More Fun

More Fun from Shockerland this time from a reporter I've had on the show. 

Again, the numbers will speak for themselves once Dana is done at CU in say - 10 years.  He will pass everyone for the most wins all time in MVC history and the most wins total by a Valley coach.  I also expect success in the NCAA's to quiet down those knocks as well.  

We can agree to disagree but as long as Dana doesn't leave CU - I believe I will be proven correct.

Shocker Fans Trying To Defend Their Coach

On today's show, I played the audio of Gregg "Double G" Marshall's post game radio comments about Dana Altman running a "lob play" with :50 to play last night.  Well, looks like our friends in Shocker Land have determined that I don't know what I'm talking about :).  See for yourself

Well, at least they spelled my name right.  

Just so we are all straight on my statements today that have caused some people to take shots at me now.  1. I said I believe Dana will end up being the greatest coach in MVC history after he is done with his time at CU...which I believe will be in around 10 years.  I know Coach Iba, Coach Allen and others were in this league but it's harder now and Dana has built an amazing program here in Omaha with record success. Did those guys ever get 18k for a home game? Does any Valley school even get close to CU's attendance numbers? Nope and Dana's program is why the Qwest Center amazes people.  A school of less than 8k, in a Mid-Major Conference - pulling Top 15 attendance numbers is amazing. 2. I said "When you're a Jackass" to describe the behavior of Double G last night...is that the same thing as saying he IS a Jackass...I don't know.  Doesn't really matter to be honest, people will hear what they want to hear but just want it accurate as to what I really said exactly. 

Look - Gregg Marshall is not liked in the MVC. Period.  I've spoken with numerous people who work with and around the Valley and it's a badly kept secret that he doesn't have any friends with the power people in St. Louis.  I don't know if WSU cares if their coach is liked or not but Marshall is quickly becoming the most hated man in the league.  I will say it again : He's not at Winthrop anymore - he's in the Valley and this is a bigger stage.  He can't behave this way and not lose the little bit of respect people had for him after year 1.

This latest episode just begins year 2 for him.  I just wonder if he plans on getting thrown out of the MVC tourney again this year?

Mr. Marshall - Holding up how much class he has

Christmas At Matt's House

So, I thought I'd share a few pictures from Christmas at my house since I brought up the topic of the Magical UGGS for my 9 year old sister - Maggie on the show last week.  Photo proof.  I hope you had an awesome Christmas!!

  

Let's Fill Up The Qwest

Ok Bluejay fans.  It's MVC time and wouldn't you know it....our old friend Double G Gregg Marshall is coming back to town with the Shockers.  The last time I saw Gregg coach a game - he was being escorted out of the Scott Trade Center after being the first coach in forever to be ejected from a Valley Tournament game.  Tomorrow night should be interesting but it's post Christmas - pre New Year's....you gotta show up Sunday night!  This is a big game!  The Jays have won 7 straight and are coming back after their winning trip to Vegas.  The race for the Valley begins tomorrow night.

Somethings to keep in mind in terms of Jays vs. Wichita: 5 of the last 6 meetings have been decided in the final seconds. 22 of Dana's 29 meetings with the Shockers have been decided by 12 points or less.  You have to go back to the 92-93 season find a Regular Season champ that lost their conference opener and went on to win the league!  And finally - WSU is PLUS 7.7! on the boards!!  We know the Jays aren't built to rebound this year.  

So what does this all mean...it means that a full house is needed!  Call your buddies, your relatives, co-workers and get them out to the game.  The Jays have normally gone up for crowd size once MVC play begins.  Last year it was up 10% from the non-con season!  Jays are averaging 15,844 fans per game as of right now on the year....adding 10% again would be awesome!  That would be 17,430 or so in the building for every Valley game for the rest of year!!  Make it happen Bluejay fans.  

Bottom line - let's all get out and appreciate what the team is becoming.  2009 could be a special year if the guys continue to develop together.  I'll see you at Farrell's for the Pre/Post game shows beginning at 5:30 pm.  

Merry Christmas Bluejay Fans

Ok, I can't write much - it's 2 am and I just got home from Omaha to Boston.  I'm 8 hours late due to missed flights and such.  I'm exhausted and bummed out that I missed the Jays win over Depaul.  Big win.  Jays are now 1-1 vs. the BCS.  Now that 1 L really hurts because ole Slingblade's club got beat by Maryland Baltimore County.  Yup Yup. 

UMBC...ya know - the team that lost to Morgan St and Townson this year.  Oh, this game was at HOME!  Jays RPI up to 61.  UNL 102 and climbing fast.  I've said the over/under on Big 12 wins for NU is 5...I'll stick to it.

Congrats to Booker for really becoming the go-to guy for CU and picking up the MVP award in Vegas.  Nice tournament win for CU to end the non-conference and look who's next up!  Good Old Double G himself and Shocker Nation.  See you Sunday!! 

New Computer, New Thoughts

So, I made the switch to Mac today.  After a few months of thoughts and research, I decided that I should go the way of most Gen. Xers these days and become part of the cult.  It is a cult - Mac People...they will never say a bad word about their beloved Macs...but as of 2 hours ago - I joined them.  I have to say - these things do rock! :).  Now I gotta learn Garage Band for my audio stuff but everyone tells me that this blog will be better now that I can do cool stuff with my new Mac.  We will have to see.  

I've been Xmas shopping non-stop for 3 days but I have to update you on the great news about my sister's gift.  If you remember the show from Friday - I told how I have been on a mission for a pair of size 3- kids - Classic Tall Chestnut Uggs.  My mother and I looked all over Boston and Omaha but found nothing.  Then we sifted through the web in search of the mystical boots.  Nada.  Nothing until I went on the air and begged for help.  Well, long story short - a listener put me in touch with shop in Iowa who then put in me in touch with their shop in Kansas who then put me in touch with their store in Warrensburg, Missouri and BANG!  We got the UGGS!  RIDICULOUS!  But Maggie will be very happy on Christmas morning I'm sure.  Thanks to everyone at Brown's Shoe Fit in 3 states for their help!

Thanks to all who emailed to help...it was a search that had a happy ending.  

In closing, I'm off until next Sunday for the Jays vs. Shocker game at the Qwest.  Off the Big Show until Monday, Dec. 29th.  Have an AWESOME Christmas and look forward to talking a lot of football for the Huskers next week.  

Nebraska Shows the Nation Again

There are some really awesome things about Omaha and the state of the Nebraska. My mother and sister couldn't get over how nice everyone was and loved the city's design and the Old Market's quaint shops and buildings. However, sports is how a lot of cities are identified. Tonight, Omaha set another record for attendance. I'm really proud to say I live in Omaha once again.

Creighton is ranked in the Top 15 in the country for attendance. Nebraska football has sold every home game since forever and has the record for the most consecutive sellouts in NCAA history. No other city in the country could put 20,000+ a game into a baseball stadium for the College World Series. The largest crowd ever to witness a USA Swim meet was in Omaha. The NCAA tournament was one of the quickest to sell out in 2008. And now again, a record for attendance for a volleyball match in US history was inside Qwest Center Omaha watching Nebraska play Penn St.

So let's recap what has happened inside the Qwest Center for attendance: Home to a Top 15 basketball team. Held the largest crowd ever to see a swim meet in the United States. And now, another record for the largest attended volleyball match in US history.

It's 2-1 Penn St. as I write this...win or lose....I'm so proud of Omaha and the state of Nebraska. I don't care if Indy tries to claim the label as the amateur capital....Indy couldn't do what we do when it comes to supporting sports. Omaha is home to best fans in college athletics.

EDIT: Penn St. survives 15-11 in Game 5. 17,400+ were in witness to a tremendous effort. Nice job Ladies....you made Husker fans proud.

Auburn Fans Loved Turner

Sorry if you've already seen this but this is the video of Jay Jacobs- Auburn AD coming back from seeing Chizik. I've got a lot to say but this is great! Jacobs is a idiot in my book for passing on Gill for Gene:




Could you ever see NU fans doing this? :) I agree with LSU fans today. :30 sec mark for chanting to begin:

Shoulder Doing OK After Friday

Well, that's what Dr. Kirk Hutton of OrthoWest did to me on Friday morning. I had my labrium repaired in my left shoulder and so far so good. Doc was awesome. Yet, typing is not easy so I wanted to say that this blog might be a little light in the writing department in the coming weeks.

I wanted to thank first and foremost my mother and sister for coming to Omaha and putting up with my drugged up ass for the past 3 days. 2nd - I want to thank everyone at The Nebraska Orthopedic Hospital including Dr. Hutton who did an outstanding job and took great care of me.

Now, it's time to go back to work with Becky, my great Physical Therapist from Excel Physical Therapy in order to be able to play golf this spring. Thanks to everyone who emailed me about my surgery and for all the great support my friends here in Omaha have shown during this process. I will be back on the pre/post game show for CU tomorrow and back fully on Wednesday for the Big Show.

To quote my mom "Matt, you are very lucky to have these wonderful people who care about you here in Omaha". I agree completely.

Jays Whoop Dayton 77-59

Just what the doctor ordered tonight Creighton. A team that was undefeated and nearly ranked came into the Qwest Center tonight and got their ass handed to them by a fired up Bluejay squad that did all the little things. Sure, you can look at Booker Woodfox's 4 for 5 from behind the arc in the first half or Kaleb Korver's 4 for 5 from 3 for the game but with all the shooting (Jays again hit 13 3's), it was the work on the glass that was the difference. The Jays out boarded UD by 11 and capitalized on their 2nd chance opportunities. It was all hustle. All heart. Just wanting more than the other guy basketball.

It was never closer than 12 points after halftime but it didn't feel like that big of a lead. Dayton just pressured the Jays just enough to make them push hard throughout the 2nd half. It was the first 40 minute game for CU on the year and a win over the best team they have played so far. UD defense was SIU-like but the Jays handled it well.

Yes, they did have 17 turnovers and Dana Altman will be upset about that but in terms of toughness and energy - tonight was the best game by far for this young team.

The line was Jays -6. It ended up being 18. Really surprising but really good to see. The team is gelling, buying in and turning a corner. You might be able to look back on this win as the start of something really fun for 2008-09 Bluejays.

Nice First Show in Omaha for Hollywood Undead

So here is my take on Hollywood Undead's first show in Omaha who played Sokol tonight to a sold out crowd. The band out of Cali played everything you want to hear...the problem - they don't have enough stuff yet to put on a killer show.

Their debut album "Swan Song" has exploded amongst rock/rap fans to the point where they are selling out shows in just hours (Omaha was supposedly just a few hours after they booked Sokol Underground full in just 2 hours - causing 89.7 The River to book them for an upstairs holiday show). They simply don't have enough material to fill a full set.

Hollywood Undead played for around 70 minutes....plenty long for $13 admission charge but shorter than what you would like to see out of band that has formed a nice following. In fact, after listening to their 15 song album this morning, I think they played the entire thing. (That would be a first for my concert experience) I'm not a huge fan of bands who open with their number 1 hit but I get why they do it as they opened with "Undead". Jays fans will recognize the song as their tip off music this year. The album opens up with "Undead" - why not their shows. It sets a pace for the evening and gets everyone in the right mood.

I was very impressed with their sound quality and their seamless transitions from mic to mic. The pits were some of the most violent I've seen in Omaha - Don't worry, I learned my lesson at Dropkick Murphy's and stayed away from them. Surgery on Friday has caused me to be a watcher, not a participant. Sometimes, it can be confusing for a audience with 6 guys on mics but that didn't happen tonight. Hollywood Undead has done their homework - they know how to put on a show and get fans into their act.

If you were at the show and want more....here's a video of them opening up in Bakersfield. Hopefully next time they hit Omaha, they will play for longer but a nice introduction on Tour 1 for the band. It was fun - careful, some adult lyrics on this one:

Wanna Know Why I Moved?

Cause of guys like this!! This is a freakin' riot. FYI - Strong Language but too good not to post this...I knew guys like this for real in ole AL

Wait for it...wait for it - he talks after a few seconds :)

Maybe One Too Many Guitar Hero games? :)

Get after it little guy! :)

Congrats to Turner!

Man, what a win by Buffalo. 5 turnovers forced - 2 returned for touchdowns. 42-24 over No. 12 Ball St! I'm here to admit it - I was wrong to say that Turner wasn't ready for the Nebraska job because after watching that team win the MAC - I think he's ready for Auburn. I didn't believe that until watching the game on Friday night but if you missed his postgame speech....here it is. ALL CLASS - that's what Turner Gill is:

Good Win For CU, Not So Much for NU

The Jays' Booker Woodfox shot lights out on the road vs. St. Joseph's on Saturday. The Huskers couldn't hit the broad side of a barn on the road vs. Arizona St. on Sunday. Jays win. Huskers lose.

First let's talk about the Jays. Booker Woodfox is really all you need to mention after this game. He was ridiculous. Career high 29 points thanks to 7 of 9 from 3! The Jays did not shoot well as a team but they did hit 13 3's (Korver hit 3 of 4). Rebounding wise, CU beat the Hawks glass 37-31 and had a lead as big as 21 points in the 2nd half. Yet, it was the same ole Bluejay team when it came to having the lead in ball games as SJU got the lead down to as low as 8. But unlike Little Rock and Nebraska, Creighton was able to get the big rebounds and hit enough free throws to claim the 69-58 win.

Joe Lundardi - Mr. Bracketology- is the color guy for St. Joe's and called the Jays a tournament team on their broadcast. We'll have to see about that but it's good to get East Coast eyes on the Jays when they play well. Next up is RED HOT Dayton who is undefeated on the year on Wednesday at Qwest Center Omaha. HUGE game for CU and a game they really, really need to win. Should be a ball and CU needs a big crowd so get out! We'll have tickets to giveaway on Monday and Tuesday on the Big Show.

As far as NU goes, I didn't see the game as I had things to do today but by the numbers, it wasn't pretty. The Huskers shot 29% for the game against No. 19 Arizona St. They did hit 8 3's but they killed on the boards 37-25. When you hit only 5 2 point field goals and give up 50% shooting in the 2nd half to a nationally ranked team on the road - the result is a 20 point loss.

NU only had 1 player in double figures and it took Steve Harley 11 shots to get 11 points. The team only had 18 points at half time (30-18 at the break). Scoring and hitting shots is again a major issue for the Huskers. They don't have enough offensive fire power to beat good teams on the road. Their defense looked to be ok in the 1st half but not good in the 2nd. The rest of the non-con is a joke - cupcake city - so the Huskers can lick their wounds until Big 12 play starts.

Couple Things to make You Laugh

Email of the Weekend. Enjoy :)

Why adults love Halloween:

Wrong -but kinda funny :)

And My Favorite:

Happy Sunday :)

Jan. 20 will be here soon!

Something to watch and enjoy on a very tough day for people in Omaha



Check this out too...Teddy Bear Toss for the AGES in Calgary! :)

In Case You Missed It

One word: wow!



And....Erin Who? Meet Charlotte Jackson of the UK




Yet, I don't see Erin ever doing this:

Picture:

A Little Better for CU - Bad News for Omaha

Well, it SUCKS that the Swim Trials won't come back to Omaha. The Swim Trials were an awesome event and the fact that Micheal Phelps was just named the SI Sportsman of Year coupled with the fact he will be back for London makes the news just sad. I wish they would just change the dates around a few days to make it work but it looks like USA swimming won't budge.

2nd - be on the look out for a 2 pm press conference tomorrow as the Omaha Royals have agreed in principle to move to Sarpy County and stay in the Metro. Allan Stein will be on the Big Show tomorrow to talk about the agreement in principle to build a new stadium for the O Royals.

Finally, the Jays beat Miss. Valley St. tonight at Qwest Center 82-58. The story wasn't the play of the team because it wasn't all that pretty. The play of P'Allen Stinnet was huge however. 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 TURNOVERS! He played great D all night and didn't say a word to anyone all night especially after a few impressive drives to the basket. He looked like a whipped puppy who understood that he needed to get out of the doghouse by busting his tail all game. Well, I think he did that tonight. Next up - AT St. Joe's. TOUGH place to play in Philly....should be a really fun game. Remember no TV - Only on Big Sports 590.

Just To Be Clear...

As normal, a lot of Husker fans have read this blog and are making arguments against what I have written about the CU vs. NU game. To be fair, that's the point of arguing and it's why I love my job. However, some people are saying that I'm being wishy-washy on some things which bothers me. So, I'll state some things again:

1. The Devaney Center, when full, is a tough place to play. Too bad that's it's only full for Creighton and Kansas. Thus, Husker fans don't really like basketball. They like to root against teams that come into their building. They appear to get more satisfaction out of seeing the opponent lose then to see their own team win. Again, the crowd was loudest in the 1st half for the football team and attendance is weak on most nights in Lincoln.

2. Playing on the road at a rival's is good for CU to develop their young players. It was good to play at Little Rock and good to play at Nebraska. They played like crap and lost by a total of 4 points. That shows the ceiling of where the team could be in February. They are 3-2 but very easily could be 5-0. They have learn to play 40 minutes before that can happen however. I never said the Devaney Center is an easy place to play when full. I simply stated the facts that the fans don't show up consistently and aren't really into basketball.

3. The Creighton-Nebraska game is great for the state and should be played twice a year. It doesn't stand for anything EXCEPT pride and unofficial title of who was better on that given day. Is Western Kentucky better than Louisville? Not over the whole year but yesterday they were. It's for bragging rights. Dana Altman understands this. Doc Sadler does too but he chooses to lie about his true feelings publicly in order to make Nebraska appear to be looking down on little Jesuit school in Omaha. It's insulting and just not true. See the half court dance he did while leading the band on Saturday night.

4. P'Allen would have made a difference for sure. After watching the game again, NU did a great job of rolling to the side that Booker Woodfox was on and getting out to put a hand in his face. Book is a pick and pop kinda guy. Rarely can he create his own shot. What P does is break down defenses. Thus, he forces teams to get out of position on D, opening up shots for Booker. Without P, Book can be shut down - which is what happened on Saturday. 2 point game - P'Allen Stinnet would have added a lot to attack in the 2nd half when CU was really struggling to find shots.

Just wanted clarify a few points. Thanks.

Breathe...Gotta Just Breathe....

An old girlfriend of mine, when I got really upset, used to yelled at me "Matthew! Breathe!" This morning, the day after the layup in Lincoln, I'm going to say the same thing to Bluejay fans. Breathe...and relax.

Basketball isn't football. 1 loss doesn't destroy the season but negativity could if you guys aren't careful. This where your fandom gets tested. I love the fact that Bluejay fans are passionate - Nebraska fans, for the most part, don't really care about their basketball team. You want to feel better - go read the message board posts about waiting in traffic! Yes, that happens when lots of people actually go to a game...first time for many of them to see a full house at the Bob thanks to Jays fans.

However, this team is 3-2. They are at a crossroads just 5 games into the season but let's look at the season as a whole right now. Game 1 - they needed a huge comeback at New Mexico in the 2nd half to win. Game 2 - bad first 10 min. vs. Pine Bluff. Game 3 - Good start, bad last 10 min of 1st half before a huge 2nd half against ORU. - All at home but all inconsistent performances. Game 4 - outrebounded, up by 16 but then outplayed in the 2nd half but still lost by on a last second layup at Little Rock. Game 5 -up by 13 on the road in Lincoln, 24 awful turnovers and yet lose on a last second layup. People - IT'S ABOUT CONSISTENCY! Once they find it - the Jays will be a good basketball team. They are showing in every game that they have been the better team but they aren't strong enough to play 40 minutes. As I said yesterday on air - they are soft in every aspect and that's why I picked them to lose to NU. It was obvious.

The Jays will play 31 games this year in the regular season. They are 5 games in! A long way to go and I believe they have the right coach to get them to 20 wins, the postseason, and a top 3 finish in the MVC.

As for the decision not the play P'Allen - it was the right thing to do to show his star and his team that no one is above the team. I just hope that P'Allen realizes that if he would have played, the result very well could have been different for CU last night. To play that poorly and lose on last second layup - from a guy that P would have been guarding all night, should break his heart. I hope this is the turning point in the season because it's defiantly a low point in the career of the sophomore star.

So in closing, I know it sucks to lose to Nebraska. Their fans don't know basketball for the most part - hell they were the loudest in the 1st half when the football team came out on the court last night - and their coach is just plain annoying with his public comments about CU. He is disrespectful, as are his players and that's why last night hurts to lose to a bunch like that. But this program isn't defined by games against NU, in winning or losing - it's defined for the years of success that has been put together by Dana Altman. Until the home team loses, the Doc vs. Dana rivalry won't really get heated anyways. It's 1-2 based on the schedule, not because NU is the better program. It will be fun in 2 years when the current freshmen and sophomores go back to Lincoln as Juniors and Seniors. I predict that will be the first time the road teams wins in the Doc vs. Dana series.

It's time to regroup as a fanbase and get behind the team. That was the 1st game for nearly EVERY Jay in Lincoln! They know what its like to play in an environment like that now and it will help in games against teams like SIU and Bradley. Everyone needs to take a step back and just breathe....big games are coming against Dayton and St. Joe's. The non-conference is not all lost because of 2 losses on the road by 4 points when the team plays like crap. You need to look at the ceiling for this team and where they could be in February.

Nebraska's Rivalry Saturday

Alabama-Auburn. South Carolina-Clemson. Virginia-Virgina Tech. Georgia-Georgia Tech. All in state battles that has the focus of all their sports fans for that day....but those are football games. The best rivalry in the state of Nebraska is not in football but rather in basketball. Creighton-Nebraska. The Jays have dominated in recent history winning 8 of last 9 regular season games. CU gets the best players in the state and have the nicest building by far with a huge number of fans filling the Qwest Center for every game (16,100 for Arkansas Pine Bluff!)

All of these rivalries have one thing in common - 1 team believes that they are the big brother to other. Alabama, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Georgia all believe they are always better than their little brothers....but in this rivalry - the big brother is the team with only 7,000 students (Sorry Ryan Anderson, see below). One team plays football and that provides a larger conference to play in.....but over the past 20 years - Creighton Basketball is the better of the 2 programs.

Huskers try to pretend that they don't messure themselves against the Bluejays - but just look at the interest level for this game compared the game vs. St. Louis on Tuesday....not even close.
This is the biggest non-conference game of the year by far. No matter what Slingblade tries to say in the media - this game matters to both sides....A LOT! Too bad that Slingblade's own player's are talking the same way as Ryan Anderson did yesterday: "I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but we're in the Big 12," Anderson said. "You know what I mean? We're in the Big 12. How much more can we prove? What more do we need to prove to people? They're Creighton. They're like the little brother to Nebraska. You know what I mean? They're in Omaha, we're in Lincoln, and we're in the Big 12. You get what I'm saying? You guys have big brothers? So you know what it's like to have a little brother. He wants to out-do you in everything. "It's not like I'm trying to make it seem like they're down to us or anything. You know, a basketball team's a basketball team. But like I said, we're in the Big 12. What more can I say". Too bad he couldn't play for Dana Altman or in front a crowd bigger than 6,000 per home game.

However, tonight at 7 pm in Lincoln - history won't help the Bluejays and Dana Altman. Coming off of a loss to Arkansas Little Rock, the Jays have will to battle a Husker team that is 4-0 on the year and have looked very good at the Devaney Center including a nice win over St. Louis last game.

Last year, the Jays blew the doors off Nebraska - payback for the upset loss the year before in Lincoln. Tonight, the Jays are 3.5 point underdogs and rightfully so. They are soft in everyway you don't want to be. Soft mentally. Soft physically. Soft period. They have been outrebounded in 3 of their 4 games. CU got dominated by Arkansas Little Rock in the 2nd half on Tuesday night godsakes. Eventhough it was just a 2 point loss - P'Allen Stinnet didn't start and then didn't show up and now, has a supposive wrist injury to deal with. There are problems everywhere with injuries to Justin Carter, chemistry with the post players, and offensive flow with guys like P'Allen.

This game to me has nothing to do with Nebraska. It comes down to the lack of consistency for the Jays and a team that is just lost right now. I wouldn't pick them to beat anyone tonight, let alone Nebraska. The Huskers will guard like SIU - in your face, physical, and hack you down. The Jays aren't tough enough to win tonight in Lincoln. The Jays have more talent but it won't matter right now....long season but the Jays will dominate at home this year and again struggle on the road. I still think the Jays have a very good chance of playing in NCAA tournament - remember it's only November. Long way to go to March.

Sorry Jays fans - I just don't see it tonight: NU 68 CU 62

Ouch

Well hello from Boston. And OUCH for the Jays last night. A 2 point loss on the road at Little Rock is not going to sit well and shouldn't for that matter. However, the bigger issue isn't the loss - it's the way the team lost.

Yes, it is a bad loss on the road but it's just one loss in the non-conference. Last year's loss to Evansville was more embarrassing in my opinion since LR is a tough little team and the Jays were at their place. Shoe in on the other foot for scheduling and it will interesting to see if Dana ever goes back there. It was a lose-lose situation....they lost lost.

The team might have overlooked them but that happens in college basketball. Hell, the LR fans rushed the floor!? The Jays aren't even close to being ranked. They were 22-11 last year and beat 2 teams on the road including Pepperdine this year. Hopefully for CU's RPI, they will go the NCAA's out of their 1 bid league. But getting outboarded by 20 and 25-9 in the 2nd half! Damn, now that is the problem - not the loss.

It won't matter much against Nebraska on Saturday because both teams lack size but the fight you must have to win on the road at places like Lincoln, Southern, Wichita, Drake etc was not shown last night. Dana in his history is only 9-6 at CU in his first true road game. This is not A-Typical for the Jays.

Saturday night- the team better bring their heart with their sneakers this time.

Email of the Day

I was surprised at Antoine Young's dunk last night as CU beat down Arkansas Pine Bluff but after watching this video....I shouldn't have been. Kid has serious ups.....

Young's dunk in HS

Email of the Day

Redneck Hiring Chart

She Had A Point

For those of you are die hard Big Sports 590 listeners - you have heard a Dan Patrick Show promo running that features model Brooklyn Decker - wife of Andy Roddick, talking about the swimsuits that SI gives her to wear. She said she was amazed at what they get away with....well - she wasn't kidding!

NSFW - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/2008_swimsuit/models/brooklyn-decker/08_brooklyn-decker_40.html

But how is that not porn! Not that I mind or anything :)

The Prez likes the Shocker!

My favorite hand signal now has presidential approval! :)

Hole In One Madness

So it's the dude from Ill. who hit 5 hole in ones in 1 week vs. James Foley, of High Point, North Carolina, who won 1 million dollars for that golf shot: Both are nuts but I like $$$ that James won :)

One EveryBody....One

"Unity - As One Stand Together!"

Did you see the way the south voted tonight? The Country is split more than it has ever been before. Welcome to the new Confederacy. It's more a red and blue country than ever before and Omaha is right SMACK in the middle of it all. Look how close District 2 was tonight.

The election is over. Barack Obama is the new president!! But it's time to stand up and realize that there are major problems with the South. He is the President of ALL the United States...not just the West and East Coasts....and he's the President for all white people, all minorities...everyone. I hope those people who felt like a black man could not be their president realize the extraordinary gift Barack Obama is to all of us.

We have to come together for the better of us all. I've lived in Alabama. I've lived in Virginia (even though that went blue tonight and was the former capital of the old confederacy). I know what is going on in those states right now and there will be anger and lots of negative emotion towards Obama from many -not all - but many. But Yes - WE - DID! 2 years in the making...

This was history. This was what the I Have A Dream Speech was all about...40 years later. Simply AMAZING. God Bless the USA! I'm so proud of my country tonight....all of it.

Election Day is TOMORROW!

Make sure you Vote tomorrow! Oh....and here's a little something to think about :) Remember the Budweiser WASSUP Commercials? Here's a new spin:

It's NOVEMBER! Basketball's BACK!

Bleed It Blue! Welcome to Basketball Season Jays fans! Here's something to get you fired up!

Bo Says It's His Words Only

As Mitch Sherman points out today, there were over 50 members of the media including 6 writers from JUST the World Herald alone who were left holding their pencils after Nebraska got white washed by Oklahoma 62-28 in Norman last night. Bo's reason for not allowing his team to talk to the media? He is the one who will be speaking for the Huskers - it's his team after all so it's his words only.

While I completely understand why Bo Pelini would not want anyone talking about the embarrassment of the loss, there is not much you can say except that Oklahoma is 10 times the team as Nebraska, but you have to wonder why Bo decided to do this now? Coaches often believe that speaking to the media is a privilege for younger players. Having your name in print is cool and getting to be on TV is great for being BMOC but this is a gamble by Bo that might come up craps. You don't want to end the honeymoon with the media this quickly in my opinion. You've had nothing but love from the Husker media and you give them the middle finger treatment with only contentious press conference quotes to use? "If you don't like it, tough," Bo said. "Ask me the questions you'd ask the players" Ok Coach - that's big of you.

Earlier this year Bo Pelini apologized to the state of Nebraska following the awful performance against Missouri and promised that it will never happen again. Well, it happen just 4 weeks later - this time with a lot of ex Husker greats present. Bo has had a ton of positive press since getting the job earlier this year but if you prevent the news media from doing their job - you are running the risk of changing the tone in which the Huskers will be covered. Bo has a job to do - so does the media. Preventing even coaches from talking is not going to make many friends and it makes Pelini look like a control freak.

It is now time to start questioning the demeanor of the 1st year Husker Head Coach. What is he trying to accomplish by screaming his head off on national TV as his team is getting blasted to the tune of 35-0 after 1 quarter? Wouldn't a timeout to talk to his team be a better use of his voice? What about his behavior towards the refs? Does anyone not believe that Bo's actions on the sidelines are leading to his team having personal fouls in nearly every game including a player getting ejecting last night? His team has 17! on the year. These were my concerns when Bo was hired. I don't believe you can learn to be a Head Coach at a place like Nebraska. The spotlight is too bright if you've never stood on center stage before. So far, I'm right.

As I've stated a number of times before - I'm not saying that Bo's is the wrong guy for Nebraska. He was the perfect hire for the NU family - the ex players, boosters and fans who were alienated by Steve Pederson. But I am saying that I am undecided as to if he's the right guy for the football team. First, Virginia Tech and a flag that hurt his team. Then a pathetic effort vs. Missouri and a public apology afterwards. Then talk that the coaches weren't on the same page for the better part of the year. Now a blow out loss to OU and muzzling of his team. This year is shaping up as a foundation to how Pelini will handle adversity and right now - he's not projecting confidence to anyone following Nebraska football.

(BTW - Did you see ESPN.com's bowl projections:

Insight(Big 12 vs. Big Ten)
Nebraska vs. Iowa <--- !!!! )

Great Night in Beantown

Number 17 Baby. But Come On Paul....Hold it together a little? I was emotional too but jeez :)

The Fun is Back in Lincoln

Here is an example of the difference at Nebraska with Bo Pelini running the show. Notice Tom Osborne at the end of this video and the way the crowd reacts. It's awesome!

This is Brandon Rigoni - former special teams star for NU vs. Mark Manning aka the Mangler - NU Wrestling Coach. "The Mangler" Had 5 chances to stop Rigoni - "The Gunner" in the Oklahoma drill - Did he do it?

9th- Congrats to the Rays - Game, Season Over

The Better team won the ALCS this year.....Good Luck to Tampa - They should win the World Series in 5 or 6 vs. Philly.

Proud of the Red Sox for really fighting hard to comeback....just wasn't enough. The hole was too big.

8th...what could have been...

8th inning - Another chance that goes by the wayside....

Red Sox: 1st and E6 chased Garza. Single by Coco into the hole that looked so inviting on TV to me to shoot a ball through. Then Dustin pop'd out to left. 1 Out. David Ortiz up.....Wheeler out. JP Howell in. This is the move that everyone talked about in Game 5....and it worked. Papi bounced to 2nd but Coco, if he slid directly into the bag, might have beaten the throw if he had slid into the bag straight. He was out instead....Bradford in. 1st and 3rd - 2 outs. It was now or never - and it was up to Youk.....and he walked. Rookie David Price comes in to face JD Drew....ok FLASHBACK: JD Drew, bases load - Game 6 of the ALCS last year - Grand Slam....Baseball is crazy...but this crazy to repeat like that?.......Price is in a HUGE SPOT - Rookie - Bases Jacked.....Drew strikes out on a check swing that went too far..

7th - Blown Chance

The Red Sox got a prayer out of Jason Varitek in Game 6....not so in Game 7.

Red Sox: Walk to JD. Single by Bay but a flyout by Kotsay and then Tek strikes out swinging badly.

This was their shot. They had a pitcher who was gassed and could have scored the tying run. 6 outs left for the Red Sox and they are not looking good right now. Why wouldn't the Red Sox HIT for TEK!!?? They have Cash on the bench and they have Ellsbury who has hit Garza pretty well?!! He could beat out an infield hit. Terry made his first mistake. The Rays have home field, a better line up, a better bullpen....this is not going to be fun....has the magic simply run out for the Red Sox?

Rays: Lead off Homer by Ayabar and starting wrapping up the locker room for the Rays. Baring a miracle - this game is over.

6th - Maybe Gm Over

The Red Sox never trailed in 2004 or 2007 Game 7 ALCS games. They were able to keep the pressure on their opponent and they were able to attack. The Rays have regained their confidence and let the crowd be a major factor. The Red Sox haven't had a hit since the first inning...Down to 9 outs

Red Sox: Walk by Dustin. Papi K's who is obviously hurt and not a factor at all in this game.....Dustin tried to steal - Strike 'em out Throw 'em out. BIG BIG Trouble

Rays: Lester does the Red Sox a HUGE service by getting them 1-2-3 with very quick work.

5th - Game Changing Inning

The 5th inning is where this game has taken a dramatic turn for the worse for the defending Champs....

Red Sox: Did nothing against Garza and they haven't done anything since the HR by Dustin. They are running out of outs.

Rays: Lead off Double. Infield Hit. Single by Rocco. 2-1. Chip Caray then says "How Big are 2 outs hits". There are NO OUTS in the inning. Chip is an alright broadcaster but he's been asleep at the wheel in this series on certain statements and TBS as a whole has been awful. (see Game 6). Lester is struggling and Terry has to think about when to pull him. Strike Out of Barlett. Tap out for 2 outs but then Lester gets out of the inning by getting Upton!

New game now.

3rd, 4th

It was cruising along for Garza til he hit Dustin with a fast ball. Pedroia then stole 2nd but Papi struck out swing. The Red Sox are getting guys on base but need to get going with the scoring

Rays:
Nothing. Nada. Zero

4th
Red Sox: Garza is on fire. He made all 3 hitters look foolish. Jason Bay is having a horrible night at the plate. He k'd again with a half swing. He isn't seeing the ball well out of the hand of Garza.

Rays: Got to Lester with a double by Longoria that scored Pena. The Red Sox nearly threw out Pena but the relay wasn't on target. Lester is still throwing well but the crowd is alive 1-1

2nd Inning

Nothing to talk about but the crowd is for sure nervous

1st Inning

Coco tries to make Garza field his position and tries to throw the ball through Pena. Jesus.

Pederioa takes Garza deep with a LASER to left! Game 7 2004 - The Red Sox jumped out to a lead in the 1st inning vs. New York and it took the crowd out of the game...same thing here. 1-0 Sox

Papi walked....close pitch on 3-2 but it was a touch high with the fast ball. Garza is throwing gas but he's not hitting his spots. He looks ridiculous with that ear gauze in there. Is at a concert or a ball game?

Youk on a 2 strike pitch, floats one to the right. Nearly a great piece of hitting but 2 outs. Question here - did you notice just half the crowd standing when there were 2 strikes? I think that is because the bandwagon, ex New Yorkers who are at the game think that the Rays are the Yankees. Sorry. Different team. The other people just looked at them and did nothing

JD Drew strikes out...again the standing but this time it's 3/4 the stadium. Garza through a lot of pitches and Red Sox got the lead. Now Lester needs to step it up.

RAYS:
Lester goes 1-2-3 against Tampa. Big Start of the game for Boston and has shut up the crowd so far after 1

Pre Game

Very Strange feeling of calm. Lots of Sox fans that I've talked to aren't cocky but they are excited about this game....dare I say confident that our team will get it done.

Garza is wearing ear plugs? Weird, very weird.

Craig Sager is wearing a normal outfit....bad sign - don't change things up man! :)

Let's Go Red Sox!

Game 7 Tonight....I'm going to keep an inning by inning blog tonight of the game. Feel free to chime in via email at matt@bigsports590.com or right here on the blog....

Let's hope Lester can do it!

From Sick To Silly

Admit it Red Sox fans - we thought we were done. Over. Next stop spring training. The Tampa Bay Rays were just better on Thursday night. Scott Kazmir was rolling. BJ Upton was crushing. The Red Sox were losing 7-0 in the 7th inning.

I will admit it - I stopped watching at 5-0 and started to read a book. I even watched Grey's Anatomy instead of innings 3 through 6! That's when the texts starting coming. "Are you watching". "Papi!". "here we come!". "Could we do it?" I said to myself - "Huh?" 7-4 Tampa.

Back in 2004, I started keeping journal of big moments in my life. I write in it every so often about my life and especially about sporting events that I cover or watch. I wrote all about the Yankees in 2004 and how amazing it was to watch Game 7. In fact, I followed it inning by inning.

I switched TV's at 7-4. Changed hats. Put on my Red Sox shirt. Picked up my journal from 2004 and read about the comeback. Then I read about 2007 with the Rockies. Then I started to write about the Red Sox and Rays. 7-5. 7-6. 7-7. It felt like 2004. It felt like 2007 all over again.

Bottom 9 - JD Drew wouldn't let the Red Sox lose with a laser to right. Papi Hr. JD Drew HR. JD Drew scored Youk for the game winner. Unreal game and the 2nd biggest comeback in postseason history. How many times are we gonna say that? Tito Francona is 8-1 in elimination games. 8-1!

Game 6 on Saturday - I can't wait. In 2004, ALCS Game 6 and Game 7 was at Yankee Stadium. Remember Dave Roberts on "the steal"? How about Coco Crisp and "the At-Bat"! Could history repeat itself? Let's find out!

UPDATE: Bill does it again! Simmons story

Jays Back On Friday

With Fall practice about the open up for the Jays...we all can look forward to the games and ridiculous halftime shows for Creighton Baskeball....Si.com found this one :) enjoy


http://view.break.com/457715 - Watch more free videos

35-30 Nebraska loses to Virginia Tech

That was my angle for the Suh hit on QB Tyrod Taylor of Tech....not great but it looked like he fell on him to me.....

Playoff Prediction vs. Reality

So as the MLB playoffs get set let's see how I did back in April when I made predictions: Here is what I thought would happen:

Predicted: AL East - Boston
Actual: AL East - Tampa Bay - Wrong barring collapse

Predicted: NL East - New York
Actual: NL East - Philly- BIG MAYBE HERE

Predicted: AL Central - Cleveland
Actual: AL Central - Chicago or Minnesota - Wrong

Predicted: NL Central - Chicago - Right

Predicted: AL West - Seattle
Actual - AL West LA Angels - Wrong

Predicted: NL West - Colorado
Actual: NL West - LA Dodgers - Wrong

Predicted: AL Wild Card - Detroit
Actual: AL Wild Card - Boston - Wrong

Predicted: NL Wild Card - Arizona
Actual: NL Wild Card - NY, Milwaukee or Philly - Wrong

So, let's see...I was right about The Yankees not making it.....and that's about it. YIKES! Only the Cubs pick turned out to be completely right. I might be right with the NL East but I'm wrong right now....that would 2 of the 8 playoff teams predicted that I got right. Not something to be proud of.....

Last One Out Turn Out The Lights

God had a sense of humor when he created emotions and allowed them to enter every aspect of life. Even sports. Only baseball though can create the emotions of sadness and happiness simultaneously like tonight watching the New York Yankees close down their home of 85 years.

Yankee Stadium saw it's last game tonight and even me -a true hater of the Pinstrips - got choked up watching the end of the building that has been a house of horrors for Red Sox teams and fans. True class. That is what you say when you talk about the Yankees. They might take advantage of a system weighted towards the rich but they have always been known for great baseball tradition.

This sport can do that to you. Make you laugh, make you cry and make you see ghosts in the outfield. I'm really happy that I was there on July 4th....to say goodbye. Because after tonight - the field that saw Ruth and Jeter play in it's diamond....Ford and Rivera pitch on its mound is no more.

How would you like to be Joba Chamberlain? The kid from Lincoln pitched in the final game. Was on the mound during the Jeter speach. Walked around the stadium with his team to say goodbye....pretty cool.

As Terrance Mann said - "America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again"

PS - Yes, I'm sick about the Patriots looking like a defense being coached by Kevin Cosgrove as they get diced by the SPREAD?! offense of Miami. Sick and sad but it's one loss...in week 3. Long way to go - but there will be no domination of the league this year. First time Pats out of at least a tie of 1st since 2003 in the AFC East.

Remebering 9/11

Here's a link to a story about a 9-11 memorial service today in Andover, MA that honored the 4 people who lost their lives in the attack. I know some of you have family in the military, have family members in New York, the police, fire etc....today is the day to remember those who lost their lives and thank those who keep us safe everyday.

Story on my hometown

Nice Job Warren!

The Oracle of Omaha visited Fenway Park this week for 2 Red Sox vs. Rays games. The Sox lost the series 2-1 to Tampa but it was cool to see Warren at the game.

Video from Fenway

Tell Me How My Ass Tastes....

In today's paper, a story on All-Big 12 Linebacker Joe Mortensen ran with this picture in the story....is that really a good message to send to Nebraska fans?

Captions that Liked:
-Mr. Mortensen, I'm happy to tell you that your colonoscopy results came back clean.
-Former NU wrestling commit strikes a pose for online fans
- "Save your girlfriend, ride a Husker!"

Still Clean?

Helmet on knee...illegal for sure. You debate clean or dirty but clearly it's illegal

Season Might Be Over After Week 1

I don't really know what to think tonight about the injury to Tom Brady's left knee because football is a contact sport and contact can cause injuries. However, when a 3rd year blitzing saftety of the Kansas City Chiefs named Bernard Pollard dives at Patriot QB Tom Brady's left leg after he released a throw down field (after looking at it again, the ball was released as contact happened but it doesn't change where he was hit)- you have to ask yourself - didn't the league outlaw this type of thing a few years ago? The answer - yes.

It's called the "Kimo Rule". Kimo von Oelhoffen was a player for the Steelers who dove at the leg of Carson Palmer of the Bengals. Palmer's knee was shreaded and so were the hopes of the team for the Playoffs. The NFL stepped in and said a player on Defense must take "every opportunity' to avoid hitting the QB at or below the knees when the QB is in a defenseless position looking to throw with both feet on the ground." That didn't happen with Pollard today. He crawled and dove at Pats star QB's leg. In my opinion...I agree with Randy Moss - "I think it was a dirty play"

But is that the fan in me coming out? Probably. I'm pissed off cause one player took out the star of the league. The entire AFC just became wide out because of one guy's mind cramp. Would Pollard have liked it he was in Tom's position and Tom did that to him? I seriously doubt but it's part of the game...injuries that is. Stars get hurt and you have to go on without them.

Yahoosports.com is reporting that it's a serious knee injury for Tom Brady. Last year they were 16-0 and nearly made history by winning the Super Bowl but he was injured for that big game and now injured in game 1 of the year. I'm sick. I'm stunned. I'm pissed. But it is part of football...a nasty part of the game that shows that one guy's idiot move can wreck so much.

Let's hope the Patriots can rally around Matt Cassell and play well next week at the Jets.

Lots to Come on Tuesday!!

Hi Guys -FOOTBALL IS BACK and so is Huskers Monday. For the first time, we take the show on the road - Every week will be at T.O. Garcia's in Papillion from 2 to 6 pm for Big Show with Matt Perrault and the program dedicated to nothing but Nebraska Football (for the first 2 hours). Former Husker Clester Johnson, Petey Mac from Action 3 and your phone calls! Much more on the Husker win over Western Michigan and the rest of the great action from around the country!

Funny...

Ok, kinda wrong but still funny.....

www.vpilf.com Palin is hot...even if I disagree with everything she stands for :)

You Are Kidding - Right?

Have you seen Nebraska's Non-Conference schedule? This is what I'm talking about when I mention that media members in this state are beginning to make me question if they are taking sides. I talked on the show about how I think some media members are getting ready to rip Dana Altman for not producing but let's be honest here with NU's schedule - Nebraska under Doc Sadler is simply scheduling to pad their overall record. He is saying "we play in the Big 12, we don't need a tough non-conference" . Well, you do - but this ain't SEC football. Winning 20 games doesn't put you into the NCAA tournament. This year's non-con is WORST than last year's! Look for yourself (last year's record is next to the team):

San Jose State 13-19
at Texas Christian 14-16
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 13-18
St. Louis 16-15
Creighton 22-11
Alabama State 20-11
at Arizona State 21-13
at Oregon State 6-25
Indiana/Purdue-Fort Wayne 13-18
Maryland-Baltimore County 24-9
South Carolina State 13-20
Maryland-Eastern Shore 4-28 (worst rating in DI)
Florida A&M 15-17***

Get ready for it....AVERAGE KEN POM rating of 215. By my count - 1 team that played in the NCAA Tournament. 1. It should be noted that I'm using "RATING" and not "RPI" as the OWH did today. NU Kenpom RPI (95 to Rating of 35) is more than twice worse but since they used that...I thought I'd use the same spin as them to paint the picture. Now CU's isn't that much better at an average of rating 164 (Game 12 rating was averaged between St. Louis and Depaul. (CU's Kenpom RPI is 46) and 3 NCAA teams, however many schools simply won't play CU. The same can not be said for Doc Sadler and Nebraska. They bring a bigger name thanks to football and have the resources to do things that Creighton can not.

So why, year after year, do we see NU play a sad non-conference schedule? It would work for a small mid-major but not a Big 12 school. You can say "Once" Doc Sadler gets it going - then he will schedule....why would anyone play a team that is going to kill your RPI? The Huskers had a Ken Pom rating of 35 to use to their advantage. Oregon St.? Maybe Doc wanted to meet Michelle Obama's brother but that's not a good game other than it's a name. Arizona St. and Creighton. 2 games on the entire schedule! Wow. Way to go after the big boys Doc but I doubt you will hear that from any other media member.

Tom Shatel interview

Here's the interview we talked about on the show today:

Tom Shatel Interview

Jays Announce Schedule

Big Sports 590 for the 14th straight season will be the home of Bluejays basketball team. The Jays announced their 2008-09 schedule today. Some hightlights: Opening vs. New Mexico (Steve Alford), other homes games include Oral Roberts and Dayton in the Non-Conference. Road games at St. Joe's and Nebraska and a trip to Vegas for 2 games (Fresno and maybe St. Louis).

Dana Altman gets a B+ for this schedule. For more info: www.gocreighton.com

I agree completely :)

You will need to press the volume up but it's blocked...so click just to the right of the sound button and you should get sound of the song.

More videos from the "ryanparkersongs's channel" channel at Heavy.com

Back on Wednesday

Hey All,

The Big Show with Matt Perrault (and Brian the Producer) will be back in full force tomorrow at 2 pm. We are all recharged and ready to go for the college football season. Remember that we have some awesome things returning to the program next week! like

Fight Song Fridays! live from Farrell's Elite Sports Bar!
Lee Sterling of Paramount Sports Fridays 5:30! - the best football handicapper in the country!
Look Around the Big 12 - Every Thursday at 3:30!
Big Show Big Picks for weekly prizes
Nail the Score Contest on football Saturdays
Huskers Monday live from T.O. Garcia's in Papillion from 2 to 6 pm

more to come as well!!

Remember Him?

Our friend Garrett from Floswimming.org is in Beijing and he has posted a really interested video about traveling to the cube. You will notice that he did not get a press pass - but rather scalped tickets to the prelims today. You had to apply for media credentials 3 years ago....they didn't do it in time. Cool look at the Olympics behind the scene:

Garrett Video

This is good :)

God asks Tony Romo: "What do you believe?"

Tony thinks long and hard, looks God in the eye, and says, "I believe in hard work, and in staying true to family and friends. I believe in giving. I was lucky, but I always tried to do right by my fans."

God can't help but see the essential goodness of Romo, and offers him a seat to his left.

Then God turns to Tom Brady and says, "What do you believe?"

Tom says, "I believe passion, discipline, courage and honor are the fundamentals of life. I, too, have been lucky, but win or lose, I've always tried to be a true sportsman, both on and off the playing fields."

God is greatly moved by Tom's sincere eloquence, and he offers him a seat to his right.

Finally, God turns to Brett Favre: "And you, Brett, what do you believe?"

Brett replies, "I believe you're in my seat."

Chris Cornell Rips Stir

Chris Cornell came to Stir in Council Bluffs tonight really did a great job of blowing the doors off the venue. I have to say - what an amazing summer of music here in the Metro and this night was a great end ot it. Chris did an fun mix of AudioSlave, Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and orginal songs for 2 hours plus. My ears are ringing still an hour and half after the show but Chris really seemed to enjoy the crowd and the back up band sounded perfect.

Really fun, fun night.

Olympics Viewing Is Fun...

Who says the Olympics are boring? Take your pick of these "athletes":

Bia and Branca - Brazilian syncro-swimmers:

http://withleather.uproxx.com/photo.phtml?post_key=6572&photo_key=2052

or Leryn Franco - Javelin thrower from Paraguay

http://www.pbase.com/crespoide/personal_2007_calendar

Fun stuff :)

Flogging Molly at Westfair

What a show for the LA based Irish rockers Flogging Molly! Westfair was the wrong venue for this show but it was still awesome! Great way to end the summer.



That's Matt Hensley from Flogging Molly in between myself and Brian. He's the accordion player who came on the Big Show to promote the show. If you have a chance to see them - do it!

For more pictures of the concert including backstage shots - go to www.myspace.com/thebigshowomaha

Patriots Fan Club Starting....

Hey Guys,

I need your help to pass this along here in Omaha. A while ago, a man approached me about starting a New England Patriots fan club here in Nebraska. I have lost track of him so I'm hoping to start a fan club and get in touch with him as well. So here's the announcement:

I'm starting a Patriots fan club that will get together every week for the Pats game at Farrell's elite sports bar - 9th and Dodge. We will get a party room to ourselves with 2 TV's and an optional 3rd if we need it. There will be drink/food specials and lots Patriots cheering going on. I'm not working on Monday nights this year so I will be available for every game to host.

This has nothing to do with the radio station so email is the best way to talk to me about this matt@bigsports590.com If you are interested - let me know and let me know if there is another group in town that we could join up with for the season. Kickoff is less than a month away! Go Pats!

Big Show Big Bus was a Blast

Thanks to everyone who came on the bus last night to see the Red Sox beat the Royals 8-2. We saw Josh Beckett pitch like it was 2007 and we saw Jason Bay tie a career high for hits at 4 including a crazy, top of the wall rolling ball double. I've seen 2 games this year -the first on the 4th had that nutty Johnny Damon almost-catch ball land top of the wall only to fall off and now Jason Bay's. Wild year so far for my Red Sox live watching. Sox are 2-0 with me there though I'm trying to go to the game on 17th too. They need all the help they can get.

It was a great time and a late night. If you missed the trip - we'll do it again next year for sure! Pictures are soon to come so check back on the blog later on.

RIP Skip Caray

I just want to pass along a sad note from the broadcasting world. Skip Caray, son of Harry, father of Chip passed away last night at the age of 68. I watched Skip for years on TBS and listened to him on radio during Atlanta Braves broadcasts as we were a Brave affiliate in Huntsville.

Skip said earlier this year while he battled health problems: "I'm 68," Caray said on April 2. "If I go tonight, I've had a hell of a life."

We will miss you Skip.

Something Fun For A Sunday - Go Red Sox

Dropkick Murphy show - St. Patrick's Day in Boston 2008 at the Avalon - the first place I ever saw a live concert. I will be there in 2009!

Fun Red Sox site too: http://www.redsoxdiehard.com/features/if/page3.html

Manny Knew What He Was Doing

According the Boston Globe, Manny Ramirez tried to talk his way into staying in Boston after he was traded but before the deal was approved by the league. Amazing. Simply Amazing.

Why did Manny do this? I think it was because he learned that GM Theo Epstein had the blessing of 7 Red Sox leaders to trade him. I think he realized that his actions had made him an enemy of the very players he won 2 Championships with and he thought were his friends. Manny isn't a talker. Yet in the final days of his career in Boston, it was his spoken words that got him finally kicked out of town. In my opinion, it was on purpose.

I believe that Scott Boras knew that he wasn't going to any money from Manny until he signed a new contract and he didn't want to wait another 1 or 2 years to captalize on Manny. Ramirez's contract was orginally done by Jeff Moorad and he was getting the commission off that deal signed 8 years ago. At 36, Manny can sign a 4 year deal and make around $20-25 per. Boras gets his cut off that after not seeing a dime for the past 2 years off Manny. It was a caculated decision to get the Red Sox to not pick up his option years.

This is the same agent that tried to steal the spotlight from the Red Sox during the World Series by announcing that A-Rod would opt out of his contract with the Yankees. This is the same agent that A-Rod stopped talking to and bashed publicly for his behavior. Should we have expected anything else from a slime ball like Boras? This guy rep's J.D. Drew of the Red Sox - great. When does J.D. start his crying and whinning? Boras should be hated in Boston...but so should Manny. He acted like a kid and then knew he screwed up after he was evicted from the team. He went too far and you have to be proud that the Red Sox brass said enough was enough. They were better off without him.

Incomes Jason Bay. 2 games - 2 wins. Bay has scored 4 runs - both in a 2-1 win Friday, hit a 3 run homer, a triple, walked 3 times and made 2 nice plays in left field. It's not called the "Bay State" for nothing. Maybe, just maybe - the Red Sox will do exactly what they did in 2004 and when they got rid of a clubhouse cancer in Nomar.

We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime - Manny is as far from Boston as possible. Good.

So Long Summer....

So it's August 1st. Summer is gone. As I've talked about on the show - my fun time is from April 1 to August 1. Once the calendar flips to August - it's football season and that means it's time to go back to work. However, it does give me time to reflect on the last few months...and boy, is there a lot to reflect on. It's been a lot fun and painful too!

Ever since I turned 31, I've been trying to have as much fun as possible. Call in intuition that it won't always be like this - freedom and no responsibilities. April 4th kinda set things in motion for this summer of fun as I had a bunch of friends out to the Urban Wine Company for a really fun night....then I got hurt :(. The first really nice day of the Spring saw me throwing a football at a cookout and I partially tore my right rotator cuff. As you probably know - it wasn't the only injury of the summer. I went to the Masters, South Carolina, New York City for the 4th of July and The Red Sox at the Yankees, and Boston 3 different times. I had a ball but it's time to get work...football is back.

However, the most memorable times will be the music that I experienced over the past 4 months. I thought it would be fun to rank the top 5 shows that I saw this Summer. Many of you were at these shows so feel free to join in the conversation about them:

5. BB King at Stir - The veteran guitar hero came to Council Bluffs and did his thing for 2 hours. While I can't say I love blues music, I really had fun at this show watching the legend work his guitar into a frenzy. You can tell that Father Time is catching up with B.B. as he sat for the entire set but he still rocked it out including an awesome version of "When Love Comes To Town" which he originally did with Bono of U2.

4. Tom Petty at Qwest Center - This was my 4th time seeing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and they did not disappoint. The one thing that you have to love about Petty is that he knows how to entertain. Unlike the Police, putting on a show is important to the band. They played the hits and rocked for 2 hours plus. "Running Down a Dream" will always be a special song to me and it was one of the 2 encores songs that they played.

3. 311 at Westfair - I waited nearly 4 years to see 311 in their hometown but it was well worth the wait. I have been a fan of the band for years and had seem so many times that I've lost track of the exact number but they blew through a 90 minute set with ease. They played lots of newer, slower songs but the old favorites ripped like always and everyone had a blast.

2. The Roots at Stir- Walking into the venue, I really didn't know what to expect out the Philly hip-hop group. It didn't take me long to realize that I was watching something very, very special on stage. From the amazing percussion, strings, guitar and rocking Tuba playing, the musicianship was 2nd to none. If there was a roof on the building - it would have come off. Their rendition of Dylan's "Masters of War" was the song of this summer that I will take with me for a long time.

1. Dropkick Murphys at Sokol - This shouldn't be a surprise....hell, I dislocated my shoulder during "Tessie" :). It was an amazing, unreal performance by the Boston punk/rock/folk band. From opening with my requested "For Boston" to "State of Mass." and the Irish Folk song "Fields of Anthery", DKM sent the sweaty, capacity crowd home very happy. The interview with Ken Casey of the band was a treat but hearing the songs that keep me from being too homesick in Omaha was the highlight of my summer of fun....and the fact that my shoulder will be F'd for years to come will just be a reminder of much fun I had on that July night.

Other shows attended: The Police at Qwest, Snoop Dogg at Westfair,

Bye Bye Manny

My dislocated shoulder makes it tough to type so I apologize for not writing a lot on here lately. I will try to write some more about the Manny deal on here in this weekend as I should have some time but in the meantime. This is from Boston.com - really good:

Red Sox Poem about Manny

Sad

This is a YouTube video of the brawl between Dayton and Peoria last night. You don't see the ball being thrown into the stands like it was but you see more of the fight than Sportscenter is showing:

Live From Big 12 Media Days

Hi from Kansas City's downtown Marriot. We'll write a recap of day 1 and 2 later on tonight so keep checking back to the blog in the coming hours to keep yourself in touch with all the news coming out of the event. Remember to go to Bigsports590.com for all the sounds via podcast from the Media Days here in KC

DropKick Murphy Pics at Sokol

Thanks to a listener for these pictures....i was in the middle of that :). I didn't get hurt there...got hurt on the side....but I'm happy to report that the shoulder is doing fine and I can move it around. DKM were amazing!!

Battle Scars From The Dropkick Show

What a show!!! Dropkick Murphys were amazing....They played everything I wanted to hear however I dislocated my shoulder during Tessie....4 hours at CU medical after the show - full details today on the big show

Boo? F-U!

Stay Classy Chase....Have fun in NY next time:

Miss Hooters 2008

A few pictures...more can be found at Big Show Myspace's Site

New Red Sox Nation Video

Just in time for the All Star Break...Go Sox

Ex SaltDog Manager Goes Nuts on Wed.

Men...You're Welcome

Anna at 27

Si.com has a great story on Anna K. at the age of 27. Really well done and it seems like she is really doing well away from tennis. Finally, a good story to a blessed teen who grew up to have a nice life.

Coldplay Show in Omaha Cancelled

This sucks! From a Coldplay website:

If you were planning on seeing Coldplay June 29-July 12, you are totally hosed, as no dates have been announced to replace the cancelled ones, and seem unlikely since the band heads overseas immediately following the North American jaunt. But you are equally hosed if you planned on seeing the band in Sacramento, San Jose, Winnipeg, Omaha, or their second show in Chicago, because those dates have been cancelled to make up dates in Boston and D.C. These dates may be made up when Coldplay return to North America in November.

Too bad for us....Their new album is amazing!

Trip Photos....

A few pictures for the final July 4th at the Stadium....

yes I'm a major loser for doing that :)