“Half of writing history is hiding the truth.”
“Serenity” 2005
Forgive me if I sound like Jerry Fletcher as you sit and read this next blog entry. (For those of you who don’t watch movies, Jerry Fletcher is Mel Gibson’s character in the movie “Conspiracy Theory”.
In June of 2010 Nebraska made history by being accepted into an elite club, the prestigious Big 10 Conference. The Huskers were a lot like the Julia Roberts character in “Pretty Woman”, yes a hooker looking to clean up her act.
But to get what she wants, a hooker has to sell.
I have come to the conclusion that the University of Nebraska was not exactly “truthful” when it started selling itself to the Big 10 Conference over a year ago. If it had been, I bet there’s a pretty good chance the Huskers would not be part of the now infamous “Legends” division. My theory makes legendary accusations, but hey, how many times has that happened in sports?
Last week Nebraska was kicked out of the AAU, a prestigious academic organization that every other Big 10 institution is part of. I can hear the jokes now, the “N” on the helmet stands for nowledge. Okay it’s an oldie but a goody.
Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne and Chancellor Harvey Pearlman had a narrow window of opportunity to get the Big 10’s attention and by showing as much T&A as possible. They sold the positives of Nebraska joining the league, definitely not the negatives. This is a classic case of buyer beware!
Here’s what we know about the event from over a year ago:
Nebraska wanted out of the Big 12
The Big 10 was looking to expand
Let the courtship begin! Nebraska wanted to consummate the marriage a lot faster than the Big 10 did. If you don’t believe me, just go back to what Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany said about conference expansion.
“The timeline continues to be roughly 12-18 months. Could it be 19 months? I hope not. Could it be 11 months? It may. But 12-18 months makes sense.”
ESPN Big 10 Blog on May 18th, 2010
Now keep in mind Delany also said that not expanding the Big 10 was also a possibility.
At the same time, Nebraska was sending signals that it was looking for a new romance and willing to cheat on or even divorce the Big 12.
“I would have to say the center of gravity (In the Big 12) has moved south. You’d have to say that the trend south continues to this day which is a little concerning sometimes for people in the north part of the Big 12.”
Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne/Lincoln Journal Star
“We haven’t entered into any formal talks with anybody right now. We’re focusing on the Big 12. But I don’t’ think that means if somebody wanted to pick up the phone and call us that we’d hang up on them. You listen.”
Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne/Lincoln Journal Star
There you have it, Nebraska turned on the “Red” light and was officially for sale.
From an athletic standpoint the Huskers bring a lot to the table and fit the profile of a Big 10 institution. However, the Big 10 is not (or at least I thought at the time) all about athletics. The 11 institutions also put a huge amount of emphasis on academics and Delany made that quite clear.
“AAU membership is an important part of who we are”
Jim Delany/ESPN Big 10 Blog
So in looking for a new bride to bring into the family, Delany found an attractive partner in Nebraska. It was an AAU member, it has a strong athletic history and fan support. Call it a shotgun wedding as Nebraska was officially approved by the Big 10 on June 11, 2010.
So what was it that the Big 10 loved so much about Nebraska? Well shortly after being admitted in the Big 10 brothel, Chancellor Harvey Perlman told the Omaha World Herald what made the Huskers the flavor of the day.
“All Big 10 schools are AAU members. I doubt that our application would’ve been accepted had we not been a member of the organization.”
That was in June of 2010 and I have to believe that Perlman at the time was holding onto a secret, and he was crossing his fingers at the same time hoping for a miracle. A miracle that Nebraska’s new Big 10 bed mates wouldn’t find out the truth. The truth that Nebraska wasn’t as smart as it though it was.
What do they say about the truth? You can run from it. Or better yet, you can’t handle it. Both apply to Nebraska in this case.
Fast forward to April of 2011 and Nebraska gets kicked out of the AAU, by the way the first institution EVER to be kicked out.
Finally, the sins or secrets of the past caught up to Nebraska.
“We have known we were at risk of this for ten years and successfully fought off a similar threat in 2000. I had hoped our extraordinary accomplishments and steep trajectory would have made us less vulnerable, but the AAU’s approach to the review mad this result inevitable.”
UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman/Omaha World Herald
10 years! Let me say that again, 10 years they’ve known about this. Do you think Harvey told the Big 10 that Nebraska was at risk of being kicked out of the AAU?
My guess is no, this is classic case of don’t ask, don’t tell. The clock strikes midnight and Cinderella turns back into a chamber maid. Well not exactly, despite being academically embarrassed, the Huskers are still wearing both glass slippers, they just won’t be wearing a white dress on July 1st when they officially join the Big 10. Athletically they are on their second marriage and academically the poor step child in the eyes of their new brothers and sisters.
What’s done is done and it’s not going to change. Nebraska is not going to get AAUed by the Big 10. It’s too late for that and besides the league would take a hit if it did.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Nebraska belongs in the Big 10. The Huskers will bring a lot to the table and by no means embarrass this proud league.
But it does make me wonder and Chancellor Perlman is a lawyer; if he would have told the truth and nothing but the truth a year ago if the Big 10 would like it does today or would Nebraska continue to be Texas’ bitch?
Notre Dame is not part of the AAU, and the BIG 10 would take them in 2 seconds if they jumped...enough said.
ReplyDelete1. AAU Dealings are Public. If Delaney didn't know its History, that is on him. 2. Secondly, the last last nine year they didn't they have the support from their collegues to try again. That didn't change until the Texas President became the Chair. He decided he would give them one more kick in the region. BTW Syracuse quit voluntarily to avoid getting kicked out. 3. It is all a technicallity. In Nebraska, the Medical School is technically a seperate school. If UNMC was part of UNL like every one school in AAU, they would be ahead of 11 other schools (including that little school about 300 miles east of Lincoln). But then that would be boring blog :) It feels good to have been hate UNL again. That is signs that things are getting better. It sucked when they weren't good enough for anyone to care...much less hate what they do. #goodtimes Since we are talking about Conspiracies, here is one: Delaney was behind this so that when he Picks up OU, ND, Mizzou, & and Pit...he won't have to take flack for taking OU despite not being in the AAU. LOL
ReplyDeleteI agree the AAU dealings are public, however even Perlman said AAU membership was key.
ReplyDeleteRemember I think Nebraska is a GREAT fit for the Big 10, I just think details may have been left out like how in danger Nebraska was to get kicked out of the AAU.
I agree with you. As much as so many people say, "I am tired of all the Politicians & Leaders being Attorneys, we want 'Real' people" there is a reason while most powerfull men in this country have a Law background. You have to be shrewed to get along at this level. I don't know how he did it...but Perlman clearly stepped UNL up in class. If Peleni gets a big bump because they recognize his value...with the amount of Research doallars that will now be coming in...Perlman needs to get bumped as well. Most people don't realize that this "TV Money" is pennies compared to research grants and endownments. If you remember when Penn State came into the Big 10, they went from being in the mid 90's to now being in the upper 50's in the nation's Academic Rankings. Their President (UNL's old Boss) said there was a direct correlation between the rise, and being connected to the networking and resources of the Big Ten. That is a very large move up in status. If the leadership at Nebraska can take advantage of this opportunity, they could enjoy the same benifits as well. The football team would have been fine regardless...but now if they take advantage of their opportunities, they could legitimize the rest of their Athletic & Academic programs. In my book that is well worth a little bit of blood on their dress. They will be able to afford the stiches to heal the wound, and the bleach to clean the stain off of the dress.
ReplyDelete