[Husker] The hype leading up to this game

[Patrick Gaule]

On 10/17/2010 12:40 PM, David Strong wrote:
>> Nebraska used to be a program that
>> prided itself
>> on treating every opponent equally and not looking at one
>> game as any
>> more important than the next.
>>      
> What? I have never in my life read or heard anyone say such a thing.
>
> Dave
> Bo Pelini is a very fine defensive coordinator.
>
>    
Allow me to clarify.  As long as I've followed Nebraska football, it's 
never been a program that singled out a specific opponent or a single 
game.  Tom Osborne always tried to take a business-like approach to 
games.  When Bill McCartney tried to invent a "rivalry" with Colorado, 
Nebraska ignored it and let their actions on the field do the talking.  
With the 2010 Texas game, everyone (the fans, the press and even our own 
athletic department) did everything in their power to put Texas on a 
pedestal and turn this into an overhyped disaster waiting to happen.  
Once that "Beat Texas" video came out over the summer, we pretty much 
started digging our own grave.  I've been following Nebraska for close 
to 20 years and I do not recall a single instance where everyone put so 
much emphasis on a regular season game.

Historically, we've never been a team that prints up a bunch of cute 
t-shirts to represent our hatred of the other opponent.  Yet, there was 
no shortage of anti-Texas shirts at the game on Saturday (I couldn't 
turn around without seeing a "Tuck Fexas" shirt or a picture of a dead 
Bevo).  I realize that how the fans approach the game has little to do 
with how the game actually plays out, but I think the entire program 
(fans, coaches, players, etc.) did not approach this game in the way 
that Nebraska traditionally has approached marquee opponents.  
Consequently, all of the hype put the pressure on us...not Texas.

There will be plenty of marquee matchups against BigTen opponents in the 
years to come.  I hope our program starts acting like we belong in those 
matchups.  The buildup to this game reminds me of how Kansas State fans 
acted prior to the 1998 game against Nebraska.  I'd like to think we're 
better than that.