Nebraska...not feeling Frosty anymore

[entropy]

By STEVEN M. SIPPLE


He sent an e-mail to the principal and teachers at his children's school in Elkhorn.

Steve Warren's daughters won't be attending classes Monday out of respect for Martin Luther King Day, Warren wrote.

The Elkhorn district has classes as regularly scheduled. Most school districts observe the holiday with no classes.

"This is not a race issue," said Warren, who daughters are ages 10 and 6. "That's not what Dr. King fought for ? he fought for equality in the under-served community. That, to me, is what Monday is about.

"Poverty has no color on it."

I remember Warren as a highly principled young man when he played defensive tackle for Nebraska (1996-99). So, it's no surprise to me that he's a conscientious father and citizen.

"I don't want to stir up any trouble," he said. "At the same time, I think something has to be said."

Warren grew up in Springfield, Mo., where his school district also held classes on Martin Luther King Day. But Warren and hundreds of other kids -- black, white and otherwise -- would march from one of the city's churches to city hall, in protest.

Warren obviously still feels strongly about the issue.

He and his wife also have a 4-year-old son.

"My plan is to spend the day with my family," Warren said. "I'll go over everything (about what Martin Luther King meant to society) with my kids ...

I think it's important to sit with them and really explain what's going on because they're so young and impressionable."





Post Extras:

[entropy]

By MATT SCHUCKMAN
Herald-Whig Sports Editor

It didn't take long for Patrick Smith to figure out just how much University of Nebraska football means to the entire state.

Last weekend, while on his way to visit the Lincoln, Neb., campus, Smith was pulled over by a Nebraska state trooper shortly after crossing the border from Iowa.

Asked where he was headed, Smith explained he was exploring the possibility of transferring from Western Illinois University and making this his official visit to the Big Ten Conference school.

"He took my insurance card and went back to his car," said Smith, a kicker and punter who recently completed his junior season at WIU as one of 10 finalists for the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award. "He then waved me back to his car. We spent about 15 minutes talking about the Huskers."

Smith then walked away with a written warning and an idea of what the rest of the visit would be like.

"It made an impression," Smith said.

It convinced him there's no place he'd rather be.

Monday, Smith informed new WIU coach Bob Nielson he was transferring to Nebraska. The Quincy Notre Dame graduate has one year of eligibility remaining and will compete to be the Huskers' starting kicker.

"The opportunity excites me," he said.

Smith plans to graduate from WIU in May with a bachelor's degree in finance and will enroll in Nebraska's masters of business administration program with an emphasis in finance.

"The thing I learned while on my visit is Nebraska leads the nation in Academic All-Americans, even more than Notre Dame," Smith said. "I had no idea."

Smith, who went 10 for 10 on field goals and 11 for 11 on PATs last fall, said leaving WIU will be extremely difficult, and he expects Nielson to turn the program back into a consistent winner. He also believes he is leaving the Leathernecks in "capable feet" with redshirt freshman Nathan Knuffman, the 2011 Herald-Whig Player of the Year from Central-Southeastern, ready to take over.

Meanwhile, Smith sees a huge opportunity ahead.

Nebraska loses Brett Maher, a senior kicker and punter who was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and named the league's Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year for the second time. Sophomore Mauro Bondi is the incumbent kicker going into spring football.

"This is an incredible opportunity and one that I will not take for granted," Smith said.

He pointed to the support of his parents, Brian and Donna, as one of the major reasons he pursued this opportunity.

"They allowed me to chase my dreams and not feel like I'm stepping out of bounds," Smith said.

[DennisT]

recruiting violation

[entropy]

LOL

[Rocky Bleier]

Tim Brown accused Bill Callahan of sabotaging the Raiders in the Super Bowl:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8868196/tim-brown-bill-callahan-sabotaged-oakland-raiders-super-bowl-xxxvii-loss

[Hannibal]

Weird. Very weird.

[entropy]

I'm not sure it was sabotaging, but BC is not a good coach. He failed at UNL and dropped them to levels we hadn't seen in 40 yrs, he f'd up the jet's OL, f'd up dallas' run game..

I think BC is very book smart when it comes to football... very very book smart. I'm not sure he can apply it in a meaningful way.

[Hannibal]

You would think that a guy would have the sense to not majorly screw around with the game plan two days before the biggest game of his life.

[THE_WIZARD_]

[Wild Hoss]

I'm not sure it was sabotaging, but BC is not a good coach. He failed at UNL and dropped them to levels we hadn't seen in 40 yrs, he f'd up the jet's OL, f'd up dallas' run game..

I think BC is very book smart when it comes to football... very very book smart. I'm not sure he can apply it in a meaningful way.

He did field arguably the best offense in the league in 2002 at Oakland...good enough to carry them to the Super Bowl. That seems meaningful.

Jets went from 19th in Rushing in 2007- the year before he arrived- to leading the league in 2009, and finishing 4th in 2010. That seems meaningful.


I think the talent he left behind for Bo was meaningful as well.

[entropy]

and yet, everyplace he went he's hated... by fans and players

[entropy]

LOL...

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/8870307/raiders-super-bowl-sabotaged

vote and then look at the results..

[hack]

LOL!!!!

[Wild Hoss]

and yet, everyplace he went he's hated... by fans and players

You don't work your way from being a DIII quarterback to an NFL head coach by being hated everywhere you go and unable to accomplish meaningful things, sorry.

[entropy]

Yes... Cause bad coaches never get rehired in the NFL or by their buddies at all levels.