One of the things I disliked most of the last regime was how we stopped being unique. We stopped being corn-fed, smash mouth, run this "antique offense" that you can't stop type of offense. We stopped being the local diner where everyone knew the menu by heart and where the waitress was there them first time you didn't order off the "little truckers" menu and got what your dad ordered.
Milt has a quote "we ran this line up and smash the ball down their throat offense... and ya know, a lot of kids bought into that". We weren't flashy, we didn't have a marketing budget, we just did our thing. We were unique - really unique. Some said it was a weakness, can't get the good recruits to come run the option, etc. It was our greatest strength. It was what I loved about our team. We did it our way (ignore the Frank Sinatra lyrics) and it didn't always work, but it was our way. Harry S Truman described an American that got in trouble in a foreign country this way "yes, he's an SOB, but he's our SOB". We didn't always win but they were always my huskers. When we lost, more often than not, we are as state, were sad. When we went away from being Nebraska football, when we became an AppleBees (one in every city serving the same thing to everyone) and stopped being the local diner -- we started getting mad when we lost -- just like everyone else does.
I don't care how bad things got, how much the Orange bowl losses hurt, there was Tom. No throat slashing, not hillbilly comments, just a humble man horribly disappointed because we didn't play well.
I am thrilled to be back on track toward a coach that speaks his mind and has a moral compass. I look forward to shutting down the Applebees and being something unique again. Something distinct from all the other programs. I'm just glad to have something to be proud of again. And that has nothing to do with wins and losses.
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