[Husker] My wishes for the new year...

[Rod Wellman]

In an ideal world, yes we could stop all those comparisons. I think its human nature, though.

I think as Husker fans we always have a watchful eye on where the program is. We're full of conjecture as far as what the future holds. We want that future to get us "back" to an elite program, right in the mix of championships every year.  That's kinda what I miss most about the Osborne years.  Every year, it seemed like, you could argue that we had a legit chance at being in the national title picture.  Some years, that chance was negated fairly early on with a cruel loss to the likes of Mizzou, or FSU when they came up to Lincoln...I remember a Washington loss, too.  But most years, we were in the hunt most of the season, and usually if we didn't get there it was because OU beat us the last game of the season!  Then, it was off to a bowl game with not much left to play for, so his record in bowl games wasn't that great, not to mention all the years we went to Florida to play a Florida school basically on their home turf.

Pelini should and will get a watchful eye from Husker fans.  I'm opposed to any talk of his firing...that's ludicrous. But I'm also opposed to people saying he and his staff and what they are doing just fine (10 win seasons, yada yada) and shouldn't be criticized or analyzed.  OK, maybe we shouldn't criticize too harshly, or over-analyze, but I'm certainly trying to figure out how a well respected defensive minded head coach can put us into a very similar position that we had with Calla-clown:  very good offense, and a mediocre and sometimes downright awful defense.  

Times HAVE changed. It's much tougher on Pelini than it was for Osborne when it comes to recruiting.  I understand that.  But how in the heck did Callahan get all that talent to NU?  I prefer Pelini's style to Callahan's, as Callahan's seem to be more of "you could play in the NFL if you come here" and Pelini's is more of "we will give you lots of opportunity in and out of the classroom."  I've heard different opinions on this year's recruiting class, some think it's very good, some think it isn't.  With recruiting, you just never know.  It's such a crapshoot sometimes.  I AM excited about some of the players coming up from the last two recruiting classes, so I'm somewhat optimistic.  I AM excited about the growth potential of some of our assistant coaches.  Next year will be a telling year for me:  Does Pelini "plug" the gaps on defense that need some serious help?  Does the team finally perform to their potential and make a serious run through what looks like a schedule that at the minimum SHOULD be easier than the last couple years?  Or does the hemorrhaging on defense continue?

I'll take you up on your resolution and won't comment on Osborne vs. Pelini.  I don't think that's very constructive anyway, and it's an argument that can never be won by either side...the times are just too different.  But I retain my right to comment on observations made by myself and others about where this program is now under Pelini, and where it is going.  After all, that's what we Husker fans do.  24/7, 365 days a year!

Happy New Year to all!

Rod W.
Sioux City, Ia.

On Jan 2, 2013, at 10:35 AM, Dave Ratchford <ratchfromneb at gmail.com> wrote:

> 1. Nobody write an article, comment, email, or post of any kind comparing
> the first 5 (or 6 or 7 or however many) years of Tom Osborne vs Bo Pelini.
> Enough already.
> 
> 2. Nobody write any of the following:
> 
>          -well Tom Osborne received lots of criticism too and look how he
> turned out.
>            - Bo Pelini wins 9 or 10 games a year just like Tom Osborne.
>          -  You don't like Bo Pelini because you want him to be just like
> Tom Osborne.
> 
> Osborne vs. Pelini....Pelini vs. Osborne.  Beat to death.
> 
> Dave
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