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A BLAST OF A BENEFIT
Boardman native Bo Pelini gives lift to Boardman Community Baseball for the Caraballo family.
a blast of a benefit
BOARDMAN — Once summer camp for the University of Nebraska football team’s 2008 season opens in the next month, new coach Mark “Bo” Pelini can bring in only 105 candidates.
By the time school starts, however, he’ll have a group in the 140-150 range.
Those numbers might be low compared to the slices of pizza sold by Tony Provenzale Concessions at Field of Dreams Tuesday evening during a home run derby to benefit the Caraballo family.
The pizza-to-player ratio might not be the most accurate method to determine the bank deposit amount earmarked for the cause, but the Pelini-to-Provenzale link was clearly a huge indicator of the Boardman Community Baseball event’s success.
Pelini appeared for a brief talk to young participants of the derby, which was staged on behalf of Elvis and Jill Caraballo, who have been stricken by cancer.
The Caraballos have five children in the BCB and Elvis is a board member. Pelini, who was defensive coordinator of national champion LSU last season, was hired in December to take over Nebraska’s program.
“Some things needed fixed, otherwise they wouldn’t have made a change,” Pelini said of his hiring. “It’s not in horrible shape; there are some players there, but time will tell.”
He didn’t downplay Nebraska’s likelihood for success this season, but there is work ahead for the Boardman native and his staff, which includes his older brother, Carl.
“We’re just trying to work through what we have and what we don’t have. We’re going to take the guys we have and make them the best we possibly can. I think if the kids just focus on the right things and stay committed, we’ll be able to compete with anybody on our schedule.”
The 40-year-old Pelini, a 1986 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High, was asked to describe his biggest challenge.
“Teaching the guys to believe in themselves again and believing in their teammates and getting them to understand that they can achieve what they want, if they just put in the work and have the right type of discipline and commitment.”
Pelini is a popular guy in Lincoln, Neb., and beyond, but there’s a caveat to that.
“They love you when you’re undefeated. You can’t get too concerned whether people say good things or bad things. You’ve just got to believe in what you’re doing and believe in the process you have and what you’re trying to get accomplished and, eventually, you know that what you’re doing will equate to wins.”
Pelini, who has been in college coaching since 1994, reached a career highlight with LSU against Ohio State in the BCS championship game in January.
“It was a good experience there. We accomplished what we could and it was time to make that next step and coach [Tom] Osborne gave me that opportunity. I felt I was in position to wait for the right one and that ended up being the right one.”
After LSU’s 38-24 victory over the Buckeyes, Pelini said he congratulated Jim Tressel.
“He had a hell of a season and he’s doing a great job. They ought to be thrilled what they’ve accomplished. He’s been there seven years and has been in three national championship games. I don’t think there’s any other school in the country that can claim that. He’s obviously doing a lot of great things and they ought to be proud.”
Although the outcome of that BCS national title game put the superiority tag on the South, Pelini hasn’t changed his view of the strength of football in his home state.
“Ohio’s football can stand against anybody’s, I know that. The coaching and the athletes got a lot going for them.”
In 1985, during his senior year of high school, Mooney lost in the state championship game to Galion. The Cardinals won state crowns in 1982 — Pelini’s freshman year — and in 1987, two years after his final season.
Carl Pelini played on the 1982 team.
bassetti@vindy.com