Nebraska DBs

Steve Sipple's breakdown of the NU DBs in the LJS....Has he watched some of these guys play?

Prince Amukamara--Ultra-athletic is not the word to describe him

Matt O'Hanlon--Consistently excellent play? Besides blowing the VT game, you mean?

Larry Asante--Perhaps all-league level? So nowadays if you don't whiff on five tackles a game you get all-conference accolades?

I guess that's how you become a career writer for one of the nation's worst newspapers.

Interesting (Sad) Numbers

The OWH has uncovered some interesting numbers. PYB has listed some of NU's national rankings below the link.....NU still doesn't value the ball or making a difference on special teams, for some reason unknown to mankind....in this day of narrow (if any) talent margins, games are won or lost there....

Offense
Rushing--61st (no good, just like CU under Watson)
Passing--42nd (no good, just like CU under Watson)
Total--58th (no good, just like CU under Watson)
Scoring--48th (28.7 ppg, unbelievably bad)
Red Zone--95th

Defense
Rushing--22nd
Passing--13th
Total--8th (think of how much better the MaybeShirts would be w/ an offense)
Scoring--5th (11 ppg allowed, even with 8 turnovers against ISU and TT debacle)
Red Zone--61st

Special Teams
Net Punting--88 out of 120 at 39.4....rancid)
Punt Returns--51st (9.7 ypr...national leader at 20.0...used to avg 17 under TO)
Kick Returns--57th (22.17 ypr...national leader at 31.7..see ya Papuchis)

Turnovers
Margin--96th (-.71)
Fumble Recoveries--80th (5)
Interceptions--73rd (5....still not enough playmakers on D)
Fumbles Lost--81st (8)
Interceptions Thrown--51st (7)

Make it Rain....

Click link...

Mr. Stern, Karma Will Catch You Some Day

http://deadspin.com/5392067/excerpts-from-the-book-the-nba-doesnt-want-you-to-read

Speaking of Curses...

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091027/BIGRED/710279813

More Clippers....

Expounding on the Clipper jinx, after doing more research it is more amazing to see not only the botched draft picks, but the ones who became stars AFTER they left the Clips....see below:

Flop Picks
Shaun Livingston (2004, #4 overall...gruesome knee injury contributed greatly)
Chris Wilcox (solid, but 2003 #8 overall is a huge stretch)
Melvin Ely (2003 #12 overall)
Tyson Chandler (2001, #2 overall...has developed but not enough to match high pick)
Darius Miles (2000, #3 overall)
Michael Olowokandi (1998, #1 overall....holy shit)
Maurice Taylor (1997, #14 overall)
Lorenzen Wright (1996, #7 overall)
Lamond Murray (1994, #7 overall)
Terry Dehere (1993, #12 overall)
Randy Woods (1992, #16 overall...who??)
LeRon Ellis (1991, #22 overall)
Bo Kimble (1990, #8 overall)
Loy Vaught (1990, #13 overall)
Danny Ferry (1989, #2 overall....amazing!)
Danny Manning (1988, #1 overall..decent career but injury prone and not #1 results)
Hersey Hawkins (1988, #6 overall...no career to speak of)
Reggie Williams (1987, #4 overall)
Joe Wolf (1987, #13 overall)
Ken Norman (1987, #19 overall)
Benoit Benjamin (1985, #3 overall....see ya Creighton)
Lancaster Gordon (1984, #8 overall...who?)

Starred after leaving LAC
Lamar Odom, 1999 #4 overall
Antonio McDyess, 1995 #2 overall
Byron Scott, 1983 #4 overall
Terry Cummings, 1982 #2 overall
Craig Hodges, 1982 #48 overall
Tom Chambers, 1981 #8 overall
Adrian Dantley, 1976 #6 overall

Change-Up

Let's twist away from sports here for a second, as nothing good is happening to any PYB's teams at the moment....Starting a thread of most overrated or underrated songs or bands.....We begin with most overrated bands that people cream over that are no good, and please don't cry since surely most of you like one if not all of these farces...it is just one blog's opinion....

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers--Have been terrible since "Fight Like a Brave"

2. Dave Matthews Band--The default choice for those who know nothing about music to say they've been to a concert and know great talent when they see it. Mostly those who've never seen an acoustic guitar before. No offense, Juice. "Eat too much, drink too much!" Terrible....gets no play in this ride!

3. Foo Fighters--He is so talented! He is lead singer and was Nirvana's drummer. Go away.

4. Incubus--Pure Drivel

5. U2--Should have stopped after the Joshua Tree, but keeps filling stadium shows (enough said) with Zooropa, Lemon, et al.

Wednesday Thoughts....

1. Points 1-3 by Shatel in this link are very valid, but as for whether Bo & Co. will have the balls to address them, extremely doubtful.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091026/SPORTS/710269857

2. The more PYB watches NU, the more it realizes what a shame it is for the Cornhuskers to be wasting the season that Ndamukong Suh is having. He had another amazing game Saturday.

3. Mitch Sherman misses the point here. Nobody is personally scapegoating Paul, but the fact that he is not a good player remains. The coaches AND local media are the ones who turned this guy into a phenom this fall, before he'd caught a pass for more than 10 yards.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091027/BIGRED/710279852

4. Nice of the coaches to throw people a bone, and announced a starting position change at WR. One that doesn't matter because every WR is running in and out all game. Not that Gilleylen and Holt are great receivers, but apparently it's possible to get bench because your QB misses you by five yards when you do get open?

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091027/BIGRED/710279829

5. Sure, Larry Johnson is an asshole. He has been for years. But is his transgression (calling a report a fag) really an offense worthy of an 'indefinite suspension'? Guys have been accused of violent crimes and not been suspended from their teams. And why is is not allowable for the media to print the word 'fag', which is what anyone can deduce was the word he used? Describing it in a news story is not the same as calling someone a fag, so quit tapdancing around the issue in hopes of placating the gay community.

6. Lakers beat the Clippers 99-92 on opening night. Maybe Blake Griffin could have made a difference. Well, that is, through the first quarter until he went out with the injury du jour. The game was close into the 4th quarter, then typical NBA....BS foul call for the Lakers, three point play, game over. Mr. Stern runs a tight ship. No way the team that got its championship rings is going to lose at home in the season opener.

7. Good analysis:

http://nebraska.statepaper.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2009/10/27/4ae79b20c5758

8. The New York Yankees made the World Series. They must be so proud. Another visit to the Fall Classic bought and paid for. This is the equivalent of a guy bragging that he got laid after paying for a prostitute.

Clipper Jinx...

The Clipper Jinx must be real. Blake Griffin is out up to six weeks with a broken kneecap. This story is amazing on so many levels, PYB doesn't know where to start.

1. The fact that another number-one draft pick is hurt before he even starts his career is proof that the Clippers are doomed. Even when they make the right selection (according to the analysts), it doesn't work out.

2. After watching Griffin get injured EVERY game last season at Oklahoma, is this any surprise? Whether it was a legitimate injury, or came from his flopping & cheap shotting, or from opponents cheap shotting him because he is a cocky douche....he was hurt every game...bloody nose, hit in the nuts, concussion....the list goes on.

3. The image that sticks in my head is him dunking on overmatched players eight inches shorter than he and then running down the court taunting them like he'd just taken one down on Dikembe Mutombo. Well, Blake, the NBA is a man's game and you'll have to earn your stripes here. That is, if you ever get your soft ass on the court. And when you do, the referees and your no-talent brother Taylor won't be there to save you. What goes around, comes around.

4. Stronger Jinx: Clipper or Madden? Troy Polamalu, co-cover boy for the 2010 Madden installment, just came back from his Week 1 injury this past Sunday.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Alw8_PrWk5fiOGRWBkt4_4Q5nYcB?slug=ap-clippers-griffin&prov=ap&type=lgns

Dr. Watson, I Presume...

If you see a ridiculous quote when reading about NU football, chances are offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said it.

In the last three weeks we have:

1. Cody Green is an 'average runner in terms of speed.'

2. Zac Lee was 'perfect' today, when he missed at least seven wide open receivers by five yards and threw three INTs against Iowa State. Not to mention he went 20/37 passing.

3. The famous 'Did you play the game?' reply to a reporter who had the nerve to question his offensive philosophy, which has racked up 17 points combined the last two weeks against Texas Tech and Iowa State. This is the same Texas Tech team that gave up 539 yards to Texas A&M, who had been one of the nation's worst teams to that point.

4. Niles (Paul) had a fluke thing happen to him....apparently flukes can happen in two straight games and cost your team both of them. After viewing the TT play for the first time last nite, the fact that he didn't try to recover the ball shows a complete lack of field awareness and football IQ.

Saturday CFB Thoughts...

1. If you thought Mike Leach's goal-line decision making was bad. Charlie Weis has a chance in the fourth quarter to kick the game-tying field goal on 4th & goal from the 1. Notre Dame comes to the line and Jimmy Clausen calls timeout. So they were bluffing, and after wasting a timeout, you figure ND would kick the field goal. Wrong! The Irish come out in the Wildchicken formation and Clausen (your best player and supposed Heisman candidate) on the sideline and get stoned by BC at the one yard line. This, folks, is how you lose games and lose your job. Truly amazing. Check your ego at the door, Jabba, and kick the field goal. Now, ND is punting with 3:27 remaining, and a BC touchdown wins the game instead of tying....duh.

2. Nobody can execute anymore. Nobody can score. Penalties abound. Nine of 10 games are unwatchable. The alleged number one team in the nation has 12 points against Tennessee and made its first first down of the 2nd half with eight minutes remaining in the game.

3. Speaking of the SEC, the tried and true rule holds: Score 13 points, win the game. The conference gets tons of credit for its athleticism, but almost every game is brutally unwatchable. If you'd bet the under on every game the last five years, you'd be rich. And it's bad offense, not stellar defense.

4. Well, Jabba Weis lucks out and BC's quarterback threw a brutal INT to give the Irish the game. BC joins Michigan State and Purdue in handing away a win to Notre Dame this season. Way to go Jabba, your home record is now 19-12.

5. Is there a team with a bigger knack for blowing games at the end than Michigan State? This time, a last-play TD by Iowa does in the Spartans.

6. Just in case you were wondering, Kevin Cosgrove is still doing what he does best. His Golden Gopher defense held Terrelle Pryor and Ohio State to just 509 yards Saturday.

7. Texas A&M dominates Texas Tech all game, gaining 539 yards and scoring 45 points. Ouch.

8. PYB takes this opportunity to brag on its own betting efficiency.....17 wagers placed Saturday, up $2.

Iowa State Unit Grades...

QB--C-Minus
Zac Lee wasn't the reason NU lost. Still, he cannot make plays. Not one. Cody Green should have started. When Lee does have a man open, he misses them by five to six yards some times. Two of the INTs were because the balls were thrown behind the receiver and too high. Time for a change. The state of Nebraska doesn't hate you, Zac, they just want to win games.

RB--Incomplete
Roy Helu is hurt. It is not fair to keep running him out there. He has never had issues with fumbling before, and obviously the shoulder caused both drops today. Rest him until he's ready---keeping him in hurts both Helu and the team.

Dontrayevous Robinson looked like a nice power option, and the offensive line was ripping holes open for him before the strip inside the red zone. Keep hammering it. Patience is a must.

WR--C
Finally showed some consistency getting open, but too many drops. Also, catching some of Lee's misfires would be nice. However, if they have no idea where the ball is going, the timing is completely fucked. Just ask a catcher how fun it is catching a knuckleballer without any command of his pitches.

Offensive line--B-
Protected Lee decently today, and cut down on the penalties. Just when they started blowing some holes open for Robinson, he fumbled. Then Watson never established the power game again--not that ISU made it easy, as they controlled the clock with their Navy-esque offensive attack.

Tight End--Not Applicable
When NU started getting some traction with the power run game, PYB thought this would open up some play action....especially to the tight ends over the middle. A play that is ALWAYS open. Silly me.

Special Teams--D
The only thing preventing this from being an F is the blocked kicks. However, there is no threat on any of the following: punt returns, kick returns, punt block or punt coverage. How can Alfonzo Dennard look so great returning punts last season and not get a look once this season? When you let out a big sigh every time Niles Paul fair catches without a fumble, that can't be a good sign...

Defensive Line--A
This unit continues to pressure the QB with essentially no help from the blitz. Suh and Crick are purely dominant and run like defensive ends. The DEs, while not great, cover their assignments for the most part.

Linebackers--B
Phillip Dillard was everywhere today and looked like a man possessed. As far as other linebackers, do the Cornuskers have any? Sean Fisher looked like Mike Petko returning the blocked field goal.

Defensive Backs--C
While Dennard has quickly emerged as NU's second-best player, the rest of the DBs looked OK, not great. Eric Hagg got burned for the only ISU TD, and Prince Amukamara continued to give up catches despite being in the right position. PYB would like to see more plays made on the ball from these guys, who have the ability. Still, an above-average unit that is part of a very good defense.

Intangibles--F
Eight turnovers. Eight goddamn turnovers.... No toughness, no focus. Just when NU plugs one leak in the dam, another springs up. Dropped passes, holding penalties, fumbles, bad throws, misuse of timeouts....anything you can dream up happens just in time to thwart any momentum the Huskers have worked hard to gain.

Coaching--F
This team has surely set the record for most timeouts used while on defense. When it's 3rd and 4 early in the third quarter and the opponent has the ball at its own 30, you NEVER call timeout unless you're a man short. The stubborness this staff showed by not starting Green and refusing to insert him in the third quarter is absolutely unfathomable. It is sad, really. It caused a loss to Iowa State....who was without its starting QB and RB.

You can add John Papuchis to the list of those who deserve the axe at season's end. Pelini needs to get heavy-handed with Shawn Watson, and tell him to find an identity or find a new job. That is, assuming Pelini knows what he's doing. With each performance like this, fans have the right to wonder.

Absolute-Lee Bo-Thetic....

Bo Knows Best. After a weekend of hemming and hawing about who would start at QB for Nebraska this weekend, Bo Pinelli chickened out and stayed with Zac Lee. As was obvious to everyone but apparently the coaching staff, this was the time for Cody Green to take over. But, just to prove that they knew best, the coaches stuck with Zac Lee.

The fact that he is no threat to make anything happen gave the Cyclones more confidence as the game wore on. Eight turnovers, including four inside the six yard line, helped them keep control for all four quarters. Niles Paul once again chipped in the game-blowing turnover. His fumble was the second straight time he has fumbled without being touched, and was the second straight time his blunder turned the momentum in the opponent's favor for the rest of the game. The play was a true microcosm of his career; so much early promise, only to let everyone down when it really matters.

If it wasn't obvious before kickoff, it was obvious at halftime that Green needed to get the nod. The Huskers could go no lower. They trailed 9-7. The season was in the balance. Bo choked. Stubbornness killed this cat.

Maybe Green isn't polished yet. Maybe he doesn't know the entire offense. But he can darn sure make more plays than Zac Lee. Making one play would be one more than Lee is capable of making. Green could make a play or two with his legs, scramble for a first down...most importantly, he could keep the defense off balance. This would help get the young, untalented WRs some space to run after they made catches. The offense could gain yards in bunches and not have to operate perfectly for 15 consecutive plays in order to score a touchdown.

Sure, the players were the ones fumbling and throwing interceptions. But coaches are paid (in excess of $1 million) to put their men in position to win. Cody Green was that best chance. The worst that could have happened with him under center was a loss at home to Iowa State. Lee was missing receivers by 6 yards on 5 yard patterns.

Guess what? The worst happened anyway. And our supposed prodigy has no more experience to show for it. If you're gonna gain anything out of a game like this, you simply must at least gain that. PYB asked last week if Bo was going to prove he was a lifetime defensive coordinator or a head coach....he went a long way to answering that this week.

Now, what was a promising season two weeks ago, is just another lost season. One of at least 10 lost seasons since Tom Osborne left. There is no swagger, but most of all there is no discipline, no regard for the little details that would swing tight games in NU's favor nine out of 10 times. Special teams is simply awful. There is nary a threat to make a play on punt returns or punt blocks or kick returns. A sign of the leader's lack of attention to detail....eerily scary of the Solich Regime.

Round and round NU goes, where it stops, apparently Bo don't know.....

Husker Hoops...

Well, being picked 11th in the preseason Big 12 poll is no surprise, given the fact that none of the voters looked below KU and Texas when casting their votes. However, looking at the roster Doc Sadler has put together, you have to like the fact that he has depth and size and a good mix of youth and experience. If you get the critical mass, and then whittle it down to those who can make a difference in Big 12 play, success gets more likely each season. The schedule may not be Top-10 laden, but there are definitely some interesting contests.

@ St. Louis
TCU
@ USC
@ Creighton
Oregon State
Tulsa (in Las Vegas)
BYU or Nevada (Las Vegas)


Click on the link above, and expect a full analysis in the coming weeks.

The State of Big 12 Basketball...

PYB promises to return to form next week, as work subsides a bit....

In the meantime, you can click on this headline to read all about why college basketball is so watered down and almost unwatchable. The article rambles on about returning studs, great transfers and new recruits. Not once does it mention team basketball and the quality of the teams that play....just individuals. That's why college basketball is almost unwatchable in the regular season and the same reason nobody gives a shit when a Top-5 college football team loses anymore.....

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091022/SPORTS/710229749

Also, just so you know that folks in Omaha haven't gained any touch with reality. Apparently after you get a PF Chang's and a Cheesecake Factory, a major professional sports franchise is next....

From: Jeff, Omaha
Published Wednesday, Oct. 21

Hey Tom, what's your take on NFL football or MLB baseball in Omaha? Why is it so impossible? Being born and raised in Omaha all I ever hear about this subject is “Omaha had its chance with the Knights and the Kings back in the 70's.” People say Omaha couldn't support pro teams. Times change, Omaha and vicinity has nearly 1 million people now. If there was a MLB/NFL team would this state support them when the Yankees or Red Sox or the Peyton Manning and the Colts came to town? I personally would be the first one buying season tickets! And I'm sure the rest of the state would support a pro team with the same intensity as the Huskers! I think that you Tom, being the premier sports writer in the state should at a minimum take a state wide poll and ask the people and give the results to all the right people!

I'll be happy to take the poll, but two of the questions will be: 1) Do you support a significant property tax hike to build a bigger baseball stadium and/or a new football dome and 2) Would you be willing to pay $20 for parking and then up to $100 for a ticket for one game? I don't think the finances work, nor will they ever. We're a college town/state and I'm very okay with that.

Good Night, Good Luck...

and good riddance...maybe they negotiate a package deal to take Shane Thorell and Matt O'Hanlon with him...

Lawrence, parents to meet with Pelini

The future of linebacker Blake Lawrence appears uncertain.

Lawrence, who suffered his third concussion in a one-year span last spring, sat out back-to-back practices this week.

According to defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, Lawrence and his parents are scheduled to meet with Bo Pelini and a decision concerning the junior's future is expected today.

Before August's preseason camp, Lawrence was fitted with a specialized helmet, one designed to soften the impact during collisions.

He was the team's top weakside linebacker until senior Phillip Dillard took over the position in mid-September. Lawrence, from Shawnee Mission, Kan., suited up for Saturday's game against Texas Tech, though he didn't play.

If He Hadn't Yet, He Has Now...

This is the line that we here at PYB feared was coming, and precisely why we peppered our Texas Tech game analysis with a quote from someone who did play, and starts at linebacker in the NFL. Shawn Watson dropped the 'did you play?' line on a reporter yesterday.

This is the first and strongest telltale sign that he is stuck in a fantasy world with his own arrogance. Nothing can slow down his system, in his own mind, not even defenses who shut down every play he runs.....Read on, but before you do, the stat is up....out of 23 run plays vs. TT, 20 were the zone read by Lee. None by Green. Absolutely pathetic. Click title or below...

http://www.huskerlocker.com/blogs/view/bid/2141/i/commentary_is_lee_still_up_for_the_job/o/0

Cream Puffs Around...

Finally, the Longhorns and Gators are taking some heat for their pathetic scheduling...Click title.

Paranoia Setting In....

The fans are ready to win and do whatever it takes for that to happen. The feeling here at PYB is that the fans just want to move the ball, whoever is the best man to do that. Zac Lee has had several chances to do that and has failed. Nobody is 'against him', everybody wants to win....no matter the name on the jersey. Lee can blame Shawn Watson....

http://huskerextra.com/articles/2009/10/20/football/doc4addfb1951843037839424.txt

Folks They're Not Booing......They're Yelling Homooooooooo!

Lubbock Calling...

"He is an average runner in terms of speed. He is kind of nifty, like Joe Ganz." Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson, describing Cody Green's ability to run the football.

After personally witnessing the massacre against Texas Tech this week in Lincoln, PYB had no idea where to start. Finally, we decided on this quote, which may give some inkling of how completely clueless Watson really is. Is he supposing that none of NU's fans have seen Green run like a Gazelle in mop-up duty this season? Or is he just that stupid?

We may never know, but what we do know is that the two holdover coaches from the Callahan and Solich eras are the ones costing the Cornhuskers the most. Watson's playcalling is so bad, it reminds us of the days of 50 passes of three yards or less from the Air Callahan days. And Barney Cotton's line is so bad, that they cannot get inside the 20 yard line without having multiple holding or false start penalties.....not ONCE. Not EVER! Both need to be dismissed, and waiting until the season ends is too long.

In a chance postgame meeting with former Cornhusker LB Stewart Bradley, PYB & friends grilled him about what was wrong with NU. Fans can take heart that they do know something about the game (despite what coaches will say), when he mentioned the awful playcalling and the fact that NU NEVER throws downfield. Better to risk a couple three-and-outs, he said, just to stretch the field and keep defenses somewhat honest. When asked why we run the zone read play 15 times with the slow QB, and not ONCE with the fast QB, he just shook his head. Enough said. When you lose faith of former alumni, who have no hidden agenda, you are effectively done.

Anyway, let's get on to some unit-by-unit analysis, before we rant for another 500 words.

Quarterback
Obviously, first on everyone's mind. Zac Lee has not moved the ball against a decent team yet. The Mizzou game turned out to be what it was.....a fluke. NU racked up 27 points due to turnovers and one long bomb. The game-capping drive was nice, and came from..GASP....running the football and staying committed to it! In defense of Lee, I have not seen many (ie, NONE) receivers running wide open this year. But listening to coaches, it sounds like he's not seeing reads soon enough to hit passes against good teams, when the openings will be small and split-second decisions will be needed. He had his chance at this job, and couldn't take advantage.

On to Green: It was nice to see Watson set him up to fail on Saturday. Put him in, and not run him ONCE. Watson didn't roll Green out of the pocket once either, and tried to turn him into the next version of Tom Brady, sitting in the pocket. What a disgrace. Has Watson not seen the way this his gone with Vince Young, Michael Vick, etc.?

These guys can throw a bit but are the scary weapons they are a threat to run and convert first downs and gain yards in 20-30 yard chunks. The excuse will surely be, "We were behind in the game and felt we had to throw." Well, you can still run pass plays, but give him the option to run. Keep the defense off balance, and the yards will come....trust anyone who has played video games, since apparently you can't figure it out yourself. Truly sad. Maybe you can have the CU job earlier than we thought, Shawn.

Running Back
Not much analysis needed here. Roy Helu is a great RB, when healthy, but he hasn't been a factor the last two games. Actually, we should say he hasn't been used. If he's hurt, tell the fucking public and use one of NU's bigger freshmen backs in trying to establish a run game. Quit playing reindeer games with the injury report.....it seemed that Tom Osborne did just fine without shrouding every twisted ankle in secrecy.

Wide Receiver
This may be NU's worst position, as predicted in the preseason. Not one of the starters can get open on a consistent basis. Niles Paul effectively tanked the Texas Tech game with his lackadaisical, unfocused fumble that led to the Red Raiders' 14-0 lead. His big plays against bad teams, and fluke TDs against Mizzou have bought him a lot of goodwill with uneducated fans. But the truth is, he sucks.

NU's most consistent option is Chris Brooks, who seems to get open by using his big frame and four years of experience. Backups Antonio Bell, Bradon Kinnie and Khiry Cooper got more time, but without enough chance to learn the offense and practice tight route running, results will be sporadic at best. Too many drops for the whole unit.

Offensive Line
What can even be said here? Just a terrible performance by a terrible unit. Every key drive is stunted by multiple false start or holding penalties. We were even treated to a little dessert Saturday, when Ricky Henry ended NU's slim hopes of winning with a 15-yard personal foul that moved the ball from the four yard line to the 19. According to the OWH, in its three games against BCS teams, NU's offense has racked up 21 penalties for 154 yards. It was eight for 60 yards on Saturday.

Cotton's first stint in Lincoln was a disaster, both as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He should never have gotten a second chance. Programs like NU don't give second chances, shouldn't need to. Time to go Barney, the Real Big Red in Ames may need help...oh wait, they're 4-3.....maybe Ames High School has an opening.

Tight End
Watson does not attempt to get the TEs involved, unless it is against a shitty team where NU doesn't need them. Hence, we will forego analysis of this position until further notice.

Defense
For the most part, the defense played well Saturday. The first drive got them off to a bad start and put the Huskers in a 7-0 hole. The drive was extended by a couple flukish conversions by TT. But the one-game Blackshirts got over its flat start, and held the Raiders to 252 yards. Pretty darn good...much better than Texas did.

The two main weaknesses, however, come in the defensive backfield. Matt O'Hanlon is severely overmatched and should not play another down. After singlehandedly blowing the Virginia Tech game (well, actually Shawn Watson and the O Line helped, surprise), he added to that feat Saturday. On a long pass play where O'Hanlon was five yards out of position, Alfonzo Dennard had perfect coverage and was waiting to make a possible INT.....O' Hanlon then came in full speed and slammed into Dennard, knocking him out for the game and maybe longer. Get to Wesleyan, Matt.

This forced NU to play with Anthony West the rest of the game. He hadn't played a lick in the prior two games, and Texas Tech instantly picked on him the remainder of the time. His pass interference penalty set up TT inside the five for the game-losing touchdown. He can't cover.

The next weakness comes with Prince Amukamara. The guy has all the talent in the world and his right nearby every play. But when it comes to actually defending the pass, his skills are nonexistent. Every chance at an interception is dropped and every chance at a pass break up is missed. When he's out there with West, there are two weak links. When Dejon Gomes and Dennard are on the field, it can be hidden to a point. Hopefully, he can improve, but this is usually an innate skill, not taught. This is why he was a star RB in high school.

Punter
Alex Henery, as said many times before, is not the answer at punter. Please use the backup. It could not go worse. There is at least one shank per game and the net punting game is 93rd in the nation. FYI, that's out of 120 teams. He is a great PK, let him concentrate on that. He doesn't even look like he knows how to punt.

Coaching
The main concern here, is how good NU can be in certain areas and how truly awful it can be in others. The defensive improvement 1.5 seasons is amazing, and it is a legitimate top-15 unit nationally. The vaunted Longhorn defense allowed 414 to TT in Austin. However, the listed facets are a complete joke: game management, play calling, media relations, offensive coaching, and special teams.

Change is needed, and no it is not too early. Jettison Watson and Cotton. Osborne needs to set Pelini straight on his dealing with the media. The public deserves respect and deserves to know more about injuries. There is no benefit in secrecy, especially when what you're hiding is about a player of marginal talent, anyway. PYB backs Bo, but he has some severe shortcomings that he must address if he wants a long future at NU. The next few weeks it is on him to decide: Am I a career wizard defensive coordinator, or am I truly head coach material? It's on you, Mr. Pelini.

Crowd
The crowd and NU fans also must take ownership here. The aura and effort at this game was a total fucking embarrassment. Pre-game, there was ZERO energy outside the stadium and at the tailgates. PYB got the feeling that NU fans thought that they had reclaimed their rightful spot atop the football world (sadly, this when rated 15th) and could just cruise along to easy wins until the OU game. Well, when your talent is average at best, that doesn't happen. Hell, it doesn't even happen for Florida or Texas or Notre Dame (that was a joke) anymore.

Once TT went up 7-0. Actually, once TT converted a couple long third downs, NU fans went in to turtle mode. They have always been known for not being loud, but this was the worst we at PYB have witnessed. It was like they were refusing to cheer until something good happened. Well you know what? Sometimes that noise is needed to rev up a flat team, especially for the defense to create a turnover and perhaps some points that could have cut the lead to 14-7. This was against a team that pushed Texas for 3.5 quarters, and this is all you can muster?

Watching the people in the stadium, it's almost like they're too self conscious to really let go and scream their lungs out, for fear their neighbor or pastor or priest is watching. Let it go, Cornhusker fans, you won't have much to cheer for until next fall anyway. Well you could, but you know zilch about hoops and won't support Doc Sadler, forcing him to leave and making NU suck at hoops for another 20 years....but that's another column for another day....

So jump up in the 1989 Nikes, yank down those two-size-too-small Silver Tabs, and scream your fucking lungs out. You can do that, or have fun in Shreveport (the murder capital of the USA) at the Independence Bowl.

PS
In its impromptu interview with Stewart Bradley, his BFF Bo Ruud stood nearby---wasted, slamming a Bud Light Lime before they went out to apparently chase skirts. Not quite sure how a guy who was in NFL training camps this fall looks like he is 210 pounds, with man boobs and a boiler resembling Phil Mickelson's. His physique, or lack thereof, is all the evidence you need to see why he sucked at NU and got cut in the NFL more times than Eric Crouch. Plus, the way he was limp-wristedly sauntering through the Embassy Suites made him look like Lamar Latrell, seriously. We'd expect him on the cover of Out magazine before Huskers Illustrated.

Name of the day....TT kicker/punter Donnie Carona.....we were hoping his backup was Johnnie Pacifico. Good joke!

That's all for now, thanks for listening....I think we here at PYB needed it as therapy more than you, dear reader....

Sooner Fans!

Must Click here....

http://deadspin.com/5382914/ou-has-already-lost-the-red-river-embarrassing-music-video-rivalry?autoplay=true

PS...

9. John Riggins, you haven't been relevant in 25 years. Just be glad that you played in the era when a slow, plodding back could still produce in the NFL and shut up. He is qualified, however, to recognize a losing football team. He played at Kansas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvIX3S0f-2c

10. The NBA has just allowed in its rulebook, two-steps after catching the ball.....up from the former rule of one step. ONE STEP? ONE GODDAMN STEP???!! It's been two-and-a-half for years, if not THREE for some players.....expect drives to the hoop now to begin at half court and resemble a triple jump more than a basketball move.....Amazing! Rigged.

11. In true Network fashion, ESPN pays the school districts whose HS FB games they televise $1000. How generous...must be saving money for producing their next Town Hall Meeting.

12. Exhibit 5000 of Rick Reilly's wackness. He makes me shit more than MSG:

http://deadspin.com/5382448/a-childrens-treasury-of-rick-reillys-heat+related-similes/gallery/

Friday Forecast

1. PYB is enjoying all the "Trade Terrell Owens or Not?" hype on ESPN. The only thing they're forgetting: he sucks. He is averaging 40 yards per game this year. His last 100-catch season was in 2002. He drops a lot of balls and lacks the speed to take it to the end zone consistently.

If he was a shut-your-mouth-and-work-and-be-a-professional guy, he'd be worth a flyer. As the game's biggest diva, not worth a dime. Every team he has run through has gone into a tailspin...San Francisco, Philly, Dallas, and now Buffalo. I guess VH-1 will be your meal ticket from now on, TO.

2. Big danger game in Lincoln tomorrow: Cornhusker fans feeling smug about their momentous win over Mizzou. Despite two losses, Texas Tech is very dangerous. The things that still leads to PYB predicting an NU victory: past success versus TT, Bo Pelini's defense controlling every game so far in 2009, the fact that NU's lame offense should have some holes to work with in the Red Raider defense. The 10-point line, however, is a joke.

3. ESPN Sportscenter anchor Sage Steele decrying the fact that she gets 'angrier every time she sees it' as Donny Avery dances after scoring a TD down 31 points for the STL Rams. Sure, it's weak, but stick to calling the highlights....we don't care what you think.....you're just lucky affirmative action has you on The Network in the first place. Know your place.

4. Could Cincinnati be the real deal? They lose their QB early in the third quarter last nite and then go on to pull away from USF and win 34-17. Rumor has Tony Pike out next week for certain, so we shall see....They're no Boise State, I'm sure...they will have to run a Statue of Liberty play so they can get five years of credibility from the media for doing it.

5. I'm sure this little girl's future is bright:

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091016/NEWS01/910169991

6. Great quote from Tom Shatel's OWH article on the RIDICULOUS thought of Ndamukong Suh's Hypesman chances:

Dave Sittler, Tulsa World: “If Suh continues to play anywhere near the remarkable performance he put on against Mizzou and Nebraska wins the Big 12 championship, I'd seriously consider him as my top Heisman candidate. That was one of the most dominating performances I've witnessed in more than 40 years doing this gig.
“I was also impressed by his leadership on and off the field. The cameras showed him on the sideline reassuring (Zac) Lee when the Cornhusker quarterback struggled most of the game. Tim Tebow does that, and the media falls head-over-laptops in love with the guy. A defensive lineman does it, and many media members yawn while checking to make sure they have the correct kickoff time for Saint Timmy's next game.''

7. Well it was nice Falcon Heene was found hiding in his attic, after the runaway balloon fiasco yesterday near Denver (by the way, could CNN run anything further into the ground? Getting in physicists to calculate the speed of launch of a helium dirigible is a bit extreme).

Sounds like he has a real solid family structure. His parents are storm chasers (biggest losers in the world) and his parents have been on Wife Swap.....twice. (The only bigger losers than storm chasers). And his name is Falcon. Living in Colorado, over/under on his first hit on the bong is age eight years, three months.

8. PYB flew in for the NU vs. TT game tomorrow. The Southwest flight to Omaha was OK, except that it was late as every Southwest flight is.....and I got to sit next to the reincarnation of Fletcher from the move Liar, Liar....you know....the 'GREAT GIFT DAD!!" HERE COMES THE CLAW!!!" guy... For the duration of the three-hour flight it was BLARING LOUD BABY TALK for the whole airplane to hear.

What are we going to see tomorrow? MAYBE SOME CORN?? MAYBE THE ZOO?!!!
What's in my bag???? SANDWICHES!!!! YAY!
Did you go potty??? GOOD GIRL!!! YAY!

FUCK YOU, SUPERDAD.

Indeed....

I'm Not a Racist..My Grand Wizard Tells Me So

"I even let them use my bathroom." Stellar job of setting race relations back 30, 50, 300 years?

I never knew the Klan liked Ole Miss until I saw this picture....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff

Wednesday Thoughts....

1. Well, most of us thought NU offensive coordinator had lost his mind last Thursday. Now, it's confirmed. Average, in terms of overall speed? Anyone who has seen Green play knows his speed is well above average. His moves and shiftiness...maybe....Shawn, it's PYB!

- Watson said the Huskers will not implement a run package for freshman quarterback Cody Green to take some of the rushing load away from Helu in Burkhead's absence. Watson said Green needs to focus on his job as the backup QB.

“No, no, no, no,” Watson said. “We need him. He's got to be there to help us win games by passing the ball. That's important.”

Green has rushed six times for 79 yards and two touchdowns this year. But according to Watson, Green's running ability is “average, in terms of his overall speed.”

“He's kind of a nifty runner, kind of like Joe (Ganz),” Watson said.

As for his progression at quarterback, Green is still working out some rough edges, Watson said.

“He's a true freshman,” the coach said. “He's getting better, but he's got some things he's got to improve on before we give him the keys to the car.”

2. Another shitty performace by Bo Pelini, when discussing Rex Burkhead's broken foot. What good does it do to shroud this in secrecy? Exchange below:

On the status of freshman I-back Rex Burkhead
“Rex is going to be out for awhile. I’m not sure how long.”

On what kind of injury he has
“Foot”

On if it is broken
“Not quite sure. He’s going to be out for awhile.”

On who would step into his place
“We have a number of different candidates.”

On if Rex’s injury puts a bigger load on Roy Helu’s shoulders
“No, still going to have other guys in there playing.”

On the depth they have at running back
“You have (Marcus) Mendoza, you’ve got AJ Jones, you’ve got Lester Ward, Collins Okafor, and you have Dontrayevous Robinson. We have a stable of guys. We rep all those guys. They are prepared and ready to go.”

On who is most likely to earn the spot out of the reserve backs
“Whoever earns it.”

3. Just in case you wondered, Golden State's Stephen Jackson is giving up his captain duties in Golden State. Well, when you give your biggest psycho a captain's role, this is bound to happen. Sad when you give out titles that were formally an honor just to appease a player who's been a fuckup ever since he stepped foot in the NBA. Yes, the NBA, in case some of you didn't know what league Golden State was in.

4. The New York Yankees 'may' go with a three-man rotation for the ALCS. Top headline on espn.com. Who cares??? Tell me when game one starts.

5. The AL and NL championship series not starting until Thursday & Friday....what is this, the NBA? Next, MLB we be rigged just like the NFL and NBA.

6. Another front-page espn.com headline: The 2010 Tour de France will go through the Pyrenees Mountains. Slow news day?

7. What an embarrassing Thurman Thomas statue....more embarrassing that someone stole the 1000-pound tree carving...Looks more like Speed Racer to me.

8. Brady Quinn is selling his Cleveland-area mansion. Is this because he will be leaving Cleveland soon? Or more likely because he's downsizing since he's soon to be out of the league? You know NFL means "Not For Long" when you lose your job to a guy who threw three interceptions immediately after replacing you. Where's Jeff Samardzija when you need him to save you like he did at Notre Dame. Well, he's in Chicago racking up a 7.00+ ERA for the Cubs....

9. Ouch. I may be changing my gym routine:

http://deadspin.com/5380760/nba-locker-rooms-terrorized-by-giant-rubber-balls

10. Finally, just in case you forgot how magnificent Tim Teabag is, please do yourself a favor and take a refresher course. You'll be a better person for it:

http://deadspin.com/5379602/tim-tebow-messiah-watch-touching-the-hem-of-his-garment-edition

PYB Brings Home the Hardware.....

OWH Big 12 Rankings & Recap....

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091012/SPORTS/710129837

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091012/SPORTS/910139998

Thoughts:

1. Mark Mangino pumps Todd Reesing for Heisman. I watched Reesing play twice this season, and until he learns to throw a spiral, he's off my list. He puts up big numbers, because he throws the ball 38 times a game. The stat sheet looks OK, but watch him play, and you will be totally unimpressed.

2. Good to see Barfknecht quit hating on NU long enough to pump them up to 3rd.

3. Mike Leach is 2-21 on the road vs. ranked opponents. Most of those losses, we surmise, are against highly rated OU and Texas teams......no lock in Lincoln for the Cornhuskers this weekend.

4. He asks for the 'real Longhorns' to show up....this is it....they're grossly overrated....as PYB has maintained all season long.

Notes...10/13/2009

Interesting notes from this article:

1. Gilmore doesn't want to risk an injury by practicing in the rain? And we wonder why today's player is soft. An LJS article quoted Paul as saying he was "getting down on himself".....these kids need constant hand holding, apparently. The fact that these kids need constant motivation from game to game is sad, and the talk about becoming 'focused' and 'a leader' is all lip service.

2. Shawn Watson puts out a pathetic effort in Columbia, and skips the media session in the first practice following the game. A chicken move, consistent with Pelini's chickenshit media policies. Won't address the blackshirt issue, won't address Helu's shoulder, wouldn't address the flu issue last week.

3. Back to the rain issue: if you haven't practiced in it, you won't be able to execute if & when it happens. Keeping your feet under you and slowing down enough to catch the ball or make cuts is something that is learned. Truly sad coaching philosophy....if it qualifies as that.

This Just In - Nebraska vs. Mizzou Recap

PYB apologizes for the delay, but we were unavoidably detained over the weekend. A great Nebraska win in Columbia will hopefully be a get-over-the-hump game on the road back to respectability. NU got the win, but there are still some gaping holes for the Cornhuskers....as well as every other CFB team in these days of celebrated mediocrity.

QB--Zac Lee did little to impress, outside of two or three plays, all game. He missed receivers that needed to be hit, regardless of weather conditions. Outside of the long TD pass to Niles Paul, and MAYBE the throwback to Mike McNeill, what else did he do as far as making plays? Even his second TD pass was a tossup that Niles Paul snared away from two Mizzou defenders. Either he gets better in the next two weeks or loses his job to Cody Green.

RB--Hard to judge Roy Helu here. The guy was obviously sick, as he was so pale that he looked like any of Pelini's white walk-on scrubs who flop around on kick coverage. But he gamed it when the result was in doubt on the final drive and put it in the end zone for the clinching score. NU's second best player, by far.

WR--Subpar here. Niles Paul got loose for one long TD, but hey if a team throws it 40 times a game that should happen. Call us here at PYB haters, but one 56-yard-touchdown and a jump ball grab does not make one Jerry Rice. It was nice to see Antonio Bell and Brandon Kinnie in, but they need more than one series to get a rhythm. At least the substitutions are as consistently inconsistent as Shawn Watson's playcalling.

Offensive Line--As bad as Barney Cotton is, I have no issue with his unit's blocking this week. Perhaps not dominant, but Watson's play selection didn't give them any chance to establish dominance over the Tigers' DL. The continued holding and false start penalties are completely aggravating, and a sign of poor coaching.

Tight Ends--Incomplete. Besides McNeill's TD, where the hell have these guys been in the other seven quarters of NU's big games?

Defensive Line--Truly NU's strength. Suh is a true dominator, but anyone who wants to bring up the Heisman because of two games is a fucking fool. Awards like this are won over the course of eleven games, and it will be hard for a defensive player (much less a DT) to put up gaudy enough numbers to sway voters who don't know anything about football and don't see anything besides a box score and one or two nationally telecast games per week.

Linebackers--Outside of Phillip Dillard, are these guys a factor at all? Luckily, the defensive line is dominant and it's not been a huge issue to this point. Having one or two playmakers at LB would make the Blackshirts a top-five unit nationally. And we are not talking Barrett Ruud playmaker, we're talking Terrell Farley and Ed Stewart. Piling on for 10 tackle assists per game is not playmaking.

Defensive Back--What great progress we've seen in two weeks. Prince Amukamara has progressed to be an above-average cover man (but still not a good playmaker with INTs, etc.), but the best news is that he is now likely NU's third best CB! Dejon Gomes and Alfonzo Dennard had lockdown coverage all game. Continued development by this trio will lead to a lot of picks and a lot of victories the next two seasons. Larry Asante has been better tackling and luckily there is enough talent to cover up for Matt O'Hanlon's ineptitude. Lance Thorell is benched, Amen....it's been Past His Bedtime for a long time.

Special Teams--Absolutely brutal and embarrassing...and it has been for a LONG time. John Papuchis, if he is indeed in charge, should be in danger of getting axed. Long snapper, inept. Punt returns, inept. Net punting, inept (94th in the nation). If not improved, expect NU to drop a game it shouldn't this season...if not two. Why is the two-returner punt formation not used every time? And Alex Henery is not the answer at punter. He does not look comfortable at all, and the rugby-style kick causes more trouble than it's worth.

Coaching--The fact that the coaching is so good in some aspects and so bad in others is truly amazing. Tremendous defensive coaching, as all units have progressed greatly from last season. In its two matchups versus decent teams, NU has been in complete control of the opponent's offense for 90% of both games. Pelini is obviously a master of using different zones and schemes to keep the other QB out of rhythm and to bait him into turnovers on a consistent basis.

However, play calling was horrible. Twenty four passes at half, and NU continued to throw deep out patterns in a driving rain. No effort to establish the run. Twelve penalties for more than 100 yards. Going for two points to try to get to 15 points, then almost being burned when it was 20-12 with Mizzou driving for the potential tying score. Constant special-teams blunders, as the 94th ranking nationally in punting attests. A litany of items here that can cost a team a big game, especially when the talent level is not great.

Where do the Cornhuskers go from here? If Pelini's track record is an indication, the team will keep improving. But will the coaches quit stepping on their own dicks and learn to deliver the KO punch? Three or four plays turned the tide in Columbia, but a team can't rely on this fortune every week. We will see if NU can grab fortune on its own from now on. Texas Tech is a big test--if you want the glory, you gotta bring it every week. Thursday night was a start.

Down in the Bayou...LSU vs. Florida

Thanks to The Colonel for the pictures from this big SEC tilt, although it was just as boring as every other shitty 13-3 game from that conference.....Word is, Tiger fans were nowhere to be seen after LSU's no-show....

Danger....Only Click Here if You're Not Afraid of Laughing!!

More Analysis....

Click headline for another good analysis of Shawn Watson's subpar performance Thursday night....

Also, going on record, since my website took the LSU-Florida game off the board for parlays...Three-team, money line, LOCK OF THE CENTURY!!

Ole Miss
LSU
Washington

Since I didn't get it in....BOOK IT!!

NU vs. Mizzou Recap....

I could do my own breakdown, but the LJS finally did something right with this recap. Sums up almost all my thoughts. Considering I have house guests this weekend, this will suffice for now until I can drop some knowledge Monday.

Despite the win, NU showed a TON of holes and Zac Lee was ineffective outside of two plays. Did nothing Cody Green probably couldn't do.....maybe this will be the hump game that gets NU rolling....or the game that shows other coaches NU's weaknesses that they'll exploit the rest of the year....

http://huskerextra.com/articles/2009/10/09/football/doc4acec39594bb7304295090.txt

Please Stop! You're Killing Me!

Our wacky senators are at it again. Such humor! Stop or you're going to put Dane Cook out of business! How about doing things that real politicians do...like bang whores, blow taxpayer money on extravagant trips and, if you're a media darling, win a Nobel Peace Prize for doing......well, nothing!!

Click headline to see what these clowns were up to yesterday!!

Jinxed Season Continues for the Pokes...

Okie State gets to find out how it feels to be the hunted for a change....Though I'm still reading this over and over to find the detail that warrants an eight-game suspension....Click title....

Raider Nation....

Commitment to Excellence.....

Pic of the Day...

Thanks to Keiper for sending this one in...and not to Deadspin....maybe he's not a total sellout. His 'sister' sent this to him, which means he actually flew to Denver last weekend to watch his favorite team and QB Tony....The bottom line here...NFL fans are scum and may be as bad as WWE or NASCAR fans these days....the scripts written by Commissioner Goodell certainly are.

Thoughts of the Day - 10/7/2009

1. Senators from Nebraska and Missouri have placed a bet on the outcome of tomorrow's football game in Columbia. How original! I never get tired of hearing about these. They should mix it up and bet one state's multi-million dollar slush fund for the other state's stable of call girls...that'd be a bet worth reporting.

2. Reading an article about how Gary Pinkel flew over Tyler Gabbert's game in a helicopter to impress him. Gay. Anyway, the article intimated Gabbert may switch his commitment from NU to Mizzou because his older brother is thinking about leaving after next year for the NFL. Ha ha ha! So now it only takes four wins over sub-par competition to be ready for the pro game? My mistake, I thought you had to be an exceptional talent to play any form of pro ball, much less leave early for the NFL. The demise of sports continues...

3. Does anyone else want to read a few more of the 'Missouri natives get to play for revenge against their home state team' articles? Fuck no. We've been reading these every week for 20 years, no matter which team Nebraska plays.

4. Recently submitted reader rant: football announcers who still explain who instant replay works, in depth. "You see, they cannot overturn this play unless there is INDISPUTABLE VISUAL EVIDENCE that his knee was down before he crossed the goal line!!" The worse the network, the more their announcers love telling us the rules. Most likely, this is because they're not smart people and just grasped the concept themselves and feel they're the only ones qualified to explain this to us after their 10 years as a backup linebacker.

5. Former NU great Aaron Taylor is losing his championship rings in a bankruptcy auction. Sad news. His financial hardship supposedly comes from tax liabilities incurred because of his position as an officer for a corporation running the failed Lettermen's Club (or whatever weak name it had) sports bar in Omaha. I would have thought this place would have made millions, as its business plan was rock solid. Lease a huge space in the area of town with high rent, in an area surrounded by chain restaurant competition, catering to families.....how could this not work?

I mean who wouldn't jump at the chance to pay to drink beer and eat bar food at a place owned by CORNHUSKER LEGENDS!!?? What an honor. Then after that, you could go buy a house from an ex-Husker then get your insurance policy from one, and finally you could buy your swing set from Heisman Winner Eric Crouch. Life would be complete.

6. Dildo of the Day Award...See below....How could this not work!!!!? Fuck you Fred. Hastings sucks.

From: Fred, Hastings
Published Tuesday, Oct. 6

Recently you wrote about the lack of a short-yardage power running back for the Huskers who could get the yards needed when our offense is in the red zone. Do you know if Coach Bo has tried linebacker-turned quarterback L. Washington for this position? Seems to me with his size and power...he could get the job done. Plus, he would give the coaches the option of faking the run and passing to a wide open receiver. I agree that it is too risky to put N. Suh in the game for that role. Thanks for your comment.

I hadn't thought of that. That's not bad idea. I liked the way Washington ran in the spring game and he would be big enough to bull his way in through short-yardage or goal-line situations. It's all about trust; how does he handle the ball? Is he a risk to fumble? Something for me to ask Shawn Watson next time I see him.

7. Loser Award. Who has time to count and who gives a flying fuck? See below.

From:Matt M., Omaha
Published Tuesday, Oct. 6

Tom, I'm an avid reader and I really enjoyed all of the coverage the OWH had for the 300th sellout. Props to you guys for making that happen. My question is of the 75 different teams that have come through Memorial Stadium during the streak, does the university consider Troy & Troy State two different teams? I went through and counted up the teams and was only coming up with 74 only counting Troy as one. My thought is this is correct based on them being both a 1-AA and 1-A foe. Thoughts?

I believe they do count as one, yes.

8. Have to make sure I mention Iowa's dominating, 24-21 win over Arkansas State Saturday. The Hawkeyes repped the Big 10 by destroying the Indians, setting up an epic battle with Michigan this week. The Wolverines played their hearts out, before falling the juggernaut Michigan State--who obviously must be top five material after winning this one.

9. Some things will never change: The Minnesota Golden Gopher defense, led by Kevin Cosgrove, is 81st in total defense giving up 377 yards/game. They're 50th against the pass and 96th against the pass. Congrats, Coz.

10. Nebraska is 21st in total defense. 63rd in net punting. 17th in turnover margin. 1st in scoring defense. Some very good numbers (against some bad teams), and some very shaky ones on special teams. Will NU step to the plate and get this elusive road win? PYB says Bo has another good defensive strategy in store, controlling Mizzou with a good pass rush and a variety of zone looks.

However, will the one or two huge breakdowns continue to plague the Cornhuskers? Vegas still has NU -3, which we expected to get to even but hasn't moved...maybe they know something we don't. Gabbert can be rattled, as was obvious against Nevada. Is this Nebraska's turn to thrust itself back into the picture of national relevance? We'll find out tomorrow.

11. Finally, is there a more JV field adornment than Mizzou's rockpile? Go ahead and make it 'decorative' and make it look like an M for Mizzou...but we all know it's there because you couldn't fill the seats if they were there.

More AT&T Pics...Top 3 Behind Wrigley & Coors...

Your 2009 NL Cy Young Winner Should Be....

It's amazing what watching a game outdoors, with two top starters will do for one's interest level while watching a baseball game. I live in Arizona, saddled with one of the worst parks and teams in MLB, so had forgotten..... Watching Tim Lincecum mow down the Diamondbacks for seven innings was impressive.

An All-Time Classic...

As PYB slowly gets back into the swing after a short hiatus, we present a tribute photo.

College hoop fans of the late 1980s will appreciate this one, spotted on a DJ at the Bay Area nightspot Cantina this past weekend.....for those of you who don't know, you wouldn't understand....