Verbally Committed, Episode 10: The Great Nebraska Rebellion
Wow, what a week it has been for college football ladies and gentlemen. Probably a week, we will never forget. Last time you listened to us, we were bright eyed, bushy babies giggling over the new Big Ten schedule and how football was less than a month away!
Cut to a week later and the Big Ten has canceled the season, one of their schools is in open rebellion against them, and all hope of possibly turning around the year of our lord 2020 seems lost.
š“Ep. 10 THE GREAT NEBRASKA REBELLIONš½
– B1G "postpones" their football season
– Frost and Nebraska in open rebellion
– Michael Wilbon & Desmond Howard shoot back
– Is Nebraska leaving the B1G?Tune in as we talk about what's already been a wild weekhttps://t.co/pIv6FiEsR7
— Verbally Committed Podcast (@PodVerbalCommit) August 13, 2020
We had a lot to discuss this week. In case you have never listened to us, don’t pay attention in the slightest to us then here is your warning, we are a pro Nebraska podcast. Very pro, to a fault even.
I also wonder how many people will see the title of this episode “The Great Nebraska Rebellion” and think a few things. First that the state of Nebraska is actually in open rebellion against the union. Second, go to Google Maps to remind themselves “where is Nebraska exactly again?” And third, be disappointed when they realize that they had one of the Dakota’s, Kansas or Iowa mixed up with what they thought Nebraska truly was. Don’t worry, it’s not your fault, you’re just dumb.
Anyways let’s break down what goes on in this weeks episode.
Big Ten Cancels the Season
The big story of the week, and we waste zero time diving straight into it. The Big Ten “postponed” the fall sports season to the spring. Don’t let them fool you folks, Big Ten football is done until the Autumn of 2021.
Skip to winter. Cancel foliage, that fall burnt wood smell, sweaters and pumpkins. None of it is worth it without College Football
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) August 11, 2020
What we really discuss though is, did this decision make a lick of god damn sense? It felt rushed, it felt forced and it felt devoid of all reason. Rather than actually caring about the health and safety of the student athlete, it became a legal matter instead. And politics, and legalities do not belong on the football field.
Not to mention, but I know for many of you living on the east coast it seems as though trying to play sports during this global pandemic is stupid and irresponsible. I am here to tell you, as a rural midwest citizen in these United States, the pandemic is not quite as bad out here. So it was certainly possible to play in these conditions from where I sit.
Nebraska “Politely” Disagrees
We break down the timeline of the Great Nebraska Rebellion. From Scott Frost’s comments on Monday about finding another place to play if the Big Ten cancels, to the university officials and suits backing up those remarks in what has been a turbulent few days for Big Red.
The Big Ten then finally responded by telling Nebraska that if they play elsewhere, you are no longer a member of our special little club.
So the battle lines were clearly drawn between the two sides, what does it all mean?
National Media Calls the Kettle Black
Among the locals, like myself, Nebraska’s resilience was met with applause. College football is one of the main things we look forward to year in and year out. We need it to survive the oceans of corn that surround us.
But to the national media like Pat Forde, and other Big Ten alums like Michael Wilbon (Northwestern) and Desmond Howard (Michigan) the resilient statements were the most disrespectful acts since Randy Moss fake-mooned Lambeau Field.
Both Wilbon and Howard suggested that Nebraska either leave the Big Ten or that the conference find ways to kick them out. All for the disgusting stance of wanting to play football. Absurd!
While they seemingly forget and wash away Penn State’s covering up Jerry Sandusky, sexually abusing children. Or Ohio State’s assistant coaches beating their wives and Urban Meyer being fine with that. Or the most recent allegations of racism within the Iowa football program. According to them all of those things are fine and dandy, but how dare you want to play football!
And Ohio State’s head coach Ryan Day on Wednesday afternoon said the same exact comments as Frost did on Monday. For shame! Peace out Ohio State, it was nice having you in the Big Ten but those comments just cannot be tolerated apparently.
Where Does Nebraska Go From Here?
Do the Huskers go back to the Big 12? The conference they ran away from a decade ago? Do they go the route of Notre Dame and become an Independent?
Doubtful, we speculated that there were too many road blocks for Nebraska to simply get up and leave.
And we were correct, on Thursday morning, just as this episode dropped, the President and Chancellor of the University bent the knee to the Big Ten ending this rebellion.
The Huskers did not fire upon the thermal exhaust port that’s no bigger than a Womp Rat. But they certainly tested the Evil Empire, and at this point, a couple of years later who knows what could happen as everyone’s lack of faith in each other is disturbing.
Follow, Subscribe, Rate
We are on bothĀ instagramĀ andĀ twitter, and you can listen to us on both Apple podcasts and Spotify. So crush that follow and subscribe button, give us a rating pretty please, and as always enjoy!
Mike GilliganĀ (@BigGilli)
Connor Ryan (@connoryan68)