' ' Cinema Romantico: A Digression: Welcome Home, Bo (And Never Leave Again)

Monday, December 03, 2007

A Digression: Welcome Home, Bo (And Never Leave Again)

In 2003 when then Nebraska Football head coach Frank Solich hired an aspiring young NFL assistant coach named Bo Pelini to be his defensive coordinator I sent an email to my friend Dan calling him "The Savior of Lincoln, Nebraska". This was true.....for one season. He turned our rather ordinary defense into the #11 ranked defense in the whole country (#1 in turnover margin, thank you). Unfortunately, He Will Who Not Be Mentioned chose to fire head coach Frank Solich at the end of the season and thus "The Savior of Lincoln, Nebraska" went with him.

The 4 years after Bo Pelini exited with Coach Solich has been the dark time some may refer to as the Bill Callahan Era. There are many details regarding this era - too many, in fact and so let me give you a quick summary: West Coast Offense, Kevin Cosgrove, Lucky Off-Tackle, Texas Tech - 70 Nebraska - 10, No Victories When Trailing At Halftime, NFL Mentality, The Mysterious Disappearance of Cody "Remember That Time I Scored A Touchdown Against USC?" Glenn, so on and so on.

All we need know is that era has ended. We could have and should have hired Bo Pelini four years ago. We didn't. But we also didn't make the same mistake twice. Bo is officially back. The Callahan era is history. Therefore I will turn to "The Simpsons" and borrow their words to "further decree that everything will be just like it was before all this happened! And no one will ever mention it (i.e. The Bill Callahan Era) again under penalty of torture!"

An article culled from the Lincoln Star Journal this morning bears the following quote - not made up or embellished - in regards to Pelini: "He enjoys Bruce Springsteen."

Oh yeah, baby, our Savior has come home.

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