friday, October 27, 1978
page 14
daily nebraskan
Cowboys shootin' to corral Cornhuskers Saturday
By Jim Kay
Sports editor
If a football team can win on desire alone, then UNL
should have its hands full with the Oklahoma State Cow
boys Saturday afternoon in Memorial Stadium.
OSU got off to a dismal 0-5 start this season with
three of the losses coming to Wichita State, North Texas
State and Kansas State. The Pokes had no where to go but
up.
But successive home victories against Colorado and
Kansas have turned OSU around and the Cowboy's willing
ness to not give up may be the key to their comeback.
"We started out kind of slow and got stronger as things
went along," guard Reggie Richardson said. "Frankly, 1
think we put things together pretty well. As long as our
offensive line stays free of injury, we'll do okay.
"As for the Nebraska game, we've got to keep coming
off the ball for 60 minutes. If we do, we have a good
chance to take them."
Amusingly optimistic
Richardson's words might seem optimistically amusing
to nvvst Husker fans, but UNL head coach Tom
Osborne will not take anything for granted.
"Colorado analyzed their films (of the OSU game) and
concluded they hadn't played poorly against Oklahoma
State, they just got beat," Osborne said. "They have some
great players."
Osborne had high praise for Cowboy linebacker John
Corker, calling him possibly the best linebacker in the
country.
Corker already has 126 tackles this season in just seven
game ;or an average of eighteen tackles a game. Lee Kunz
i.e?-i-. the Huskers with 76 tackles in seven games.
"You know, there's still a lot of people who don't be
lieve we are for real," Corker said. "Nebraska will be a
real test. The guys on our team know we're going to have
our bowl games' in three of the next four weeks."
League leaders Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma are
three of the Cowboys last four opponents.
Advance warning
Oklahoma State scout Rod Dixon has given head coach
Jim Stanley and the Cowboys plenty of advanced warning
on UNL.
far as I'm concerned Nebraska's the best team in
ihe i-.g Light right now," Dixon said. "Offensively they
Liwrf! slowed down yet. They have two great running
vicks in (Rick) Berns and (I.M.) Hipp. But I'd take
Herns before Hipp. He's a big, tough, rugged ballplayer.
He runs like a mule."
"Defensively, they're a lot better than they were last
ear," he added. "Their noseguard (Kerry Weinmaster)
is quicker than a cat and that defensive end (George)
Andrews is a killer. Kunz and (Jim) Pillen are great players
too;'
Despite the fact the Huskers have been made 19 to 25
point favorites, OSU's players feel that on any given
Saturday. . .
"I remember the 75 game against Nebraska," said
quarterback Scott Burk, "when 1 thought I had thrown
for a touchdown. The official closest to the play called it
a touchdown and the guy from the other side of the
field said offensive interference.
"So what if the odds are against us at Lincoln. I'm
sure well be ready to give it our best shot."
Offensive job
Fullback Worley Taylor said, "Nebraska is tough but
I can't see up giving in to them. We know we're going to
have to do a job offensively."
"We'll be prepared for Nebraska," said safety Peter
Coppola, "because our coaches always do a great job of
getting us ready for a game. Nebraska's big, strong and
fast. I think Berns is one of the toughest backs to bring
down in the Big Eight."
Coppola's fellow safety, Darnell Scott, added, "I know
Nebraska danced on Colorado in the second half and that
means well have to play a whole lot better than we did
(last week)."
Stanley has told his team they are now in their "second
season." And if optimism continues to run high,
Oklahoma State may challenge UNL in their first "bowl
game" on Saturday.
t . Jrf ""ww? iihiiihihw jiflgf - i hiihiul.
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" " ' - - - - photo1 by Bod Pearson
Linebacker Tom Vering (47) puts a rush on Oklahoma State quarterback Harold Bailey in last year's 31-14 UNL
win. The Cowboys come to Lincoln Saturday seeking an upset over the fourth-ranked Huskers.
Spiritual vision prompts writer to predict Husker scores
Jimmy the Greek, Fred Roth, Bob
D1 v.ney, Charlie the Computer and Rick
'.&:. all immortals in the field of predict
ive college football games. So is the
toin.non belief.
Hut these men. except for Charlie
perhaps, arc like any other men. They
breath the same air, drink the same water
and put their pants on one leg at a time.
But. somehow these men don't know how
to accurately predict the score. Sure, they
can say that Nebraska will beat Kansas
State, but how about the final score9
kevin schnepf
In order to predict the final score on
the nose, one must reach out for his
psychic possession, the spiritual element
which one owns but seldom uses. In other
words, an accurate predictor must respond
to his gut feeling.
If you're going to place a bet on a
college game, don't rely on "the Greek" or
Huls, rely on your own gut feeling. Anyone
can be a predictor, especially if the spirit
tells you the score.
As for me , I never proclaimed to be an
expert in the field. But now I've focused
my life on telling everyone what will
happen to their favorite football team on
Saturday afternoons. As a sportswriter for
the past four years, I have been revealing
the game's outcomes-but forty-eight hours
after the game.
Now, I intend to reach deep into my
soul in search of spiritual information to
help me predict the score-before either
team begins to think about ripping each
others heads off. Like an intense Christian
believer who sheds the light on unwilling
listeners, I will force my predictions as gos
pel down the throats of Daily Nebraskan
readers. I may preach my predictions, but
probably no one will give a damn. But 1
don't care, because I am joining the elite
company of "the Greek," Roth and Huls.
Harris humanoids
How did I find myself with predictions,
you ask? Well, the spiritual awakening
occurred in a place known as Harris Labor-atories-where
a wide range of humanoids
subject their bodies to the testing of drugs.
In my case, grisofluven, an over-the-counter
drug used for the treatment of
ringworm and rash, was put into our bodies
for over a week. Reactions were tested on
three day weekends when subjects were
locked up in the "Harris Hilton."
I must make it clear that I suffered no
side-effects from the grisofluven. The 18
blood draws, the five urine samples, and a
daily diet of soy-bean burgers and chile did
in no way promote my inclination to be a
predictor. My discovery was natural.
Look out Jimmy
Last Saturday's Colorado -Nebraska
football game made me realize that mv
purpose in life is predicting. It was the unus
ual start of the game, the unusual mixture
of Harris Lab subjects, and the unusual
feeling that overcame me that led to my
discovery. "The Greek" never had it so
good. I heard that "the Greek" was put
into such a hypnotic trance by his cigar
smoke that he felt he could predict.
Nothing like my natural and spiritual reve
lation. After Harris Lab subjects watched Texas
defeat third-ranked Arkansas on television,
they realized that Nebraska could move up
a spot in the national ratings provided
Nebraska beat Colorado. A Nebraska vic
tory seemed to be as sure as a Harris Lab
blood draw at one o'clock.
In vain, in vein
Enthusiasm was high when Lyell
Bremser began to broadcast the Colorado
Nebraska game. But then disaster struck.
The enthusiasm drifted away when Color
ado was ahead, 14-3. Arkansas' loss was all
in vain. The blood draw at 3 o'clock
seemed to be more painful for the subjects
as the nurse stuck the needle in the veins.
It seemed as though a Nebraska loss was al
ready accepted,
This is when the predicting revelation
hit me. I observed the long faces, I
observed how Colorado had luckily scored
their points, and I observed how
Nebraska's offense and defense had not
been given chances to prove themselves.
More importantly, I reached out for a
solution to help not only the Harris lab
subjects, but the rest of the poor
souls whose lives were in shock at the
moment.
'Kick 'em'
The answer was predicting. 1 was so spir
itually enhanced, I blurted, "Colorado isn't
going to score another point. Nebraska is
going to kick 'em."
My confidence in that statement
reflected the feelings of the Nebraska
players themselves. I had psychic
communication with Nebraska players who
were 500 miles away. Now, I know what
"the Greek," Rosenthal. Devaney. and
Huls must feel when the predict Oklahoma
is going to demolish Rice.
Improvement is always a positive goal so
my predicting will not only be rash state
ments, but precise scores. After intense
study and spiritual communication with
each remaining Nebraska opponent, I am
going to reveal my predictions for the rest
of the Nebraska season.
Visions of the future
Nebraska-97, Oklahoma State 0: OSU
coach Jim Stanley's spirit told me that he
wants to lose big so he can get out of Still
water. The nasty spirits of the Nebraska
blackshirts tell me they want another shut
out. Nebraska-80, Kansas-3: I didn't even
have to communicate with Kansas spirits
to figure this one out.
Nebraska-52, Oklahoma-17: This one
has taken a lot of meditation, folks. Al
though the Huskers will only be able to
muster up only 860 total yards, their long
awaited victory over the Sooners will be
attained. Note: A mass orgy will take place
on the field after the game.
Nebraska-61, Missouri-10: Former
Nebraska coach Warren Powers cannot
make it a second upset in two years.
Power's spirit tells me that he isn't even
going to accompany Warren to Lincoln.
Orange Bowl. Nebraska-61, Perm State
60 The Huskers will come out winners
with a 73 yard field goal by defensive
tackle Bill Barnett, replacing an injured
Billy Todd. The victory will give Nebraska
a national championship, visits bv
President Carter and Richard Nixon, grta'
student rioting, and a return to the good
old days.
You may think I'm only a guinea pig for
Harris Lab. but it's where I got my start as
the man who will replace "The Greek."