Sour Grapes for 2009
38 comments so far
February 12, 2009 by
Every year since we began Big Red Network, I’ve written a sour grapes post about a recruit that nearly chose Nebraska but instead ended up elsewhere. As the title implies, I point out the weaknesses of a recruit that jilted the Huskers to salve the wound a bit.
This year, the target of the piece is Kevin Young, the defensive end prospect that “committed� to play at Kansas, then “committed� to Nebraska, only to “re-commit� to Kansas again. It brings to mind the comment that Bill Callahan had made about a cluttered mind (in reference to Josh Freeman). To quote George W. Bush, Kevin Young is a “flip-flopper�. And America so dislikes flip-floppers, that we re-elected the worst president in U.S. history just to keep one out of office.
But putting aside these kind of character assassinations, it’s the name. Who’s the last great defensive end you’ve seen named “Kevin�. Anyone? Anyone? When I hear “Kevin�, I think of Fred Savage in the Wonder Years wearing a Jets jacket and being too big a wuss to ask out Winnie Cooper. I also think of Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone (Mama’s boy).
Like Freeman, the quarterback who defected to Kansas State to avoid redshirting, Young will graduate mid-year and participate in spring football at KU. Young said, “Kansas presented the better opportunity for me�. Reading between the lines, one wonders if the level of competition at Nebraska frightened him. After all, he decommitted from Nebraska only after the more highly rated Jason Ankrah committed to the Huskers. KU on the other hand only landed players rated well behind Young. If this guy would rather be handed a job than compete for one, he can go to Kansas. Good riddance.
Related: Sour grapes from 2007 & 2008.
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Shawn Feb 12 09
Steve what you said as george Bush being the worst President in US history was out of line. I like how you can add youre political comments in a football story. Thats rong.
tom Feb 12 09
If you're coming to this site in the expectation of having expert political commentary, you're in the wrong place. If you're coming here to read opinionated, humorous, and anecdotal comparisons towards a related football topic, welcome to the site! Please come by again!
Jon Feb 12 09
Why bring politics into a sports column? President Bush is the "worst in US history?" Your "history" education must only go back to about 1980. Open a book sometime. There have been plenty of US Presidents with MUCH worse track records. This article lost me before I even got a chance to start reading it. Of course, what would you expect from the worst blogger in US history.
tom Feb 12 09
Hyperbole is an often-used tool of the trade. Can we please get past the one political sentence and focus on the other 15? Thanks.
Dywane Feb 12 09
Out of line with the comment George W Bush is the worst President in the history of the U.S.
I would remove the line if you expect readers to read the entire article. I, like Jon, did not get past that sentence and went straight to comments. If you want to add political satire go write for the Daily Show. Otherwise I and readers of this blog could careless about your political "feelings."
Jon Feb 12 09
Hyperbole is all well and good, but you need to learn how (and when) to use it effectively. If you don't want people to comment on a blatantly inflammatory comment, don't make the comment. This post has the potential to be engaging and thought provoking. Your attempt to make it humorous is well received, even if the attempt failed.
Overall, this article is disappointing, even after putting aside the unfortunate choice of words in the 2nd paragraph. Specifically, I would have thought rule #1 of blogging would be "Get to the freakin' point." Your comment to a previous poster that this site contains "anecdotal comparisons towards a related football topic" would indicate your posts are primarily about Husker football and related topics. You make readers wade through 3/4 of this post before you finally get to the subject of the article.
darren Feb 12 09
6 comments before 8:00 central...Okay then...politics are still pretty sensitive, I see. If you all re-read Steve's post, he sort of takes a cheap shot at both parties. (flip flopper) Anyway...
To the actual football part of it - As I said in an earlier post, losing Young hurt quite a bit, espeically b/c it was to KU. It stinks to lose to another team in the division. So, I'm all for a little bit of sour grapes this morning.
I think Kevin Greene (former Pro Bowl DE) might disagree with your assessment of his name, Steve. :-) Though, the reference to Kevin Arnold is much appreciated.
nu-isu-fan Feb 12 09
I figured the controversy here would come from a KU fan who might frequent the sight. Whatever.
I agree the competition seems to have scared Young off. Who knows though? For all we know, his girlfriend might be going to KU and he was going to miss her. I wish him the best... As long as “the best� doesn’t include sacking our QB. Maybe I should say I wish him the best except for the Saturdays he’s on the field against the Huskers.
Steve Feb 12 09
Wow! I feel the love. I thought Republicans hated Bush for trashing the party. I figured he was fair game.
Darren,
Greene only played one season at defensive end and had a measly 3 sacks. I guess he wasn't man enough for the position. ;) The rest of his career he was an outside linebacker. Looked it up at profootball reference.com. =)
teamster Feb 12 09
This was my favorite blog site yesterday. It is my favorite today. And, it will be my favorite tomorrow. I tend to avoid political and religious responses to blogs. But here, I've got to.
The failed Cheney administration is out. I'm a combat zone veteran and when God spoke to me he said I could say the above.
Now, what was the topic?
Chuck LeDuc Feb 12 09
Great post. Just like our WPE (worst preznit evar) some people have a poor grasp of reality and very thin skin. It's a blog, get over it. It's not Fox news.
HuskerFan4Life Feb 12 09
I tend to agree that Kevin Young was scared off by the level of competition at DONU. The flip flopping was a real turn off and I don't think we want that type of character in our program. My "sour grapes" player for the 2009 recruiting class would be Myles Wade who signed with Texas Tech. I heard he may not qualify and I hope he never plays a down for Leach's Red Raiders.
teamster Feb 12 09
Sour Grapes?
double entendre?
Paul Feb 12 09
I'm not a big fan of President Bush..but history will be the judge (which I think will temper much of the criticism against him), not a NU sports blog. However saying he is the worst president ever is out of line, not historically accurate and I think many people are verrrrrry tired of Bush bashing. Please turn the page and move on. I didn't read past that statement. It takes away from your credibility because making extreme generalizations make you appear to not think through your arguments.
JBLING22 Feb 12 09
I know most of you are old republicans that can't handle the truth!!, lol, but I agree leave the politics out of it......Its always going to leave a sore spot on someone.... Besides he wasn't the worst president, but rather somewhere in the bottom 10... We have gone into a economic slump like this before, it was during the depression........
bnahusker Feb 12 09
Wow!
I mis-read the political line. I thought that you were already assessing Obama as the worst ever, ($819 bbbbbillion?) replacing the flip flopping 43. After all of the promises made, I figured that I'd have 5 or 6 job offers after the inauguration. Alas, I'm still filing unemployment claims weekly.
I'll second Teamster’s line about this being my favorite site. One political reference every once in a while is not out of line.
Keep up the great work!
GBR
Bob
Jason Feb 12 09
Tune in tomorrow when we'll be discussing abortion, religion and gun ownership.
bnahusker Feb 12 09
When do we get to Steroids and "recreational" drugs?
Hehehe
GBR
Bob
zE bOp Feb 12 09
I agree 100%, Bush was the worst prez in U.S. history and it's not even close...
Derek Feb 12 09
Some of you are way to sensitive on this board... Get over it
The Count Feb 12 09
Not sure but this may be one of the first things Steve has written That I actually agree with 100%
SHAWN Feb 12 09
When I wrote, I liked how he put his political statement, I thought it was way out of line. I do see he did get the responce he wanted. But lets keep it to football not comments on who is the worst presedent, Alot can be said other then who is the worst presedent, But maybee who is the worst College football team as is Kansas State would of been a better line.
Dywane Feb 12 09
The line is just plain lazy writing and lazy thinking. Sophomoric journalism.
Shawn Feb 12 09
Sorry Guys My Eye Is not working GO HUSKERS
Bill in Iowa Feb 12 09
Hey, I rarely come clean like this, but I voted for Bush twice, so I think I have the authority to say this to Bush supporters...get over it already. Steve has every right to throw out a political jab in a sports article, it's called free speech. I for one, appreciate the humor, even if it doesn't always reflect my viewpoint.
Greg Morrow Feb 12 09
Martyred (American style) Al-Qaeda freaks and Saddam "Insane" Hussein would whole heartedly agree that Bush was the worst- if they weren't too busy with their 72 black eyed virgins each.
"Worst President ever" is about to take on a whole nuther level of meaning....
Anyhoo- I'm not a player hater (really, I'm not) though, I did get annoyed with the signing day el flipos going back the last decade, or so.
Kevin made the right choice. Much, much too much competition (for a front runner) is the flavor of these Cornhuskers.
Now, if the Corn can conquer that citadel known as Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Denly Feb 12 09
I'm a man..... I'm 40...works for this.
go skers
JBLING22 Feb 12 09
As for the topic, I agree Young made the right choice... He wants to play right away, and it wouldn't have happened at Nebraska... The kids need to make the right deciscion for them, even if they are of bad judgement... I do have a big problem with players jumping ship after a commitment.. some times its just, such as a coach leaving etc.. Most of the times its just a joke.... I can't lie, my favorite stat of the last 10 years of NU football is Josh the "Drama King" Freemans record vs NU ///0-3 .. Anyone feeling a repeat for Gabbert????
JBLING22 Feb 12 09
As for Gabbert though, I do have much more respect for a kid that left because of a coaching change, not just to make the news... I hope Missou wins everygame other than the Nebraska game next season, and of course however many they need to lose to make sure were on top of the Big Twelve north....
Scott Feb 13 09
Wow...lots of guys like Bush here. (hee hee)
I think it's funny that for a site that is 95% opinion, some people don't like reading the opinions.
It's like I said to my co-worker on his first day...."what? are you fu*#ing new here?"
zE bOp Feb 13 09
Yea, they can keep all the flip floppers down there in 'margaritaville'(KU).
Young musta been a 'sker'd of the competition.
James Moore Feb 13 09
"Change" = the emergence of a soft tyranny wrapped with the basic structural foundations of Marxism. . .
To all you Obama drones out there, pretty sweet to pass a bill that's a thousand pages long without lawmakers even reading it. Oh yeah, we gotta pass it fast cause Pelosi has an 8-day trip to Rome coming up beginning next week. Have any of you drones remembered that before the "Stimulus" that they HAD to pass a pay raise for themselves first?
KH in Mizzou Feb 13 09
I'm usually pretty sensitive about political comments in non-political settings, and generally agree they should be avoided ... but I thought this one was pretty funny, and I voted for Bush twice.
Aaron Feb 13 09
OK, dude was making a joke, and a well placed one at that. Also Mr. Moore to your point about the stimulus bill being 1000 pages and unread by lawmakers; I believe Mr. Bush had that same thing with a far more dangerous bill in the Patriot act; and he is the worst President in US history, the man took us to war for the wrong reason, drove the economy into the ground, watched as New Orleans drowned (much like the day the towers fell)and that is just the tip of the shitberg that was his 8 years, so see you in hell George W. Bush.
As for the "sour grapes" who cares about this guy Young; NU will own him like the other weak willed recruits that de-committed to the program. (See Freeman,Josh) NU will rule the north in '09
nebgirl Feb 13 09
jbling-YES! I get the same feeling about Gabbert.
ZeBobarino...hey long time! How's it going? Go HUSKERS! We can only get better. I get the best positive feeling about where this team is headed. I'm luvin Bo!
nebgirl Feb 13 09
Zebob- GO HUSKERS. Long time seeing you around.
How are you feeling about the Big Red so far? I'm really feeling good about Bo and Co.
exfan Feb 14 09
Were you talking about Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton? George W kept Americans safe despite the chaotic world Clinton left him with. He kept inflation down and unemployment levels at all time lows. He kept the economy solid until it was evident Obama was going to get elected, then companies began preparing themselves by reducing employees. He is not a good public speaker but that does not mean he was not a good president. I am now taking this site off my bookmarks. See Ya.
Greg Morrow Feb 14 09
exfan
"Word up." Succint, with hair splitting precision. Like when I once split a target spindle at 200 yards from the sitting position, after I'd shot the 3" cardboard spotter 3 times before. (The good ole days, when America was safe and solid.)
But c'mon, man. Please don't leave, because of that. Leave because I post too much, or, some other good reason. 'Cause, I'm almost sure Steverino and the crew won't slip up and insert a "comment" like that, anymore.
Besides, whatever modest income this site accrues, will be needed to support the soon to be, exponentially enlarged, entitlement class!