In town to lend a hand to his old rival, Barry Switzer scoffed Wednesday at suggestions that Tom Osborne’s football coaching experience is not good preparation to be governor.

“I think he’s scared,” Switzer said when asked about the criticism. Although no one had mentioned Gov. Dave Heineman, it was clear where the former Oklahoma football coach’s answer was aimed.  

During an interview last month, Heineman said most Nebraskans realize “there’s a big difference” between being a coach and a governor.

A successful football coach like Osborne, who won three national championships as Nebraska head coach, has demonstrated his skills of leadership, organization, preparation, commitment, dedication, teamwork and the ability to inspire people, Switzer said.

“After what he did in winning national championships in the 1990s and dominating college football,” Switzer said, “running this state would be easy.”

Smartly attired in dark pinstripes, the gregarious former Sooner coach, who moved on to the NFL and won the 1995 Super Bowl as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, journeyed to Lincoln to raise money for Osborne’s bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

About 200 people attended the fund-raising reception at the Nebraska Club.

Switzer and Osborne appeared together at a news conference prior to the event.

Being responsible for influencing and developing the lives of young men — “the most prized possession a family can have — may be the greatest preparation for the responsibility of being governor, Switzer said.

“My gosh, in politics, the greatest preparation is (being able) to deal with people.”

Success like Osborne achieved “doesn’t fall out of the sky,” Switzer said.  “You make it happen.  You surround yourself with good people.  You make good decisions.  I know he’s the guy.”

Osborne said his competition with Switzer during Oklahoma-Nebraska matchups that usually had conference championships and national honors at stake produced “great memories” and an enduring  relationship between the two men.

“He didn’t have to do this,” Osborne said.  “It’s probably the best fund-raiser we’ll have all year.”

The sharp contrast between the irrepressible Switzer and the soft-spoken Osborne was on display throughout the news conference.

“He’s quiet,” Switzer said.  “I’m a different personality, but he’s a helluva lot smarter than me.

“I drank more beer with Bob Devaney than I did with Tom,” Switzer joked.  Devaney preceded Osborne as Nebraska coach before moving to the job of athletic director.

Osborne, who is serving his third term as 3rd District congressman, said Switzer’s national championship coaching succcess at Oklahoma demonstrated the importance of management and motivational skills.

“I’ve been in politics and in coaching,” Osborne said.

And nothing comes close to the preparation and responsibility that’s on the line at “noon on a Saturday when you’ve got the whole state looking at you.”

Said Switzer: “I marvel at what he accomplished.  Boy, I’m glad I wasn’t coaching Oklahoma in the ‘90s when he dominated college football.

“Nebraska was hanging half a hundred on Oklahoma,” he said.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.