Nebraska AD Tom Osborne to retire

[Dan]

News conference on BTN, today 11:am CT.

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne will announce his retirement during a news conference Wednesday afternoon in Lincoln, two sources told ESPN.com.
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...e-going-retire

[illynifan34]

Also important, people are saying it isn't effective immediately, will be a while. Probably will present a succession plan.

This information from an ESPN App Alert.

[Sure Shot]

For my money, the greatest college football coach of all time.

For the BTN's money, the greatest Big Ten college football coach of the 90's.

[kgwasmyfavorite]

So much respect for him as a coach. Someone on Twitter was touting him as possibly the most important Nebraskan of all time.

Between his years as coach, Congressman and AD, they might be right. Although there have been some major entertainers from there.

[GilThorpe]

Originally Posted by kgwasmyfavorite

So much respect for him as a coach. Someone on Twitter was touting him as possibly the most important Nebraskan of all time.

Between his years as coach, Congressman and AD, they might be right. Although there have been some major entertainers from there.

and the home of the 2nd wealthiest American.

besides Johnny Carson, who is the other big time entertainer from there?

Osborne is the real deal. He , and Harvey Perlman, the Chancellorbof the University, are the two guys most responsible for UNL getting in the B1G.

A great coach, congressman, and AD. The guy could run for Governor or Senator and get 70% of the vote.

[Larken24]

As an Illini Fan, he probably is one of the most important people in Nebraska History in my opinion in the last 50 years

[Holdemall]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

and the home of the 2nd wealthiest American.

besides Johnny Carson, who is the other big time entertainer from there?

Osborne is the real deal. He , and Harvey Perlman, the Chancellorbof the University, are the two guys most responsible for UNL getting in the B1G.

A great coach, congressman, and AD. The guy could run for Governor or Senator and get 70% of the vote.

Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, Monty Clift.

[Blue]

Oh, AND Dick Cavett!

[uinuke81]

Oh, BTW, he ran a program that was reknown for being one of the top steroid driven organizations in college football, although he did take some actions to address after they received a lot of negative publicity. Some of that early success he had as a coach was clearly chemically driven. I'm not ready to get all weepy eyed over his retirement:

From May 6, 1991 Sports Illustrated article on Osborne's tenure at Nebraska:

.....One persistent theory has to do with anabolic steroids. During the early and mid-'80s, Nebraska was regarded as a hotbed of steroid use. In a 1987 article in SI, Dean Steinkuhler, the 1983 Outland Trophy winner, admitted that he used steroids while a guard at Nebraska, and the 1989 book Big Red Confidential: Inside Nebraska Football, written by former SI staffer Armen Keteyian, stated that steroid use was widespread among the Huskers. However, in 1984 Osborne began random drug testing. Although no cause and effect can be proved, in recent years Nebraska's offensive linemen—the key to his push-'em-back, grind-it-out attack-have grown notably weaker.....

[GilThorpe]

Originally Posted by uinuke81

Oh, BTW, he ran a program that was reknown for being one of the top steroid driven organizations in college football, although he did take some actions to address after they received a lot of negative publicity. Some of that early success he had as a coach was clearly chemically driven. I'm not ready to get all weepy eyed over his retirement:

From May 6, 1991 Sports Illustrated article on Osborne's tenure at Nebraska:

.....One persistent theory has to do with anabolic steroids. During the early and mid-'80s, Nebraska was regarded as a hotbed of steroid use. In a 1987 article in SI, Dean Steinkuhler, the 1983 Outland Trophy winner, admitted that he used steroids while a guard at Nebraska, and the 1989 book Big Red Confidential: Inside Nebraska Football, written by former SI staffer Armen Keteyian, stated that steroid use was widespread among the Huskers. However, in 1984 Osborne began random drug testing. Although no cause and effect can be proved, in recent years Nebraska's offensive linemen—the key to his push-'em-back, grind-it-out attack-have grown notably weaker.....

I wont defend Osbourne for his complicity with the OL and probably a bunch of other guys on the team doing steroids, but lets just admit it that it was likely going on in every major college and NFL locker room.

So we can rightfully say he should have known better and is no saint, but then we need to do the same to everyone involved with the game.

Where does that get us ?

All told, he is still one of the better coaches and administrators out there.

[ChiefIlliniwek]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

and the home of the 2nd wealthiest American.

besides Johnny Carson, who is the other big time entertainer from there?

Osborne is the real deal. He , and Harvey Perlman, the Chancellorbof the University, are the two guys most responsible for UNL getting in the B1G.

A great coach, congressman, and AD. The guy could run for Governor or Senator and get 70% of the vote.

Henry Fonda

[uinuke81]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

I wont defend Osbourne for his complicity with the OL and probably a bunch of other guys on the team doing steroids, but lets just admit it that it was likely going on in every major college and NFL locker room.

So we can rightfully say he should have known better and is no saint, but then we need to do the same to everyone involved with the game.

Where does that get us ?

All told, he is still one of the better coaches and administrators out there.

I agree with your conclusion, I was trying to temper the pie-eyed hero worship with a little history and context. The discussion here and elsewhere was similar to the stuff we continue to hear about Paterno. Just to be clear, I'm not equating Osborne with Paterno, just the hero worship aspect. Osborne's image in Nebraska is certainly on par to what Paterno's was prior to the Sandusky saga.

[Dan]

Shawn Eichorst resigns as Miami's AD; expected to replace Tom Osborne as Nebraska's AD, sources told @ESPN

http://twitter.com/McMurphyESPN