Bigfoot sightings, pink sprinkles on cupcakes, not-so-friendly banter between two teams with no history … this week’s Staff Picks has it all, including the truth behind “the letter” – allegedly written by UCF head coach Scott Frost’s mom, Carol - circulating on blogs this week.
Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Michigan’s loss to Nebraska in what’s become known as the “Sun Belt Official Fiasco,” a 32-28 game in which it appeared as though Alamo Bowl higher-ups forgot to hire officials, so they pulled a few middle school dads in stripes off nearby fields 15 minutes before kickoff and slipped them all $20 bucks to do their best.
It was that bad.
But the story really began eight years earlier. Michigan had beaten Washington State, 21-16, in the Rose Bowl to all but lock up the AP National Championship. Nebraska followed with a 42-17 win over Peyton Manning and Tennessee after which Frost, then the Cornhuskers’ quarterback, began lobbying for the coaches to vote his team No. 1, using head coach Tom Osborne’s retirement as a sentimental crutch.
“I don't think there's anyone out there that can say with a clear conscience that Nebraska, and especially Tom Osborne, that great man, doesn't deserve a national championship," Frost said. "At least a share. Barring a miracle, the AP has pretty much given it away.
"So, it's up to the coaches. I'm so proud of this team and Coach Osborne, I don't want to see him go out without a championship. I basically have two points for the coaches: One, if you can look yourself in the mirror and say if your job depended on playing either Michigan or Nebraska to keep your job, who would you rather play? You watched the Rose Bowl and the Orange Bowl. Michigan won with a controversial play at the end. We took apart the third-ranked team in the country.
"The second point I have is: I can't see how any coach outside the Big Ten or the Pac-10 would vote for Michigan. Because if somebody from North Carolina, Florida State, West Virginia, Notre Dame --wherever it might be -- if they were undefeated and won the Alliance bowl game, they would expect to share the national title.
"It's been split before. Colorado and Georgia Tech split it. Washington and Miami split it. It's OK to split it. It should be split and it's up to the coaches."
He didn’t stop there.
"I don't know who would win the game if we played Michigan. I think I know. I think all you guys know,” he said. “The thing I'd like to say is: Who would be favored?
“I'd like to see the line on that game, because I think it would be seven, 10, 14 points [in Nebraska's favor]. Any time that it's that way and you vote the other way, you've got to be crazy.”
In hindsight, that Michigan team had 25 – count ‘em – 25 players that started at least one game and then played in the NFL. In other words, the entire starting lineup minus one or two and their backups were pros, and there were others who played who also spent time in the league (for a total of 31).
And we’re not just talking special teams guys, here. Included were some of the best ever at their positions, including future Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson, elite linemen Jon Jansen (Washington Redskins), Steve Hutchinson (Seattle, Minnesota), Jeff Backus (10-years plus with the Detroit Lions), 10-year-plus defensive end James Hall (Detroit, St. Louis), multiple-year starters and linebackers Ian Gold (Denver) and Dhani Jones (New York Giants, Cincinnati), future NFC Rookie of the Year and RB Anthony Thomas (Chicago), future Pro Bowler (Denver) and 10-year quarterback Brian Griese …
Those are but a few. To put it in perspective, New England quarterback Tom Brady – one of the best in NFL history and still at the top of his game – was a backup on that team.
That alone should end talk that the game would have been a blowout (at least in the ‘Huskers’ favor), though we’re sure Nebraska had some nice players, too. A look at the list includes guys who suited up for the Scottish Claymores and Montreal Alouettes.
So that brings us to Chapter Two and our 2005 Alamo Bowl staff predictions, which are almost always in good fun … for the most part … well, kinda. Admittedly, there might have been a tinge more sincerity in this edition, simply because many believed Frost’s shameless lobbying directly resulted in the split championship when the coaches did, in fact, vote Nebraska No. 1.
Above: Nebraska needed this controversial catch to beat Missouri in 1997.
Among our comments:
• “Former 'Huskers quarterback Scott Frost – who we've heard is now a lobbyist for Betty Crocker trying to get the FDA to allow fluorescent pink sprinkles on cupcakes (a subject he knows plenty about, having played more than his share during his career) - has reportedly set up an ‘I told you so’ postgame press conference, just in case Nebraska pulls the upset.
• “We all remember Frost, of course, for his disgraceful, zero class supplication for votes that ‘earned’ Nebraska a share of the national title in 1997 …"
• “Sources in Lincoln tell us there's legislation in the works that would award Nebraska a share of the national title if it plays in any bowl game and wins -- OR beats the spread in any game in which it's a double-digit underdog. The catch is, ‘Scottie's Law’ will only be recognized in the Cornhusker state (and the U.S. Virgin Islands, if one Nebraska senator can pull it off) – which, in actuality, would make it no different than the Huskers' 1997 ‘national title’ (minus the Virgin Islands, of course, whose residents overwhelmingly voted for Michigan in a '97 poll).”
• “The Cornhuskers may be throwing out their battle cry -- "Win One For The Griper" (Scott Frost) -- but U-M has more horses on this ranch.”
Chapter 3, the 2005 Alamo Bowl, is but a footnote, really. But it did set up Chapter 4. Days after the game, Rivals.com officials forwarded the following letter from Carol Frost, Scott’s mother, sent though the Rivals main page function. It certainly seemed authentic – the email address seemed more than valid – but before we shared it with our subscribers (behind a paywall on our premium message board, it should be noted), we checked with the Rivals.com higher-ups at the time to get their take.
They were all for it, as amused (and bemused) as we were.
It’s become tradition on The Fort, TheWolverine.com Premium Forum, to share it as a fun memory – nothing more – before U-M plays Nebraska, and it was recycled without our permission this week in anticipation of Scott Frost and his UCF team’s visit Saturday.
The letter:
Re: Nebraska Cornhuskers 32 -- Michigan Wolverwhines 28
Thank you for reminding me which National Championship my Scotty won for Nebraska in the 1990's. At my age, 60, I get mixed up occasionally on which one of the three National Championships my Scotty won for Nebraska in the 1990's (It's hard for me to remember because they win them so often.)
Sometimes I find myself feeling sorry for the Wolverwhines who only win National Championships in Football every 50 years or so. I guess I didn't get so hung up on the National title that Nebraska won in 1997 because they won 3 in a four year span in the 1990's and 5 in a twenty-eight year span between 1970 and 1997. I remember the first one they one in 1970 because I graduated from Nebraska in 1966. I guess if we only won the National title every 50 years, I would have been upset, too, when Nebraska and my Scotty stole the show from the Wolverwhines in the 1990's.
By the way, Scotty sends his best. He's retired from the NFL now after 5 years. I think he said he was making about $346,000.00 a year while in the Pros, which is probably more than all of you poor misled Wolverwhines make in a year combined.
Sorry to hear that the Wolverwhines lost to the Cornhuskers in the Alamo bowl. Hope poor Lloyd doesn't lose his job. Seems like a lot of teams we beat this year lost their coaches. The maze, black, and blue will have other years. I expect you'll win another National Championship in Football around the year 2046. Hope you all find enough to write about between now and then.
Best Regards,
Carol Frost
1968 Olympian, Mexico City
The letter has made the rounds and taken on a life of its own, sparking reactions from the UCF side. Among them:
And from the Orlando Sentinel:
“The letter is about as legit as a Bigfoot sighting, but that doesn't matter. All's fair is [sic] love, war and college football. Even weaponizing words from 1997.”
Some of them said that if it wasn’t forged, it was likely a “crazy Nebraska fan” who wrote it. If so, he/she went above and beyond to make up a very legitimate looking email address, look up what Frost was making in the NFL, recognize Carol Frost’s Olympic exploits and – frankly – probably had a Frost restraining order against them at some point.
However, we (and again, the Rivals’ higher-ups at the time) believe it’s legitimate, which should excite you for a couple of reasons:
1) Carol Frost essentially guaranteed Michigan would win a National Championship in 2046. So they’ve got that going for them … which is nice.
2) There really is a Bigfoot.
As for Chapter 5 – we’ll trust Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to finish that one Saturday.
Congratulations to last week’s staff picks winner. This week’s receives former UCF Head Coach George O’Leary’s rumored new book, “The Best Coaching Job of My Life: My Five Days At Notre Dame.”
This week’s picks:
Chris Balas: Lost in all the hullabaloo about the Carol Frost letter, etc., is that she’s really an impressive and accomplished woman, still competing internationally at age 70. In all sincerity, she has this man’s respect (and many moms might have reacted the same way).
Mrs. Frost, let’s do lunch the next time you’re in town ... cbalas@comcast.net.
Michigan 48, UCF 10
John Borton: We’re still working to verify the rumor that UCF coach Scott Frost has requested extra time (and television coverage) for the coin flip prior to Saturday’s game. He’s hoping to plead his case that the Knights, by reason of last week’s stirring 38-0 shutout over South Carolina State, are infinitely better than Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines, who surrendered three points to Hawaii in a 63-3 opener.
Frost will reportedly argue that on the basis of UCF’s vastly superior defense, any actual play on the field would constitute a waste of time. UCF should be granted the win, along with the check, and maybe a national title, given his team’s unscored-upon status.
If game officials don’t play ball, Frost may announce his impending retirement, to curry a little more favor. Phil Fulmer approves this message. Michigan 51, UCF 6
Brandon Brown: Michigan’s defense proved its the real deal against Hawai’i and they’ll do it again against Central Florida. Michigan 56, UCF 7
Doug Skene: Michigan throws its first shutout and rolls against another inferior opponent. Michigan 49, UCF 0
