AJ, the Husker Hater doesn’t think Nebraska will win the Big 12 North this fall.

I’m actually stunned that some of you simply brush off the fact that Tom Osborne destroyed your program (and yes..he did it by recommending Frank Solich and Steve Pederson…don’t kid yourself) 10 years ago…and yet some of you still fight back as if you actually have facts or recent history on your side.

I mean, it’s mind boggling to think that ANYONE who actually witnessed the events of last year can be so full of passion and confidence…..it simply defies logic and explanation. Just when I think you’re ready to settle into your new role as rebuilding underdogs…I see case after case of delirious fandom gone horribly wrong.

According to this ESPN poll, 78% of Nebraska residents do think a title is within reach. Where are you on this? Can we win our division?

Coming on the heels of yesterday’s news about Sam Keller, it’s nice to see the good news about Maurice Purify.

According to his agent Gary Glick, Eureka High graduate and former Nebraska wide receiver Maurice Purify is expected to sign a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals this week.

Purify, who became an undrafted free agent when he was not selected during the NFL Draft April 26 and 27, was invited to rookie mini-camps with the Bengals over the weekend, where, according to Glick, he performed well.

“The chances are excellent that he’s going to sign with Cincinnati this week,” Glick said. “Right now we’re just working out some of the details with the contract.”

According to Glick, Purify was tested thoroughly in all areas, and passed with flying colors.

“Overall they said he did a really good job,” Glick said. “They said he ran his routes well, he caught the ball and looked sharp. They also interviewed him extensively about these off-the-field things, and they loved his responses. They liked the guy that he is, and they said he represented himself well.”

Lincoln Journal Star’s Steve Sipple produced a great piece on Sam Keller and his troubles making headway in the NFL. I was never a Keller fan, but this is a touching piece with a moral not just for him, but for everyone to reflect upon.

Keller said several NFL teams asked him about an incident in March of 2007 in which he allegedly threw a paper cup at a woman’s car after she beat him to a parking spot on campus. Charges were eventually dropped. It’s almost embarrassing for me to bring up the matter at this point, except to illustrate that these seemingly minor incidents can be harmful to players on draft day.

“Teams really thought I threw a whole cup of coffee on the girl,” Keller said as he packed for his trip to Tampa.

As for his football:

“I was just surprised with how much teams didn’t like me,” Keller said earlier this week. “I was surprised with how much I heard that teams don’t like my (throwing) release. They continued to question the Arizona State situation no matter what I said. …

“Character and release. It just kept coming back that teams didn’t like those things about me. It’s just something I continue to have to battle.”

On the pressures of being a star:

“You feel these different emotions,” Keller said. “For me, last weekend was a feeling of being lost and kind of embarrassed. You have these expectations, and you find out other people have expectations for you — your family, friends, people around you. You just kind of feel like you’re out there flopping in the breeze. It’s kind of like, ‘God, I’m so sorry.’ You wish you could have brought more joy to the day.

Perspective is what’s missing from this story. “Flopping in the breeze” is a poor description for someone who has already achieved as much as Keller has. Starting QB at Arizona State and Nebraska is big. Maybe not guaranteed-to-make-the-NFL big, but big nonetheless.

Bo Big Red is getting some love from Cory McCartney of Sports Illustrated.

Spring’s biggest winners and losers

WINNERS

Bo Pelini, Nebraska: Last year it was Nick Saban, but the toast of this spring was unquestionably Pelini. Cornhuskers fans are clamoring for any sign of the program moving in a positive direction following the stagnant Bill Callahan era, which is why a record 80,149 filled Memorial Stadium for the Red-White Game (25,869 more than last year’s spring game).

The verdict? A number of Huskers showed up for spring looking leaner to fit Pelini’s “fast and physical” credo, including I-back Quentin Castille, who has reportedly trimmed 20 pounds. It’s a mold that will bring the speed that was Pelini’s calling card at LSU. The new coach is already making an immediate impact with his players and fans. In April, what more can you really ask for?