We tell the players that if you are thinking something, go ahead and say it... that fans want to know what they are thinking. We tell them not to be afraid to think out loud.

We took the shackles off them. There used to be rules (about talking with fans). We tell the players to be themselves.

I don't think panic's set in by any means. But in fans' minds, they're thinking it's awful early to be struggling this much.

I think it was more joking than anything else. The fans know the game and what went on. To me, you get traded for a guy like that, it's a compliment, and it gives me an incentive to keep working hard.

All I do is talk to Husker fans, ... I've never painted for somebody who's not a Husker fan.

Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it look so efficient. But internally, for a guy to be successful, you have to be like a clock spring, wound but not loose at the same time.