Let’s try this again

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  • Dave Bradley
    Dave Bradley
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Imagine if you’ve been in a coma, just waking up and you discover that Nebraska is now set to host its home football opener on Nov. 14. If it was me, I’m pretty sure I would roll over and just go back to sleep.
Because Big Red fought so hard to play ball this fall, it seems only fitting that the Huskers were the first ones to feel the sting of missing a game, Wisconsin phoning in sick. So instead of taking the field one week after getting blown out at Ohio State, the Huskers get an off week, hopefully to heal up, improve and get ready to travel to 2-0 Northwestern.
And while fans feel bad enough, imagine the players. First the season’s on, then it’s off. No, it’s back on, and you get to play the Buckeyes and Badgers back-to-back.
Only we didn’t.
Are we having fun yet?
So instead of the Huskers and Wisconsin, I got to watch a little bit of Michigan losing to Michigan State (yes!), Iowa losing at home to Northwestern, and Texas beating Oklahoma State in overtime. Some good games, but seriously, at this point in time, what do they matter.
From here on out, maybe Husker fans shouldn’t concern themselves with wins and losses, but rather with the overall health and makeup of the team.
These days, mental health is everything.
This season will have a great big asterisk beside it anyway, so is a Big Ten West championship really going to mean anything?
At this point in time, I’m more concerned with how the offense performs, how many catches Austin Allen grabs, if Wan’Dale can stay healthy, how our defensive line is coming along, and if we can eliminate those dreaded targeting calls (and fumbles and penalties).
A few wins of course would be good, but the Huskers just need to be competitive from here on out. They need to know their assignments, show improvement, play with energy, lay a solid foundation for 2021 and simply go from there.
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I’m becoming quite numb to national journalists (and I use that term loosely) dissing the Huskers. Right now we’ve got a huge red target on our back and people are taking their shots, telling us to shut up and fall in line with the rest of the BIG zombies.
But please, please excuse us if we just want to compete, just want to improve, and well, just want to play some ball.
If someone could tell me how playing Tennessee-Chattanooga (or not) affects Big Ten offices in Chicago in any way, shape or form, I’m all ears.
But to not allow two reportedly healthy teams to play one another on what was a beautiful afternoon in Lincoln, seems downright shameful.
The Big Ten rules with an iron fist and they’re not about to let anyone, especially Nebraskans, forget it. It’s their way or the highway, and right now, the highway seems like a pretty good alternative.
If we were in a galaxy far, far away, I’d just call them the Evil Empire.
DAVE BRADLEY can be reached at advertising@hamilton.net.