STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Journal Star ANALYSIS | Posted: Monday, December 26, 2005 6:00 pm
SAN ANTONIO — As many of us have learned, there are things in life you simply don’t do without ramifications. People frown upon certain acts or foul-ups.
You don’t go to a courtroom wearing pajama bottoms (unless you’re the self-proclaimed King of Pop).
You don’t send breakup news via text message (unless you’re the self-absorbed and self-proclaimed Kings of Kansas City, Josh and Ron Freeman).
You don’t hurl profanities at a police officer over a minor traffic violation (unless you’re part-time San Antonio resident Eva Longoria; more on that later).
Above all, you don’t finish with a 7-5 record if you happen to be the football coach at either Nebraska or Michigan — not if you want to be the beloved football coach at either Nebraska or Michigan.
If you finish 7-5 too often at either institution, mind you, there will be ramifications. Those ramifications might involve a drop to assistant-coach status, a million-dollar pay cut or perhaps a career-rehabilitation program in, say, the Mid-American Conference.
Nebraska coach Bill Callahan was asked Monday if he has shoveled snow since he arrived in Lincoln in January of 2004. He didn’t answer the question, so I’ll do it for him:
If he finishes 7-5 (or thereabouts) too often at Nebraska, his subsequent descent in his profession, and the resulting pay cut, may dictate that he shovel his own driveway rather than pay someone to do it.
Nebraska and Michigan football fans tend to frown upon 7-5.
At the moment, in both places, an 8-4 record would sound and feel much better.
An 8-4 record would make for a more pleasant offseason at both schools.
That, to a large degree, is the essence of the Alamo Bowl, or a large share of the essence.
The Alamo Bowl pits two coaches, Callahan and Lloyd Carr, waging an endless battle to fend off detractors.
Callahan, of course, garnered a lot of mileage from his team’s 30-3 dismantling of Colorado in the regular-season finale.
Wednesday night, Nebraska needs to show the win wasn’t an aberration. NU needs to show it didn’t merely take advantage of a Colorado team in meltdown mode. Many Husker fans still long for a feeling of undeniable comfort that the program is headed in the right direction.
A win against tradition-rich Michigan would do wonders for Callahan and company’s long-term public approval rating, which soared following the CU win.
Never mind that this isn’t vintage Michigan; it’s still Michigan.
Nebraska needs momentum entering next season, when its schedule becomes a growling and hungry bear.
Nebraska’s triumph at Colorado on national television set off the perception that Callahan leads a program on the rise. A “bad” loss to Michigan — say, a three-touchdown defeat on national television — might keep the Huskers mired among a large and rather irrelevant pack of inconsistent programs, programs that seldom make the ESPN highlights.
What if Nebraska plays well and loses a close game? OK, then 7-5 wouldn’t seem so lousy. In that scenario, even the most discerning Husker fan would have to admit the program took a step forward this season. An 8-4 finish would leave no question.
Nebraska is looking for another “wow” win. This would do it. Perhaps that’s why Callahan is his typical intense self this week. Perhaps that’s why the Huskers have enjoyed a strong run of practices.
If Nebraska defeats Michigan, the Huskers would finish with three straight wins to end a season for the first time since 1999. That’s a “wow.”
Meanwhile, Michigan hasn’t dropped more than four games in one season since 1984.
“I know our team and our seniors don’t want to go out that way,” said Wolverines quarterback Chad Henne. “I mean, 8-4 still isn’t where we want to be as a program. But 8-4 looks better than 7-5.”
The fact Michigan and Nebraska have endured up-and-down seasons explains why there isn’t an overwhelming buzz about this game nationally, or even in San Antonio.
More was made here of Longoria, the “Desperate Housewives’” actress, disparaging a police officer early Christmas Eve as he wrote a citation for Spurs guard Tony Parker (Longoria’s boyfriend). Parker’s car apparently was impeding traffic. Longoria was a passenger.
It was front-page news.
Some things you don’t do without ramifications.