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DMan
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| 09/09/2007 9:45 AM |
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The day began at 4:00 AM when my wife and I heard our alarm ring signifying awakening time and time to load up the SUV for the trip from Maryland to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We had taken care of most of the preparations the previous day so we were able to leave at 4:30 AM to embark on the 6 hour drive to Groves Stadium (Or now the newly rename BB&T Stadium) on the Wake Forest campus.
The drive was very smooth with my wife sleeping for most of the early hours and the typical traffic in DC being non-existent due to the early hour of day. Was amazed to drive down I-85 in North Carolina and see how close the UNC and Duke campuses are to each other. Proximity couldn’t be much more than 20 miles apart. We arrived in Winston-Salem around 10:30 AM for the noon game and easily found our way on Business 40 to the stadium.
Once on campus, we were greeted to the much expected “Sea of Red” scattered throughout the various parking lots on the WFU campus. It was a hot, bright, sun shiny day in North Carolina and we could sense the college football excitement in the air as we got closer to parking. We ate and drank prior to departing the vehicle and then joined the thousands of Sker fans already invading the Demon Deacon campus. We saw a motor coach aptly named, “Bugeater Central”, we saw tailgating and folks just generally enjoying the scenery that is college football. As we walked and got closer towards the stadium we saw that the fine folks associated with the Wake Forest faithful had opened up the baseball stadium that adjoined the football stadium and the place was filled with RED. We entered the stadium (I believe Earl Shore was the name of it) and soon I ran into some friends from Omaha. It was like a game in Lincoln in many respects. And even though it was the smallest crowd NU had played in front of in 29 years. (31.000 or so), the atmosphere was alive and electric and the fact that it was very hot and we eventually got sunburned, somehow paled to the fun of the moment for everyone in attendance.
The game itself was a tale of two chapters: 1. Nebraska exposing the flaws within the system. 2. Wake Forest showing why they are the best 0-2 team in the nation. (Yes, even better than Michigan & Notre Dame)
I. Sam Keller displayed virtually precisely what I would’ve thought he would bring at this point. He brought 5th year leadership that is tarnished by lack of recent playing time and tarnished by lack of time in the sophisticated WCO system. He slang the ball with reckless abandon like we all thought he would. He bobbled snaps and threw interceptions and mis-read some patterns and to his credit had many balls dropped. Overall, I thought he played well. Remember, he is still very new to this offense and this road test will loom large in his rapid development in his short tenure in Scarlet & Cream. Marlon Lucky was solid running for 90 yards-net against a tough Demon Deacon defense and an O-line that just could not compete with the speed of the Wake Forest defenders. While not hanging onto the ball with enough urgency, the offense was adequate, not good, only adequate on this day. The defense was solid. Contrary to what some may say or write. The Blackshirts were up against a sneaky slick blazing fast mis-directinal scheme that won the ACC last year. Wake Forest’s offense is what made this a ballgame. That mis-direction stuff they brought was very difficult to defend. Reverses, last second hand offs, slick screen passes and deceiving play action made defending a chore all day for the Blackshirts. They played well. The secondary is better with the addition of Murrillo and Assante, but still not up to par. Interior line will suffer if the substituting that NU had gotten accustomed to the past few years doesn’t develop. Suh & Dixon went almost every down. Linebackers were very tough, Rudd, Octavian & Dillard are solid players that will make plays in games.
II. Wake Forest is a solid team. I would be surprised if they didn’t make some noise from here on out. Their offensive scheme is tough to defend and their defensive line and linebackers get off blocks very quickly. Their starting center is an all-american and is highly regarded by NFL scouts. He blocked NU’s Suh very well and dominated at times. Stand back Big Blue & Fighting Irish fans, Wake Forest is 0-2 too and holds the unenviable title of being the #1 team in the nation with an 0-2 record.
Finally, after the game the Huskers were walking past our section and holding helmets high in the road ritual of joining with fans in a “Go Big Red!!!” Chant. After they exited the field and the fan base began to slowly leave and my wife and I sat and let the crowd go first. One overzealous fan behind us belted out, “Bring on USC! We want USC!!!” Those of us Sker fans located directly around this young gentleman all looked at each other in astounded amazement. Had we just witnessed the same game as him? The old boy from Lincoln seated next to me whispered in my ear; “He must be nuts!” I uttered back, “We’ll need some help to beat the Trojans. Not that kind of help.” Meaning, NU will need turnovers and a boisterous crowd and some inspired play to defeat SC. Brash, ignorant cockiness will avail them an embarrassing defeat.
GO BIG RED! |
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Logan
Posts:2525
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| 09/10/2007 12:59 PM |
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now for what really happened.
4:30 alarm goes off that d's wife set. she screams at d, "get your fat lazy red azz out of bed and pack the truck before i send you back to the reservation." "now d, you better follow the map i highlighted for you and don't vary from the course. and if you hit any bumps and wake me up you'll be sleeping in the teepee tonight." "you better appreciate the fact i make enough money for this trip." "now that we're here, roast me a hot dog and get me a beer you leach." "god, just what i wanted to see, more sker freaks like you. why can't you be a normal fan?" "if you post any nonsense on the big sports 590 board about the skers beating usc i'll have your scalp." "and one more thing. the next time you post tell logan that i miss him." |
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dwight, refuting reality one post at a time. |
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Blackshirt
Posts:586
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| 09/11/2007 1:44 AM |
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Agreed about Wake Forest being better than people think. They DID win the ACC last year, although I would maintain that their defense and special teams had a lot to do with it.
The only caveat is that they have to get Skinner back at quarterback. Hodges made a few horrible decisions that cost the Deacons big-time.
As for the Huskers, they did show some grit and determination to pull out a win when they clearly didn't bring their overall A game. And the two-minute drill at the end of the first half was a thing of beauty.
The two things that set off warning lights with the USC game coming up.
1. The sloppy tackling. Too many times, the first defender missed the tackle. USC will make them pay for it if they do that again.
2. The dropped passes. Even guys who are usually more surehanded haven't been immune yet. In a game where USC is likely going to get some points, the Huskers can ill afford to have drive-killing drops.
Glad you had a good time, DMan. Hope you were able to find a TV Saturday night for what turned out to be a great finish to a day of college football -- the USF/Auburn game. |
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"Perhaps the worst thing that can happen is to reach into the refrigerator and come out with something that you cannot identify at all. You literally do not know what it is. Could be meat, could be cake. Usually, at a time like that, I'll bluff. "Honey, is this good?" "Well, what is it?" "I don't know. I've never seen anything like it. It looks like...meatcake!" "Well, smell it." (snort, sniff) "It has absolutely no smell whatsoever!" "It's good! Put it back! Somebody is saving it. It'll turn up in something." Thats what frightens me. That someone will consider it a challenge and use it just because it's in there." -- George Carlin |
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