Archive for November 2009
Lunch with CU’s Dan Hawkins
Took a break Saturday from high school Ultimate Frisbee in Boulder, CO, and went to lunch at Pei Wei. Since it was crowded, I picked the only table in the restaurant and looked up to see CU Football Coach Dan Hawkins at the table next to me. If I had lifted my arm to the right, I would have karate-chopped him in the neck.
Note, that this occurrence is on the same day that the Denver Post headlines that Hawkins job is under review. And the day after ESPN radio played the top five worst predictions of the college football year. “I guarantee 10 wins, no excuses,” Hawkins told the CU Football Patrons.
Well I am here tell you that Dan looked sad at lunch. I did not ruin his lunch with his wife and relatives by peppering him with questions, but this is what I noticed:
– distracted eyes…barely kept in the conversation and looking down;
– constant texting;
– picking at his food, and since he and I ordered the same thing, I know the food was good.
In general, he looked like I feel when my heart is in my stomach.
If I had talked to him, I would have told him I like his ‘character.’ (Many Nebraska fans would not have liked this.) Noticeably, no one came up and talked to him, and I was glad that people let him be in public without pestering him. I commend he and his family for going out to such public locales during this time.
Of course, this chance meeting was ironic six days before the Nerbaska-Colorado showdown. With Nebraska’s win over Kansas State and the Big 12 Championship, the media will calm down over the Friday game. However, both teams still want to win badly. It could mean alot to Hawkins’ job, I think.
And I am wondering about the prospect of an Iowa-Nebraska bowl game match-up.
Add comment November 22, 2009
8 Days to the Nebraska vs. Colorado game
Some of you may be counting down the days until Thanksgiving but I can assure you if you live in Nebraska or Colorado, you are preparing to be stuffed with the annual showdown between the Huskers and Buffaloes. Just 8 days until the interstate rivalry game.
As the spouse of a devout Husker fan living in Colorado, let me share some of the emotions for this game, which every fan keeps one eye on during the college football season.
For the Buffaloes, even though their 2009 record is dismal, they truly believe they could pull the season off and Dan Hawkins’ job with a win over Nebraska. In fact, if their record this year ended at 1-11 with the one win being over Nebraska, they would still consider it a good year.
Emotions are high given that Hawkins promised 10 wins and has delivered 3. The opinions about whether he should keep his job are about 50-50. While they are focused on their November 21 game against Oklahoma State, which lost their star quarterback, Colorado still has one eye on the November 27 showdown.
Meanwhile, Nebraska must gut it out against Kansas State this week. But even with a win and the Big 12 North title, they will not rest before the Buffalo game. Husker fans, especially those who live in Colorado, would like nothing shorter than a mauling. In fact, if Nebraska does not win by a lopsided score, Husker fans will consider the game a loss.
Where does all this bad blood come from? Nebraska still hasn’t forgotten the year that Colorado dominated the conference under Bill McCarthy in the early 1990′s. In fact, most fans like my husband can still recount several key plays in the Nebraska-Colorado game that year. And then there’s some games that Rick Neuheisal and Gary Barnett coached.
So stay tuned…it’s an interesting week to live in Colorado and be a Nebraska fan.
Add comment November 19, 2009
