Media Ignorance?

Updating my initial blog expressing incredulity that so many in the media could be picking Nebraska to win the Big 12 North title, the number of e-mails from Nebraska fans numbers now nearly 200 in less than a week.

I’ve got to be honest. Ninety percent of the responses were civil, considered, whether they agreed with me or not. Some actually did. A few accused me of being a meth addict and worse.

But on Monday, on the first of three days at the Big 12 pre-season football media gathering in Dallas, another thought hit me.

The media that picked Nebraska to win the Big 12 North over Kansas and Missouri in the league’s voting, aren’t abso-tooting-lutely nuts. They’re just blissfully unaware.
My new theory, and I’m sticking to it, is that too many media members who primarily cover the South division relied on the tradition of what Nebraska used to be, not on what they are, one of merely three Big 12 North contenders that are all flawed in one way or another this season.
Can’t pick Kansas; everyone knows that is a basketball school. Can’t pick Missouri; couldn’t win with Coffman, Maclin and Daniel so sure as heck can’t win without them.
So who is left? Nebraska! The Cornhuskers used to be really good.
By the way, Nebraska center Jacob Hickman is a hoot.
Asked about having to play at Kansas and at Missouri this season, Hickman acknowledged Missouri fans can get a bit “rowdy.”
“Obviously, they are rambunctious fans,” Hickman said. “I got spit on a couple of times the last time I went out there. But that’s beside the point.
“If anything, that encourages you. . . if you do that it can help you, propel you, in the game.”