Celebrate like it's over, but this is just the beginning

It was an exhausting day in Husker Nation. I spent much of it like a small-town sophomore girl waiting for a prom date--because that's how we roll in the little towns--sitting by the phone (Internet) relentlessly checking for messages (updates) confirming or denying the rampant rumors that were out there.

In the end Buddy Ryan wasn't named head coach, house was not cleaned entirely and no former players or coaches are in the mix (for now). But Steve Pederson was fired and that's something.

Mr. Perlman was predictably ambiguous in his comments about the move and there's some sentiment out there that Pederson may have been the most readily available sacrificial lamb, but you can't deny the fact that the majority of Cornhusker fans have something today that seemed almost inconceivable after Saturday's massacre at Memorial: renewed hope.

So Dan Cook is pissed. That's fine, I've been looking in to the practice facility naming rights game for a while now and maybe that will become a reality. If he's willing to go out with Pederson then so be it.

It stands to reason that Callahan's days are numbered as well. I'm not quite ready to comment on the notion of Doc Tom as interim AD or any of the prospective head coaching candidates that have been floated out there, but at least there will be some excitement come Saturday.

Somehow, Nebraska is still a two-point favorite over A&M.