Martinez's "Forward Progress" and Nebraska SB Nation - Relative Lack of Salt
I decided to check Nebraska's SB Nation to see what they had to say about Adrian Martinez's complaint that the strip play was "over."
I was pleasantly surprised to see very little complaining about the non-whistle. None of the frontpage articles covered his claim, and the post-game comments leaned only slightly toward saying the refs should've blown the whistle.
Impressively, this comment was endorsed enough to get highlighted:
Rewatch it and he's still driving and moving forwards, albeit slowly. . .
But he was still chopping feet and moving forward and we would all be calling bullshit if it had need 6 inches shorr of a first and they blew it dead!
I don't like Nebraska and I don't think they should be in the B1G for academic reasons, but I respect that the fanbase didn't go full-blown excuse-making after a tough loss.
I have probably had my expectations skewed by little bro, but still.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:05 AM ^
Beat Stae. Oh, beat NW first.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:56 PM ^
Our upcoming schedule is basically:
Beat NW, Beat state
Beat IU, Beat state
Beat UMD, Beat state
October 12th, 2021 at 11:09 AM ^
In 1997 my hatred of Nebraska was at an all-time high. I didn't like the grandstanding they did, I didn't like that the coaches poll gave Tom Osborn a parting gift, I didn't like how they won against Missouri that year, and I hated Scott Frost.
Over the years, however, as their program has fallen from the top of the sport and I got to meet a fair number of Nebraska fans....I think the reality is that I just hate Scott Frost. If you subtracted him from the last 30 years of Nebraska history....I might almost respect their program.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:11 AM ^
....and Scott's mom!
October 12th, 2021 at 11:12 AM ^
Fulmer, Frost & Jim Nantz can all rot. #TooSoon
October 12th, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
Don't forget Ron Zook and Gary Fucking Danielson. Oh wait, different screw job...
October 12th, 2021 at 2:33 PM ^
OMG I'll never forget that mid-broadcast, on-screen powerpoint he did. Fuck that guy.
October 12th, 2021 at 4:48 PM ^
And Craig James
#CJK5H
October 12th, 2021 at 11:14 AM ^
except for Tom osborne hiding evidence (a gun) when one of his star RBs got in trouble
and them whining their way to a share of a MNC in 97 and their current coach whining constantly and their QB not taking ownership of being stripped of the ball...again...and then saying the play was over.
yeah, nevermind....I still hate them
October 12th, 2021 at 2:12 PM ^
Osborne also ran one of the most roided up programs throughout the 80s and 90s.
it’s well documented by former players and coaches. Triple option machine wasn’t running on corn.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:03 PM ^
I hated Nebraska (Osborne, the AD, the entire university) because they allowed Lawrence Phillips and Christian Peter to abuse women with no penalty.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:06 PM ^
Lloyd Carr and Michigan played gentleman and Osborne, Frost, and Nebraska played politicians.
It felt dirty watching Nebraska beg but it worked.
October 12th, 2021 at 2:07 PM ^
My thoughts exactly AC1997. I have exactly the same memories as you. I was at the game last weekend, and I was very impressed by the classiness and passion and knowledge of the Nebraska fans, and how much they took pride in Nebraska's tradition. If you knew nothing about the teams going into the game, you'd think it was a matchup of top-ten teams, just based on how full the stadium was (with everyone in red), how loud they were on third down, how at every commercial break they were honoring some great player from Nebraska's past.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:12 AM ^
I feel like I read on here a lot that Nebraska fans are very good fans and actually extremely nice. I was in Mexico during the game on Saturday and actually saw a guy with a Nebraska hat on so I decided to strike up a conversation. Not only was he an extremely nice guy but he was also very reasonable with his takes on his team, Michigan and the rest of the Big 10. I hope to be able to go to a game in Lincoln at some point because I appreciate and value good fanbases. The horseshoe not so much. Go Blue!
October 12th, 2021 at 12:11 PM ^
The Nebraska faithful are truly a class act group, and the stadium was a fun environment. Before, during, and after the game I really have no qualms about how me and my 13 year old were treated, really in any way, even if I was the boisterous Michigan fan that possibly deserved it. Can't say that I've had a better game day experience ever as a visiting fan. There was one drunk dude taunting someone on the Michigan bench a few people over, and there were literally other Husker fans yelling at him to shut up and sit down. This group is undoubtedly a highly loyal, well educated, and extremely passionate group of fans. Would highly suggest to anyone to make the trip to Lincoln if you are in to that type of thing. This wasn't my first trip, and honestly, God willing, won't be my last.
October 12th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
my only issue with the game on Saturday (i was sitting with my brother in law in his seats right next to the student section) was the repeated spontaneous chanting from the students of 'F*** Jim Har-Baugh!' every time he was shown on the jumbo or even just after a positive M play.
that was classy. outside of this though, i concur with the general consensus. i was at a tailgate before and after the game in a parking lot 95% full of Big Red, and actually got about a dozen 'congratulations, glad you came' comments
looking forward to going back over the next few years
October 12th, 2021 at 12:31 PM ^
I was stationed at Offutt (near Omaha) for 3.5 years. I tend to agree. Their fans are super annoying with their fandom (that's not a bad thing, we can be the same) but they're mostly not rude or anything. Never felt like I wanted to punch one of their fans like a lot of Staee fans (family included).
October 12th, 2021 at 1:09 PM ^
I've spent a lot of time at Offutt for work, and always had fun with the local site guys. Never any acrimony, and happy to take us out to the local restaraunts/bars so we didn't get stuck with the national brand places. It really is a nice place to visit - I'd actually recommend Omaheehaw for a quick weekend away (great zoo, BTW)! Yeah, they're homers, but don't we expect the local guys to be homers? I wouldn't have it any other way...
In contrast, I tried to have some fun at a site in Dayton one time. I changed all the console screens to a blue/gold default color palette. Was almost kicked out and sent home because the site manager had no humor. Fuck Ohio...
October 12th, 2021 at 2:21 PM ^
Shame on those Ohio fans - everybody should be a Navy fan (until Army-Navy, that is).
/s
October 12th, 2021 at 1:59 PM ^
I totally agree. The Nebraska fans are a good group. I road-tripped to Lincoln. The only ass-hole Nebraska fan we encountered was called out by the surrounding home fans and told to sit down.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:17 AM ^
A low sodium diet is a good idea, especially if you're saving up your daily salt allowance to use on some hot buttered corn.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:18 AM ^
I think a lot of the claims of forward progress being stopped were also fueled directly by the idiot crew who now does ESPN's College Football Final.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:07 PM ^
I recommend watching ESPN on mute. It is much more enjoyable that way.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:43 PM ^
If you have a surround sound system, just disconnect the center channel. That's what I do, and it's surprisingly similar to in stadium sound... you just don't get the announcers, which is exactly why I do it.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:23 AM ^
It helps that a lot of them are not on the Frost (or Martinez) bandwagon.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:23 AM ^
As much Frost's face is punchable(very) the bad guy in 97 was Fulmer. Fulmer wasn't giving Osborne a going away present, he was sticking it to us for Woodson beating his boy.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
My general experience is that the SB Nation blogs don't have the crazy fans, despite those sites being free to access. The real yahoos are typically on 24/7, and you know they're crazy because they pay subscription fees for updates on (fill in team name) recruiting when it will be posted elsewhere a couple days later.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:54 AM ^
*except for RCMB
October 12th, 2021 at 12:54 PM ^
The Penn State one is a cesspool of delusion and hostility.
I went over to it out of curiosity after their Iowa loss, and there were several commenters denigrating the Children’s Hospital and the Kinnick Wave, and one commenter that used a very racially-charged term ("monkey") to criticize their backup QB. They also had an overtly racist fan post (which appears to have been finally deleted by their mods) about their QB. Pretty awful look, especially since no one seemed to be calling them out
October 12th, 2021 at 1:18 PM ^
There are always exceptions, but in my experience Penn State fans are absolute trash
October 13th, 2021 at 6:33 PM ^
Honestly, that seemed to change with JoePa's downfall. I've been at maybe a half dozen UM-PSU games in both stadiums and they USED to be a very congenial, classy bunch.
Not so much anymore.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:35 AM ^
Good coaches teach their players to keep playing until you hear the whistle.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
Or until you're sure it's the Ref's whistle. All's Red Zone reception late in the 4th is an example of both the Refs letting the play run and someone other than the Refs blowing whistles. I swear I could hear 3 or 4 other whistles toward the end of the play.
October 12th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
Initially the fans out of Nebraska were very upset about the officiating. The joint possession rule is one that you don't normally hear because the refs typically just grant possession to the offense without making an announcement. The delay of game on the defense is a rare call. A questionable pass interference call was made.
But I think after seeing that their first touchdown should have been an illegal formation, Cade's interception should have been either a false start or off sides, their late substitution touchdown shouldn't have been allowed by the refs who didn't give us time to substitute, delay of game on the defense is a real call, and the forward progress clearly wasn't stopped on the Martinez fumble, plus every review went there way, they realized that the officiating benefited them a lot more than most would care to admit.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ^
Nebraska fans are some of the most decent, informed, and fair-minded you will ever meet in person. Behind the keyboard there is that faction that most every fanbase has that believe their team and coaches can do no wrong. That whiny, my -team -was -cheated faction has been out in force after this game with their conspiracy theories and bitching, and no amount of logic of facts is going to change their minds. One such fan posted the Facebook profile pic of one of the refs working a Northwestern at Michigan game. In the foreground there is the ref, two Michigan players and a Northwestern player, and and to several of the posters, that's proof of the Michigan bias of this official.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:02 PM ^
After the initial complaining I saw a lot of takes like this one, with fans recognizing that had Martinez broken free from the pack a moment later they wouldn't have wanted the whistle blown. Plus, Erick All had a similar play the drive earlier where the refs let him keep churning forward even when he was surrounded by players.
And on balance, I thought the refs were bad but it was badness evenly distributed across both teams.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:22 PM ^
Agreed, it was like watching a high school game in which you quickly realize that the officials are simply not that good--but not because they're favoring one team or another.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:04 PM ^
I live in Omaha, so I have a first hand account of the reaction here . . . and it is exceptionally salty. 90% of people who I've talked to about the game (my neighbors/coworkers all know I'm a Michigan fan) is that they absolutely won and had the game stolen from them by a high level officiating conspiracy.
I've brought up the offsides on Cade's interception, the illegal formation touchdown, the late substitution touchdown, the complete lack of holding calls on their LT, etc. but they are still convinced that the officiating gave us an unfair advantage. I've even heard that the B1G has fixed it for Michigan to win to this year (seriously!) and that Nebraska needs to leave the B1G to get fair officiating (ironically, they said the same thing when they left the Big 12).
Generally, I've learned to like the Nebraska fans, and generally root for Nebraska against the rest of the conference. This week though, it's been insufferable.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:06 PM ^
I agree that they should leave the B1G (and take PSU with them). The only blown call they have a point on is the PI that got called on our first TD drive. Even then, it would've been third down. We still may have converted without the penalty.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:08 PM ^
I don't like Frosty but Nebraska's fanbase is highly respectable.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
In years past it seems like referees were quicker to blow the whistle a signal the end of a play. Now, every play ends with a standing dog pile until the ref finally ends the play.
When did this change? Or didn't it?
October 12th, 2021 at 1:01 PM ^
It's been evolving since the 'Bush Push' was legalized.
October 12th, 2021 at 2:37 PM ^
From what I understand, the refs are being told to let plays go for as long as possible and not be too quick with the whistle. The logic being is that with instant replay, a play can get 'fixed/verified' afterwards. But there is still the rule that a play is dead as soon as a ref blows a whistle regardless of the outcome afterwards.
So they are being encouraged to be a little slow (not quite the right wording) in blowing a play dead until they are sure it is over.
The Martinez play would have been a prefect example. Imagine how pissed off we would have been HAD an official blew a whistle too soon. Then "technically" the fumble never happens and the game takes an entirely different direction. It would not have matter in replay that the fumble was real. By the rulebook they would have been forced to give the ball back to NU....1st and 10.
I don't even want to imagine what this site would have been like had that scenario happened....
October 12th, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
Born in Nebraska, I rooted for them too, until the 1997 whining and going-away gift to Osborne.
Even after that, I was fine when they won, because of my Dad, who graduated from Nebraska and worked for the university. (Also, Nebraska became a powerhouse thanks to a guy from Michigan, Bob Devaney.)
Now? Yeah, nice folks as fans but Whiny McPoutFace as coach means I had NO mixed feelings at all.
Go Blue!
October 12th, 2021 at 12:16 PM ^
Whoever said it elsewhere was right- if that pile was a yard short of the line to gain and they blew the whistle in that situation, people would be apoplectic about the early whistle. Sucks to lose but it was 100% correct to not blow the whistle there
October 12th, 2021 at 12:44 PM ^
Didn't see your post, but I just wrote the same thing. It was a crucial 3rd down in a tie game. The officials could not risk an early whistle there.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
It was 3rd and 1 in a tie game, and this is lost in a lot of the discussion about this play where Martinez was stripped. The officials are not going to blow the whistle when the player is actively fighting for yards (which he was). Imagine a scenario where the officials blow the whistle early, and Martinez is short of a first down that he eventually gains after the whistle? It was some terrible luck for Nebraska, but I don't think this is a play you can be raw over with the official. The PI was a terrible call. This whistle (or lack of timely whistle), not so much.
October 12th, 2021 at 12:50 PM ^
If he broke free and they blew the whistle, they'd whine that the refs blew it dead. There's zero chance, imo, that he decided to let the ball go because the play was basically dead. A turnover prone quarterback in his biggest game ever at the most pivotal moment? Sure. It's not even a controversy
October 12th, 2021 at 12:51 PM ^
Nebraska is a football team that has had one recruiting class crack the national top 20 in the last 4 years (2019, 17th). Regardless, they just took undefeated Michigan down to the wire in Lincoln. That is more damning of Michigan football and coaching than it is of Nebraska. Michigan score 4 FGs instead of touchdowns, which means they left at least 16 points on the field.
Nebraska took other rickety ranked teams to the wire as well, like Oklahoma & MSU. The Huskers are going to do the same thing again probably vs. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue and Iowa.
Nebraska has major flaws, but is significantly improved and dangerous - both to their opponents and to themselves. This is why Nebraska football should be dubbed the Official 2021 Commemorative Indiana BIG10 Chaos Team Award already.
As with most BIG10 chaos teams, like the Northwestern and Indiana versions of seasons' past, the Huskers too must demonstrably shoot themselves in the foot once or more times per game, but not before forcing opponent fanbases to apply a chest defibrillator. Clear!
On paper Michigan should have destroyed Nebraska decisively in that game. But they didn't. So UM fans must rationalize the narrow road win with explanations that don't make any logical sense given what the world know about llinois for example. This is why there's this squirrel scratching away at our hindbrains, frantically trying to remind us that because of not winning decisively against mediocre teams that something bad likely lies ahead on the schedule.
October 12th, 2021 at 1:06 PM ^
What?