6B
Tuesday, April 23, 1996
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Berringer honored by hometown
Nebraska quarterback honored by teammates and hometown friends
The Associated Press
GOODLAND — Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne eulogized former Cornhuskers quarterback Brook Berringer yesterday as a man who made a difference in the short time he had on earth.
"I can honestly say that there was nobody I coached that had better character than Brook Berringer," Osborne said at a double funeral held in Berringer's hometown. Tobey Lake, the brother of Berringer's girlfriend, also was honored at the funeral.
About 4,000 people attended the funeral, which was delayed about 45 minutes by the late arrival of a bus from Lincoln, Neb., that carried Berringer's former teammates and coaches.
"I love you, Brook. I will miss you. For the time we will meet again, save a place for me by that tree," said Huskers quarterback coach Turner Gill, who broke down in tears after a talk addressed to Berringer.
Berringer and Tobey Lake were killed in a plane crash last week near Lincoln, Neb.
Two caskets on wheels were set up in the high school field house where Berringer played basketball as a student. On one casket was a Nebraska football helmet, on the other a heaping of red roses.
Inside the field house, the numbers 18 and 99 registered on the scoreboard. Eighteen was Berringer's number at Nebraska, and 99 was Lake's number as a high-school football player at Goodland.
Two large-screen televisions were set up to replay highlights in the lives of Berringer and Lake.
Around town, many people were wearing red-and-white ribbons, the Nebraska colors, and ribbons were tied to street signs. The schools were closed, and many business
Tom Osborn
Nebraska football coach
"I can honestly say that there was nobody I coached that had better character than Brook Berringer."
offices were closed.
In Washington, Sen. Bob Dole called it a very sad day in the community of Goodland. "Countless Kansans and Nebraskans have testified to the fact that Brook was a champion in all aspects of his life," he said.
About 40 players, coaches and others made the trek to Goodland, including Art Lindsay, 62, of Lincoln.
Lindsay often attended the Grace Community Church with Berringer, had a ready smile as he boarded the bus with the players.
"This is a great day of celebration, because Brook is home," Lindsay said. "I'm just so absolutely proud of him; and I wouldn't wish him back in this worldly mess for anything."
Lindsay, a former pastor and missionary who had spent the past few days preparing remarks for delivery at the funeral, said he had known Berringer for three years.
"We got together at least once a week for a meal, for Bible study, for something," Lindsay said. "We had come together in our relationship with Christ."
Lindsay said Berringer was the executor of his estate because it seemed like Berringer would outlive him.
"We were working together on a book about his life," Lindsay said. "I still want to finish the book, and I know he will be working with me on it."
Organizers expected a full house, said
Marty Melia, a friend of the family and owner of radio stations KLOE and KKCI.
Brook Berringer
A reserve quarterback who helped Nebraska win the 1994 and 1995 national championships, Berringer, 22, also loved to hunt, fly airplanes and spend time with school children and other fans of Nebraska football.
Berringer was piloting the airplane that crashed in an alfalfa field north of Lincoln. The accident occurred just two days before the NFL draft, and Berringer had expected to be among those chosen.
Lake, of Aurora, Colo., was the brother of Berringer's girlfriend, Tiffin Lake. The 32-year-old licensed pilot managed an interior finishing business in Denver.
Berringer spent most of his career backing up star quarterback Tommie Frazier. But he stepped into a starting role in 1994 when Frazier was injured, and led Nebraska to seven straight victories, despite suffering from a partially collapsed lung.
Berringer's father died when Berringer was 7 years old. Others in his family include his mother, Jan, and two sisters, Nicoel Nasseri of Kansas City and Drue Berringer, a junior at Kansas State University.
Strong, dependable and intelligent,
Berringer was expected to be drafted somewhere in the middle rounds. He might have been taken by Kansas City.
"Our offensive coordinator Paul Hackett went up and had lunch with him and visited with him, and we felt very comfortable that he would be an outstanding developmental quarterback," said Lynn Stiles, Chiefs' vice president of player personnel. "The only thing I can say is my heart goes out to all the fans of Nebraska. He was a quality, quality person.
Nothing but Nets? Not for Butch Beard
"Without a doubt, he would have been considered by the Chiefs."
New Jersey coach fired after 2 years of disappointment
The Associated Press
General manager Willis Reed confirmed the firing yesterday afternoon.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Butch Beard was fired yesterday as coach of the New Jersey Nets, just two days after the team finished its second straight dismal 30-win season.
The outspoken Beard almost guaranteed his dismissal two weekends ago when he had criticized his bosses and had called his team a bunch of second-line players who might never get better.
Nets president Michael Rowe had said on April 15 that the comments didn't bode well for Beard's future; the new executive fired his coach after a meeting yesterday morning.
Reed said the decision to fire Beard was his alone.
In a brief conference call, Beard said he was extremely happy for the opportunity that the Nets gave him.
Beard then thanked the team for playing hard and his coaches for working hard.
"I'm sorry it didn't work out the way we wanted it to," he said.
"Comments the last couple of weeks that the players were second line, that they didn't know how to win and some private comments the coach made that some people would not get better, were unacceptable," the source said. "We felt a change was necessary."
A source close to the team owners said that Beard had a three-year contact, the final year being an option year at the team's discretion. In letting Beard go, the team chose not to pick up the option.
Beard is owed no money, the source said.
But Reed said he didn't think the comments were a big factor in his decision to fire Beard.
"I wish the New Jersey Nets a lot of luck with whoever they get in here," Beard said. "I will move on, and they will move on."
"I thought Butch had taken the players as far as he could," Reed said.
The source said that the team hoped to hire a replacement in less than a month, but Reed said there was no timetable.
"I want the best coach possible; whether that's an NBA coach or a great college coach, I can't say at this time," Reed said.
Reed commented on speculation that the Nets want Kentucky coach Rick Pitino to head the team.
"I think we'll try to talk to all of the people I feel are great coaches, and
Daly, who won 43 and 45 games and made the playoffs each year, left in part because he was having trouble dealing with Coleman and other players.
Beard also had problems dealing with Coleman, and the atmosphere around the team became more onerous after Anderson turned down a $40-million contract offer earlier this season.
A former Nets assistant, Beard got the New Jersey job when Chuck Daly resigned after two seasons as coach.
Faced with a troublesome Coleman and the threat of Anderson leaving via free agency, the Nets traded both players in separate multi-player deals with Philadelphia and Charlotte, respectively.
that won't be limited to Pitino," Reed said. "I just read a story where he said he wanted to stay at Kentucky and win another NCAA title."
The Nets had a 30-52 record in each of Beard's two seasons, missing the playoffs each year. New Jersey, which traded troublesome All-Stars Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson in the first half of this season, lost 23 of its final 30 games.
Rowe said Beard called for the trades.
The deals brought Shawn Bradley, Kendall Gill and others to New Jersey; they also left the Nets with a hard-working but less-talented team that faded down the stretch.
"I told you a long time ago that I think we've done a hell of a job," Beard said Saturday night after the Nets closed the season with a loss to Atlanta.
"I'm proud of the players because they gave us everything they had until they ran out of steam physically and mentally," he added. "What went on last year and what went on this year is like a 360-degree turn."
Beard worked his players hard in practice, and it seemed to pay off. Armon Gilliam, Chris Childs and Jayson Williams all had career years.
However, the team also had its share of injuries with shooting guards Kevin Edwards and Gill each missing almost half the season.
"Butch is paying an unfair price, and we have injuries to thank for it." Williams said this past weekend. "If Kevin and Kendall are healthy, we make the playoffs. It's that simple. When you don't have any shooters in basketball, you can't win."
Beard started his coaching career as an assistant with the New York Knicks. After a stint as a television analyst, he became an assistant in New Jersey for two years before getting his first head coaching job at Howard University in 1990. He led the school to an NCAA tournament appearance in 1991-92.
The 1996 Jayhawker yearbooks are here!
Wescoe Beach:
April 22 - May 6
9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
If pre-ordered, present KUID To purchase, bring cash/check for $30 made payable to: Jayhawker yearbook
1994 and 1995 yearbooks also available
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