Steve Sipple Interview: Part Two

Part Two of the Steve Sipple interview:

Relationship with Callahan: 

Steve is a brave man for admitting that he advocated, prior to the 2007 season, an extension for Bill Callahan. He describes Callahan as ‘very professional’ in his media dealings and Steve says he always had a good rapport with Callahan, that is, until he called for his resignation.

After that, he described his relationship with Callahan as ‘chilly’.

Does Callahan Get Credit for the Offensive Success?: 

Steve is impressed with Callahan’s offensive acumen, but points out that at the end of the day, it’s all about W’s and L’s. He also points out that Callahan’s offense struggled last season so it’s dangerous to ‘oversell’ Callahan’s offensive mind as a factor to the 2008 Huskers success.

The Day the Music Died: 

Sip said the 2007 Oklahoma State game was ‘the day the music died.’ Not only did the Huskers have one of their worst performances ever, Steve covered the game with a headache that was unrelated to the game.

Nebraska-Florida:  Steve covered the 1996 Fiesta Bowl for the Journal Star and in the days leading up to the game, Sip was struck with how small the Florida D-Line and Linebackers were; the pure physical advantage the Huskers held over the Florida players was staggering, and he could foresee trouble coming for the Gators. He also likened Lawrence Phillips physical appearance to a ‘horse.’

Highlights of Career:

Besides the championship teams, the 2001 Oklahoma game was an all-time highlight. He really thought Frank Solich had turned the corner with the program after that game. He also remembers how strong the 1999 team finished.

Turmoil: 

The Frank Solich firing and the ensuing Callahan regime gave him a sober outlook and some perspective. He now appreciates how good the 90’s Nebraska teams were and says ‘I don’t think we will take it for granted when success comes around again.’

Another low point was the 2007 USC game. Steve says from a confidence standpoint and a physical standpoint, the Huskers never recovered from that game, although we didn’t know it at the time.

Personal: 

Steve started off at the Journal Star as a copy editor in 1991. He covered everything from bowling to volleyball to high school sports before settling on the Huskers beat in 1995 (not a bad year to start).

A native of Columbus, NE, he knew he wanted to write since the first grade.

For Part One, click here