Wednesday, December 31, 2008

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.

Monday, December 29, 2008

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?

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Mr. Marshall - Holding up how much class he has

Saturday, December 27, 2008

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.  

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

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!! 

Sunday, December 21, 2008

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.  

Thursday, December 18, 2008

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.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

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:

Sunday, December 14, 2008

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.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

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.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

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:

Monday, December 8, 2008

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! :)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

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 :)

Friday, December 5, 2008

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:

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

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.

Monday, December 1, 2008

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.