But just consider that only Florida International Toledo SMU Rice and North Texas were worse than NU in

But, just consider that only Florida International, Toledo, SMU, Rice and North Texas were worse than NU in terms of scoring defense That?s it, five teams That?s the list. Evolving ExpectationsSo, it?s pretty clear that giving up that many points isn?t going to get it done. So, what is? Consider the correlation between the scoring defense stats and the final AP top 25 for 2007. Of the 28 teams that surrendered 21 or fewer points per game last year, more than half (15) finished ranked in the final top 25, with many of the rest of that group at least receiving votes in the poll. Ten of the 15 teams with best scoring defenses finished ranked in the top 25.

And, of the 25 teams ranked in the final AP poll, only three gave up an average of more than 24 points per game ?Texas (24.6), Texas Tech (25.8), and Tennessee (28.1). One quick side note if I may...Reviewing the defense stats sort or drove home for me how high-octane Big 12 offenses have become. Consider how highly rated Texas Tech, Texas, and Missouri all were at the end of last season despite none of them being in the top 40 in scoring defense They all relied on offense. But ? counterpoint ? Big 12 Champion Oklahoma only gave up 18 per game last year. And, Kansas finished 12-1 backed by a unit that only gave up 16 points on average. Okay, end of aside?So, what really are the expectations for the Huskers and for Coach Pelini in 2008? If fans expect the Huskers to win 8, 9, or 10 games then they?ll need to be in at least the top 50 in scoring defense, and that means giving up 14 fewer points per game, to 24 per contest. To finish ranked in the top 25, they may need to improve by about 17 points per game, or an average of 21.

At this point I would almost settle for a number under 30 or for Nebraska just to appear on the first page of printed results.It makes me wonder if we have started to believe that Pelini is some kind of miracle worker. Giving up two or even three scores less per game with essentially the same personnel that ranked with the defensive dregs in 2007 is a tall order. If they pull that off, Pelini and staff would be considered a masterful hire at NU, almost regardless of record. Or it might just be another indictment of the previous regime. Though, as mentioned earlier, three of NU?s Big 12 brethren achieved national rankings in 2007 while giving up nearly four touchdowns per game.

So, the next time you find yourself in a conversation about team expectation with somebody, try dropping in ?giving up 14 to 17 fewer points per game should do it.? If they react to you with a blank stare, then you can say 8 wins.. NTRglobal Announces Successful Completion of MSPAlliance Green ITCertification and Vendor AccreditationNTRglobal joins vendor-neutral program for benchmarking service-enabling andgreen technology vendors worldwideDALLAS and BARCELONA, Spain, April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- NTRglobal todayannounced that it has received accreditation under the MSPAlliance's (MSPA)Vendor Accreditation Program (VAP) as well as their Green IT Certificationprogram. MSPAlliance's VAP and Green IT Certifications are the first programsof their kind, specifically designed by managed service providers (MSPs) as abenchmark for vendors who sell to the MSP community.(Logo: http://)Vendors who bear the VAP seal have shown they abide by the highest principlesof quality in areas such as financial stability, positive channel practices,product research and development, and MSP customer satisfaction."The Vendor Accreditation Program is important to MSPs, since companies thatreceive accreditation have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to thechannel," said Charles Weaver, president of the MSPAlliance. "We are veryproud to have NTRglobal as a part of this prestigious body of vendors."VAP was created using a wide base of criteria considered as critical by MSPswhen selecting a vendor. NTRglobal secure Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) combinesaward-winning functionality, proven integration, including Salesforce andother major CRM systems, point-and-click administration and scalability,global capabilities, customization and robust reporting for 360-degreevisibility and compliance management. Offering a superior customer experiencewith dedicated regional and global support, NTRglobal applications are offeredin 17 languages, including those with double-byte characters. All NTRglobalapplications are hosted from multiple data centers in each of the regions withfail-over capabilities to ensure robust performance and reliability.For more information about NTRglobal, visit MSPAllianceThe MSPAlliance is a professional association of 8,000 managed serviceproviders and service-enabling technology vendors, who work in a collaborativeeffort to define, promote and educate the Managed Services Industry and theend-user consumer on the adoption and successful use of technology throughManaged Services.

MSPAlliance member companies' are able to achieve Green ITCertifications, Disaster Recovery Certifications, and ultimately achieveMSPAlliance Accredited Provider Status. The MSPAlliance also offers manymember benefits, such as Insurance, leasing programs, educational workshopsand an online Managed Services Institute. For more information about theMSPAlliance please visit SOURCENTRglobalCelia Weaver, Co-Founder of MSPAlliance, +1-530-891-1340,; or press inquiries, Mostafa Razzak, +1-212-786-6036,, for MSPAlliance; or Heidi Wieland, NTRglobalDirector of Analyst and Public Relations, +1-805-687-4677,. Boston Red Sox podcast for MVN Radio Episode 14 where we talk to Frank more about the Rays than the Yankees, and how it looked like the Red Sox would avoid the sweep.Episode No. 14 Hosts: Paul Testa, Tim Daloisio Guests: Frank Santorelli, Yankee Aficionado (aka Cranky Franky the Yankee)“You would have to say it's the low point of the season right now for the Red Sox,” Don Orsillo said July 2 following the Rays completion of the sweep in Tampa.The Rays are more than for real, and instead of previewing the Sox-Yankees four game set over the Fourth of July weekend, Tim, Paul, and Frank talk a lot about Tampa.I can’t lie; the tenor of the show was much more upbeat when it looked like the Red Sox would salvage the last game of the series.All that and more on Episode No. 14 of Fireside Chats at MVN!A few odds and ends:Call in a voice mail to be played on the air…just dial 360-450-MVN3 and mention that this is in response to Fireside Chats!Become a Fireside Chats fan on Facebook.Listen, subscribe to us on iTunes, review the show, tell your friends, spread the word. (This will launch iTunes)Own a Zune or anything else that doesn’t start with “i”? The raw RSS feed can be accessed here if you want to subscribe via any other feed reader or podcast player.Email any questions/comments to be read on the air to nks for listening! This article is also featured on Fire Brand of the American League.