Let’s talk for a second about Nebraska football. We all know the winning tradition at Nebraska. We all know about the class image that ole’ Dr. Tom Osborne has built up for his program over the last 20 years.

But what’s happening to the the Huskers now? Why are they catching so much flak? So what if their Heisman candidate running back took it upon himself to smack around his girlfriend? He’s still a helluva ball player, isn’t he? So what if they have a player on murder charges? He’s still a helluva ball player! So what if Nebraska had a member on last year’s football team that was a gang member that openly flaunted his gangster signs, even in last year’s team picture. But he can really play ball, and that is all that matters.

Or is it?

Notice I didn’t mention names, and there is a good reason for that. These players, while excelling on the football field, are complete losers of life. They don’t even deserve to be mentioned.

When I went to the Nebraska game two weeks ago, I had to sit and listen to Osborne, Phillips, Frazier and others whine about how unfair the media has been. How Nebraska football has been sculpted by the press into some win-at-all-cost beast.

Reality check, fellas. If the cuffs fit, wear ’em! The facts are that Nebraska has been housing, supporting and paying for the education of many players that don’t deserve to be let out of a cage until they learn how to be good little boys.

But how did Nebraska football get this way? I have a theory. Until last season, Dr. Tom had not won a national championship, and the pressure was on him.

Win! Win! Win! That became the ultimate goal. So recruiting became about the getting the best athletes, not necessarily the best people. Suddenly, it didn’t matter what their personal life was. It didn’t matter who they were, or what they stood for. All that matters in Lincoln is performance on the field, and Nebraska is deservingly paying for it.

I’ll admit that I’m not a Nebraska fan. Even before the player controversy was ever recognized (notice I didn’t say “happened”), I was not a Husker fan.

But I was a Tommie Frazier fan. I have to admit that I was excited to get the chance to interview Frazier until his ego was shoved in the face of every media representative in the room.

Frazier was short with reporters, often looking at them as if they were from another planet. I understand that athletes like Frazier get bombarded by the media, and at times, the media would down right suck. So I didn’t judge him there. Even though he seemed to be a punk, I let it slide.

After the game, when all the players leave, children stand at the doors waiting for autographs. Phillips signed autographs out of concern for personal damage control. The Peter brothers were more than happy to sign autographs.

Then came Frazier through a side door, ignoring children and waltzing his way through a small crowd without even acknowledging his fans. Once again proving my point. Frazier is an unbelievable football player, but a poor, poor individual. Much like many Nebraska recruits.

The Cyclones may have only won three games so far, but after getting to know many of the guys on the team, I would say they are the classiest team in the country. I salute them.

If building a national powerhouse means ISU has to recruit players who have yet to earn the right to be called civilized, then I’ll take three wins every season for the rest of my life.

Chad Calek is a sophomore in journalism from Persia, Iowa. He is assistant sports editor of the Daily.