The Daily Nebraskan is pissed.
Reprinted in the State Paper, the staff editorial blasts the football program for refusing to explain the recent dismissal of trainer Doak Ostergard after 23 years of service.
The Daily Nebraskan tried for days to get an interview with an Athletic Department official who could comment on Ostergard’s ouster or explain the department’s at-will employment policies. For the calls that were returned, the reporter was told that no one could comment on personnel decisions.
We would have liked to give Pederson and Callahan’s side of the story, but – yet again – they would rather ignore the media, not answer challenging questions and, therefore, deny Nebraska fans any information about how the Athletic Department actually works.
The piece concludes the program is more corporate than caring.
The Daily Nebraskan is published by the UNL Publications Board.
Steve Pederson and Bill Callahan have totally transformed what was both a community and region football program that’s always been deeply rooted in pride, joy and tradition for all of us, into an absolute power and ego-driven, self-serving “bottom line” financial enterprise that answers to no one and cares not about husker loyalty or roots. As the old saying goes, “Absolute power corrupts absolutlely”, and the NU Athletic Dept has definitely changed for the worse as the State Paper indicates in its article. Combined with this shameful downturn in the Dept thanks to the two misguided egos of SP and BC (who’ve also burdened us with 5 losses per year on the field as well), the NU Board of Regents and/or President/Chancellor seem totally asleep at the wheel with regard to our once-proud program. Why are not SP/BC held accountable, either on the field or off?Now, as BigRedFred so accurately pointed out (we’re behind you, Fred!), NU football is a joke both locally and nationally. It’s no wonder that true Huskers like Dr. Tom do not interract wih the AD and Coach. Dr. Tom’s class, dignity, and unparalleled history of success, as well as his wise philosophy/input, have been pushed aside since SP took over, and it is outright wrong. But apparently SP and BC report to no one with any sense of decency and integrity, nor any sense of conscience in restoring both NU football and the community to what it always was in the past. That is, what it was before two hired guns with no loyalty to the community have destroyed its moral foundation by slowly and systematically ridding the program of any and all associated with its roots and tradition. Both on the field and off, our beloved team is in dire need of a savior who actually cares about Husker nation and Husker individuals.
This story is unbelievable. Never did I think this would happen at UNL. I dont think anything will shock me anymore. The old Nebraska is gone. Firing Doak was not the nail in the coffin, it was disrespecting the grave site.