Nebraska Weasels

First: Fans don't belong on the football field. Bad things can happen.
Second: That doesn't excuse a football player knocking out a fan from the opposing team.
Third: What film clip was the Nebraska coaching staff watching?

Nebraska cornerback Kellen Huston was suspended one game Tuesday because of his actions after Saturday's loss at Missouri, and his accuser wants Huston to be held accountable.

Huston was caught on videotape toppling a Missouri fan after the Cornhuskers' 41-24 loss in Columbia, Mo. Hundreds of Tigers supporters had run onto the field at the end of the game.

"Kellen is very sorry that this unfortunate situation happened, and so are we," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "After viewing the film and speaking to people who were at the scene, I truly believe that Kellen did not instigate the situation and that he was simply reacting to what he saw as a dangerous situation coming right at him.

"However, Kellen knows that we do not condone our players striking another person, and he will be suspended for this week's game."

I saw the clip a number of times, and a smiling, jeering fan was running across the field near the players. There was not threatening gesture, no weapons displayed, nothing other than a really happy fan who was probably being a jerk--taunting, talking trash, whatever.

Then the football players arm goes up, strikes out, and the fan is down for the count. "Didn't instigate the situation." I suppose, in a Clintonian sense, that's true, but that doesn't even come close to excusing the act. The player knew he wasn't in danger, knew that the little guy celebrating on the field wasn't a threat, and was pissed that his team had lost a game it needed.

I'm glad Nebraska suspended the player, but it would have meant a lot more if it hadn't come with the waffling.

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Posted by zombyboy at October 15, 2003 04:40 PM | TrackBack