BIG
RED HEAD ZONE
Colorado Game: November 25, 2005
By Jim Meier
THE CRUX:
POISE! Throughout this game the Huskers maintained
a mental and physical state of readiness.
POISE! Throughout this game the Huskers were offensively, defensively
and special team
synced and balanced
POISE! Throughout this game the Huskers had emotional stability.
Evident in many ways. Two defensive stands come to mind:
1) after the first CU play, the 45 yard ISO scamper and then forcing
a 4th down field goal
2) after punting early in the third quarter from the 1 yard line and
forcing another three and out
POISE! As this game moved on the Husker poise was carefree. So mentally
important (see my write-up after the K-State game. Kevin Cosgrove
has this right!)
Midway into the third quarter, with the score 27-3 this Husker brand
of poise made room for a healthy dose of Husker panache. A big red
swagger that has been a long time coming. And I do mean Husker
brand. Not the pre-game type of bravado ignited by Ralphy’s
boys which so often backfires. And backfire it did. There was fire
alright. I lit Harry Husker’s whiskers. Kind of reminded me
of Jimmy Stewart playing Mr. Anderson in Shenandoah when he punched
the Confederate government lackey coming to seize the horses from
the Anderson homestead. A brawl ensued, the horses stayed home and
the government guys abruptly left. The Huskers like Jimmy Stewart’s
character said “Enough is Enough” already. Then POW!
Yeppa…poise, carefree play and a little panache equaled pure
poison for Barnett’s buffalo herd!
THE QUOTE:
“We said all week we had a ton of respect
for Nebraska, but we came here to win. That was our mind-set”.
Remember that quote? It was the one I locked onto by Ron Whitcomb, the quarterback following the Maine game.
This prompted me to write in my first Big Red Head Zone piece (Sep 3)
“Given this quote, it seemed clear to me the Maine Black Bears fulfilled that mind-set throughout the game. (and that first stop was huge). An underdog that doesn’t play like an underdog can be pesky, and prickly like a pugnacious porcupine. It is wise to learn from your opponent. The Black Bears believed in themselves. That is the mental lesson to carry into the remaining 11 games (bowl game included).”
A question: When
was the last time the Nebraska Cornhuskers won as a two touchdown
or more underdog?
Mental Muscle:
Play with controlled confidence
No doubt about
it, this was Nebraska’s best win in the Callahan era. A firm
step to indeed be celebrated but only a step. The national dance is
many, many big steps away.
Yet true poise helps get the Huskers there. It breeds the lynch pin
goal that underlies the mental muscle of champions… true confidence.
Poise by definition has everything to do with five assets:
1) keeping cool, 2) staying in control, 3) balance (being in a state
of equilibrium), 4) mental and physical readiness and 5) hanging momentarily
in suspension.
It is much like a successful Zach Taylor pass: the football first
cool and calmly poised in his grasp released with a controlled rhythmic
motion then suspended in flight arriving to his receiver in a state
of readiness.
I have strongly encouraged Husker faithful, the press, TV, radio and
pundits to subdue the excessive criticism and toxic talk that has
been so plentiful and available on the cheap. My little dog eared
book, “Sages Say…” advises to also subdue rash displays
of cockiness less we be subdued in future games. It is so much easier
to bring down a strutin’ peacock all fanned out saying look
at me. Quiet controlled confidence is the premium brand.
WEEKLY MENTAL GAME TIP:
Don’t think
about it too much!