Oh, the dreaded alarm clock. It sounded early. Got to get up early if you want to be a part of this year's Husker circus.
the Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, November 23, 2007 6:00 pm
Oh, the dreaded alarm clock. It sounded early.
Got to get up early if you want to be a part of this year’s Husker circus.
Saturday morning was certainly that around the Husker football camp.
It went sort of like this:
6:20: Randy York, associate athletic director for communications, sends out an an e-mail to media outlets: “Nebraska Interim Athletic Director Tom Osborne has scheduled a news conference for Saturday, Nov. 24, at 9:30 a.m.”
Cheerios start to spill on shirts across the state. After months of speculation and rumor-spreading, it’s actually going down.
7:04: A guard is spotted watching the gate to a restricted parking area on the east side of the Osborne Complex. The guard tells the Journal Star: “Out of respect for the coaches, we want to have privacy.”
7:20: That same guard opens the gate for Husker coach Bill Callahan, driving a black Lexus sports-utility vehicle. Upon entering the lot, Callahan honks. The guard runs and opens a garage for him to park his vehicle inside.
7:24: Now we see a white Chevy Tahoe, Tom Osborne’s ride. The gate opens. The Tahoe enters. A meeting begins.
7:35: Well, that was quick. Here comes Callahan in his Lexus again, exiting the premises, no longer Nebraska’s head coach. Still, he offers a wave to reporters as he leaves.
7:45: For whom the bell tolls. “There Is No Place Like Nebraska” rings from the Mueller Tower.
7:50: Vehicles roll up to the gate driven by Kevin Cosgrove, Randy Jordan and Dennis Wagner.
Cosgrove’s has “Go Hawks” written across a backseat window, a salute to his son’s Lincoln Southwest team.
8:05: Reached by phone, Callahan declines comment.
9:00: As assistant coach Bill Busch drives away from his meeting with Osborne, he gives the peace sign.
9:30: We’re to the announced time of the press conference, but no Osborne yet. About 50 media members wait. No worries. The Memorial Stadium elevators can be a bit slow.
9:34: Osborne takes the podium.
“As a former coach this is a role I really don’t like,” Osborne says. “I hate to sit in judgment of other people.”
9:59: Osborne finishes speaking. The circus is over. Or maybe it’s just begun.
—Brian Christopherson