"Hype Season" Begins for 2009

9 comments so far July 27, 2009 by Darren K. Carlson

At Big Red Network, we are fond of saying that there is no offseason. In fact, our site is rather based around the fact that football never stops. But, we all know that teams are not always playing games, right? So, we have the regular season, the post season, Spring football, a time period my colleague Steve aptly dubbed "bad news season" a few years back, and now I would like to introduce a new season..."Hype Season". It's that period of time we have just entered that lasts from late July until the start of practice. Standing on the cusp of Big 12 Media Days, it is easy to see that event as the official starting point or zenith of Hype Season. But, there are some other elements involved as well.

In just a few hours, Bo Pelini and the Huskers will kick off Big 12 Media Days by taking the podium first. Nothing signals the start of hype season quite as directly as the Media Days (btw, thanks Big 12 powers-that-be for declining BRN's application to be there this year...really, great. That's cool). Fans get their first taste of what 2009 might hold. Even just some quality sound bites, good photos and blatant "coach speak" go a long way for a fan base that has spent the last few months hacking up golf courses and watching relatively meaningless baseball games. Of course there are some other elements to hype season that shouldn't be ignored, too.

Pre-Season Awards and Predictions
Pre-Season Awards and All-Conference teams are about as accurate and necessary as pre-season polls. Basically, they are neither. These are simply guesses about what might happen this season. Though, of course Nebraska fans absolutely rejoiced when they saw that the Big 12 media pegged them as the narrow favorite in the North. (A sentiment Vegas follows, too). Hooray! And, it was great to see our opinions about Ndamukong Suh (major war daddy and legit POYcandidate) and Alex Henery (darn good kicker) confirmed. But, all of this is, frankly, hype. It's a taste. A tease. It's only the beginning. It's a trailer for a movie that opens not soon enough.

Coach Chatter
Another massive element of Hype Season is that we start hearing from coaches again. They start doing interviews. They make the speaking tour stops at area churches, halls, and business groups. This gets the hype cranked like you wouldn't believe.

Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson paid a little visit to the Knights of Columbus and spoke last week. What did we learn? Plenty.

He said that Kody Spano is healthy again (nice...). He said that Brandon Kinnie is "like Mo Purify, but he's faster." (Stoked!) This little interview was so effective, I literally couldn't get away from Kinnie discussion this weekend when I visited Lincoln. His name came up at least four times. The hype machine works, people.

But, this is my absolute favorite. On Bo Pelini's defensive coaching prowess, he said the following...

"I thought the bowl game kind of highlighted the defense's year, because they took Clemson and just choked them. If you let Bo get on you, he'll kill you and he'll choke you. He did a great job and those kids did a great job."

Are you freaking kidding me? When this quote was first conveyed to me by a friend, I honestly did a fist pump and offered an emphatic "Yes" to the heavens. The image of a Pelini-led defense being the kind of thing that can "choke" an opponent is an MMA submission hold, meets football, meets man in need of a good news moment. It's hype at its best.

Oh, and Assistant Coach John Papuchis visited the Greek Orthodox Church last week too. The subsequent article let us know that he is "well rested" and ready for the season (oh thank goodness). But, we did get a nugget about how he feels that Barry Turner is recovering well from his broken leg and could be ready to regain his old form at defensive end. Reality or just good talk? I don't know yet. It's Hype Season, not the regular season. But, like you, I was just happy to read anything.

Internet Buzz
Speaking of "happy to read anything" the Internet buzz is the last really big element of pre-season hype. The hype is in full swing online, from blogs and posting boards to twitter feeds and facebook pages (btw, if you aren't following BRN on Twitter or Facebook, you really ought to be. Seriously) the buzz is building. And between now and mid-August fans will scour the Internet, seeking any small bit of news or information, some morsel of positive news. Any comment, any report of a big hit or a fast sprint, means something...anything. But, you already knew that. You are reading a blog.

Don't get me wrong just because I'm being a tad sarcastic. Like so many, I participate in the hype machine. I read all of this stuff, and get pumped about possibilities. Like every part of the never-ending football cycle we all love, Hype Season has a role. If you can't be excited and optimistic about your team at the end of July, then when can you? The hype is the promise of a new day for fans and the possibility of higher tickets prices, more merchandise sales and bigger TV contracts for schools. Sure it is the ambiguity that fuels the possibilities. But it's a helluva lot of fun.

So, go ahead, hang on Pelini's every word this afternoon. Buy a Suh poster for your office wall. Talk a little smack with the Kansas fan who lives down the street. Short of the pads actually popping, its about the most fun you can get.

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