An Open Letter to Niles Paul

Dear Niles Paul,

First of all, I want to apologize to you. On behalf of Husker Nation, I apologize for the unsportsmanlike conduct we supposedly laid upon you after the 20-13 loss to the Texas Longhorns, better known as the New York Yankees to our Pedro Martinez. While alcohol is no excuse, I’m fairly certain that a majority of hurtful comments slung your way came from those who were a little inebriated. After all, if the game on Saturday didn’t drive every Husker fan to drink heavily, I don’t know what will. No matter how intoxicated a college football fan is, he/she should never act the way we did to you, especially if that fan is wearing the Scarlett and Cream. I’m sorry.

This is me defending you. This is me trying to stand behind you, because you are a student athlete and you’re just trying to play a game. I get that. However, you should know that it’s going to get increasingly hard to defend you when an article like this shines a light on how oblivious you might be towards fans and their investment in a team, especially to one like Nebraska.

First, let’s start with an easy one:

After De-Activating Your Facebook Account after a few negative messages:

“I can’t deal with that. People kinda using me as a scapegoat. Saying mean things to me on Facebook for making a mistake that receivers make.”

It would be nice if you would clarify what “mistake” it is you’re referring to. Are you referring to dropping two passes that likely would have gone for touchdowns? If so, sure we probably shouldn’t be putting all of the blame on you, especially since Rex Burkhead and Brandon Kinnie both dropped passes that also would have gone for touchdowns. More importantly, there were plenty of other problems during the game that led to us losing. (See: Zac Lee/Taylor Martinez controversy)

So true, we shouldn’t blame you for that mistake. However, Burkhead and Kinnie didn’t make this crucial mistake last week, when you complained about not getting the ball enough.

“If you put the ball up and let me go get it, I’m going to go get it.There’s going to be a game where it’s going to come down to passing to win the game. Just hopefully, coach (Shawn) Watson trusts us and puts the game in our hands. We’ll make plays to win it.”

Your words, not ours.

All we want you to do is man up to your words. Accept responsibility and say, “Yes, I said that we could be trusted to win a game. Unfortunately, we let our team down today when we couldn’t do that.” It’s the Tim Tebow Move. Man up, apologize, and then promise you’ll improve. Then again, you’ll then have to back up to that promise, like Tebow did, or you’ll look like an even bigger failure who can’t keep his word.

Now here’s the concept you really need to understand, and Tebow said it best in his Pledge:

“To the fans and everybody in Gator Nation, I’m sorry.”

Here’s what you said:

“I have to realize I'm not playing for the fans.”

You aren’t? Really? I hate to go on the old tired rant that’s given by every passionate sports fan, but, without the fans, there is no team. When Nebraska brings all of their highly touted recruits to the Texas game, they do it for two reasons: 1) To showcase the teams performance against a quality team and 2)To showcase the fans who they will be playing in front of for every home game. Maybe I’m a little delusional in this belief, but I am confident that one reason recruits will come to the middle of the country, Lincoln, Nebraska, is for the opportunity to play in front of 90,000 dedicated fans who love to watch them play.

If the only reason you came to Nebraska was so that you could play under Bill Callahan then I’m clearly trying to talk some sense into the wrong person.

“I have to realize I’m not playing for the fans.”

For now, you are playing for the fans, Niles. When you go to the pros, you’re playing for the Benjamins. In the mean time, you are playing for the fans. You’re not playing for a contract, you’re playing for a community. You’re playing for a lifestyle. You’re playing for a passionate group of fans who only want to see you succeed. With your comment, you told us that we don’t matter and that you plan on shutting us off for the rest of the year.

Of all the Facebook comments we made, of all the “you sucks” we might have said in the heat of the moment during/after the game, your comment was the most hurtful thing said during this whole soap opera. Understand that, and maybe we can move on.

Until then, you’re the one who has disowned us, not the other way around.