz wants another start at quarterback. I sincerely hope this team goes out and plays for itself on Saturday. Play to vanquish the Buffalos. Play to be a part of the postseason. Play for the opportunity to continue playing the game they enjoy.

In my opinion, NU fans, coaches, administrators and players should want to go to a bowl. Even if that means it creates a few more bumps in a transition time. And, the willingness to strive for it is directly related to earning that opportunity with a win.

Did you enjoy this article?

Get Husker news by email
Follow us on Twitter

NextPrevious