[Husker] Spoiled?

[Paul Dalen]

Off hand, I think two other things might be making it much harder for a
team to distance itself from the pack.

1.  One advantage that NU had over many teams at least through the mid-90s
was our strength and conditioning program.  Now, however, everyone has
access to that kind of information through the internet and most high
schools have weight rooms with enough equipment to significantly improve
the performance of athletes at that level.  Some larger high schools have
weight rooms that rival the facilities that NU had in the 80s and 90s.
Hell, my daughter's junior high has a weight room and aerobic fitness room
that is well-equipped.  I think it's safe to say that strength and
conditioning is pretty much a given at every level and any distinguishing
between schools here has more to do with the staff and the athletes than
the knowledge and facilities available to staff and athletes.

2.  In a related issue, the widespread use of formal strength and
conditioning programs across the country and down to early grade levels has
increased the available pool of elite level athletes.  In past decades, if
you weren't a top-25 team you weren't going to get the athletes with the
talent and training to put together a national championship caliber team.
Now, that pool is much larger and we're seeing the most obvious effects in
teams like TCU and BSU.

I'm not taking away anything from the coaches' responsibility for teaching
and preparing the teams.  That is still the most important fact, IMO.
However, it is much more difficult to build an exceptional team now...not
because our players and our team aren't capable of that, but because the
playing field is much more level now.

It really does come down to parity.

On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 6:24 AM, Paul Dalen <quesohusker at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'd like to see someone (I don't have the time) to do some kind of
> quantitative analysis on the environment that Tom Osbourne coached in and
> today.
>
> I suspect that rule changes (scholarship limits and Title IX come to mind)
> have had a MUCH greater impact on the environment than we think.  This
> alone would make the challenge of rebuilding and sustaining a program at
> the level that TO was able to do for 25 years a pipe dream today.
>
> I'm not making excuses for last Saturday.  I really question Pelini on
> some big issues like building depth and game management.  But I'm afraid
> that jettisoning our coaching staff now would set us back another decade or
> more.
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 12:26 AM, Aaron Wolfson <awolfson0 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Beating the crap out of Iowa -- there's something we can all surely agree
>> on!
>>
>>
>> Aaron
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 5:08 PM, Tony Lambert <bugeaters1 at hotmail.com
>> >wrote:
>>
>> > The thing that in my eyes make me happy about MBB is that when they got
>> > behind at USC they did not fold and find a way to lose. And they have
>> in a
>> > point guard that will make a difference in some close games.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Tony Lambert
>> > -----Original Message----- From: gzimmerman5 at kc.rr.com
>> > Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 10:06 AM
>> > To: husker at tssi.com
>> > Subject: Re: [Husker] Spoiled?
>> >
>> >
>> > But Dave, I am spoiled, I swear! :-)
>> >
>> > Nebraska is #4 on the all-time win list. Since, what, 1971 we have won
>> 40
>> > more games than anyone else. Those numbers have given us a sense of
>> > entitlement. We deserve to win, we must win, right? Well, tempered with
>> a
>> > bit of reality I guess. ;-) In any case, the Huskers really *need* to
>> beat
>> > Iowa on Friday.
>> >
>> > Still no comments on the MBB team? They really did look pretty darn good
>> > yesterday. I'm not suggesting a top 5 finish in the Big X but at least
>> I'm
>> > seeing a glimmer of hope and improvement. With a new arena on the
>> horizon
>> > as well as the palacial training facility, I hope recruiting continues
>> to
>> > improve. I want to *spoiled* by MBB, dadgummit.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Greg Zimmerman, UNL '75
>> > Overland Park, Kansas
>> >
>> > ---- David Strong <gobigredlist at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Sun, Nov 20, 2011 at 10:32 PM, <gzimmerman5 at kc.rr.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > I think most Husker fans can accept losing while being competitive,
>> but
>> >> > have a hard time when we get "blown out".
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> Huh....that just doesn't sound like a fan who is spoiled.  Sounds
>> pretty
>> >> reasonable actually.  Nope, I'm going to reject this idea that Nebraska
>> >> fans are spoiled.  If you have success then you are spoiled by
>> default?  I
>> >> don't think so.   I think it is just an easy thing for people to write.
>> >> Nebraska fans aren't any more spoiled than anyone else's fans.
>> >>
>> >> Dave
>> >>
>> >
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