Gabbert Video but She's Beautiful

Just Win Baby....

Maybe Bill Callahan is right.

Maybe it is a step forward by just beating Ball St. by 1 point when you are 22 point favorites at home.

You know, Ball St. - that power team who lost to Miami of Ohio in Week 1. That juggernaut team that went to Overtime with Navy and that special team that nearly walked out of Memorial Stadium Saturday with a victory. I guess it is a big deal to beat Ball St. because Nebraska is ranked again this week. In fact, they didn't MOVE in the coach's poll. 22nd in the Coach's. 25th in the A.P. You see - nobody saw the game, just the score. Nobody cares how you win anymore. Just get the W - forget the competition.

How else can you explain the fact that Alabama went to from being ranked 2oth to 24th in coaches poll? Alabama went to Overtime with then No. 22 Georgia. They lost to a ranked conference opponent...and SEC opponent. Nebraska nearly lost to a team that considers finishing 2nd in the MAC West a big deal. I never thought I'd long for the days when window dressing a victory mattered but at least in those days people actually paid attention to who you beat and by how much.

The A.P. poll this week isn't any better. Nebraska is ranked No. 25th and Miami isn't ranked at all. Louisville was ranked 18th last week...and they lost. Ok - they should drop but they lost to Syracuse. A Big East school. A school that you know plays football and you know who they are. What if Nebraska beat Syracuse 41-40. You'd feel a HELL of a lot better today wouldn't you? Which is worse - Losing to Syracuse by 3 or nearly losing to Ball St, winning by 1? Sure a win is a win....but Nebraska being ranked and Louisville not means nobody is paying attention.

We've known this for years but this is just another illustration that rankings and polls mean nothing. Do you really think Nebraska is the 22nd best team in America? They were a dropped pass in that game Saturday from a loss to a team that had never beaten a BCS school - EVER. Sure - a win is a win is a win. But never did I think that Pay-Per-View could help Nebraska's national image. But I guess it helps when you hide your performance from the national view.

1978 All Over Again????

I will admit that I have been some-what distracted this September by football and work. Normally, I would have posted on here a long time ago about what is happening to my favorite baseball team. Often, this space becomes my virtual couch to vent my frustrations. I get to do that now as the Red Sox are doing their best to vomit the American League East up to the Yankees for the 10 straight year.

Can we all admit that the Eric Gagne trade was one of the worst deals that GM Theo the Mastermind has ever made? Worse than giving up Bronson for Willy Mo Pathetic who's Nationals are going to given a parade in Philly after this year is over. Worse, because Gagne was suppose to be a guy that the Red Sox were going to lean on down the stretch to help out the exhausted bullpen. Willy Mo was a 4th outfielder that we thought could develop into a talent and then buried by signing J.D. Boooo. Gagne was suppose to be good. Well, he sucks. Period.

Tonight in Toronto, with the Yankees killing the Orioles, Gagne entered the game with a 2-1 lead. The Red Sox started the game with 3.5 game lead over the Evil Empire and desperately needed a win to stop the bleeding over the past few days. The Sox lost last night on a complete game performance by a guy with the worse facial hair in the Bigs. So the old bald one goes to the pen to get they guy that GM Mastermind picked up for this very situation. Bad move.

After 2 quiet outs, all hell broke loose for the once great closer. The final line: 3 runs, 2 outs and a 4-2 deficit that ended as a 4-3 loss. The lead is 2.5. 1978 all over again? With 10 games left - maybe.

There is no doubt that Red Sox are going to be playing in October but against whom? Home vs. Cleveland or AT L.A. BIG BIG difference! How big would it be for New York to avoid the team that is kryptonite to them. A month ago, it was all about the Red Sox bullpen. Okajima, Delcarmen, Papelbon and company had the best ERA in the league. Now - they are a complete train wreck. They threw away a great start by Jon Lester tonight and are making Red Sox fans sweat every time they come into the game. 2-1 games are what the playoffs are all about and this team looks like 2003 waiting to happen all over again. Where's Bucky and Aaron?

I'll say it again - I'd be suicidal if 2004 didn't happen. At least we aren't talking about stupid curses but the Mets and the Red Sox both can't seem to get their acts together right now. 2.5 games up for the Sox. 1.5 games for the Mets (they are down 9-8 in the 9th). Can they still win their divisions? Yes - but don't ask either fan base right now because they'll need to be on a real couch talking this out if they don't.

Matt O'Brien Update on ESPN.com

From ESPN.com

Spec. Matt O'Brien (left) will see the Huskers play again this Saturday.I got an e-mail Thursday morning.

"I have a ticket for Matthew O'Brien if he wants to go to the Nebraska/USC game. I don't know if he can get back or not. I don't know how to contact him either, but we owe this man more than we could ever pay. This will be the first time a number one team has come to Lincoln in the last 30 years. I would love for him to see this game, so if he can get back he can have my ticket. God Bless Matthew O'Brien."Mike BargesOmaha, Neb.

U.S. Army Spc. O'Brien is a 22-year-old infantry paratrooper who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now is suffering from vision loss in both eyes. He is currently receiving tests and treatment at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, N.C. I wrote about O'Brien earlier this week.

O'Brien, whose father and younger brother are also serving in Iraq, was raised in tiny Oshkosh, Neb. He grew up idolizing Nebraska football. He's never been to a Cornhuskers game at Memorial Stadium. Until now.

Thanks to the kindness of Barges, O'Brien, as well as O'Brien's mom (whom he hasn't seen in several years), will have tickets to Saturday evening's USC-Nebraska game in Lincoln. And thanks to Omaha radio station AM 590 -- and the Nebraska fans who donated cash during an impromptu fundraising session -- O'Brien has a plane ticket, a hotel room and limo arranged for him. He's also received offers to meet with specialists at the Mayo Clinic and at the University of Texas clinic in Houston.

You don't think sports matters? Try telling it to Matt O'Brien

Help a Bro Out....

This is how badly I want to buy tickets at facevalue or +$10 for the USC game. I believe if your some 60 year old lady who is going to sit on her ass and say "down in front" to the people are standing. You have no buisness being at this game. I am willing to paint my self red wearing this, with the cobs in my pocket. Show up at 7:30 am for ESPN gameday, go to the bars, and the game the whole day. I am planning on standing the entire game, and yelling so loudly that I won't be able to speak for the next month. I don't care if the tickets are uppernosebleeds, I want to be in memorial stadium and watch USC get destroyed. So start showing everyone this picture so it will convice the 60 year old granny who is not going to enjoy the game to give me or sell the tickets at facevalue. can't afford more than +$10 facevalue for tickets. looking for 2-3. Yes I know, I would look like a overweight, painted red, grisly bear. But damn, I hate USC. must be in Memorial Stadium.

Can you help? Go to the message board of BigSports590.com to let him know if you can....

Husker Fans Are Awesome....

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to pass along a tremendous story of support for a injured vet from Nebraska who will be at the USC game because of the audience of Big Sports 590 and Husker Nation.

Spec. Matt O'Brien is from tiny Oshkosh Nebraska and is currently living at a hospital in Fort Bragg, NC. He was profiled in a story on ESPN.com this week as Nebraska fans opened their hearts and gave tickets to injured vets so they could go to the Nebraska vs. Wake game and future games this year at Wake that Husker fans won't be using. Matt was injured while serving our country and is legally blind in one eye, 20-100 in the other. Doctors don't know what is wrong except that he was injured while overseas but Matt LOVES the Huskers. He was so pumped to see Nebraska vs. Wake.

Here is the link to the story:

Well, we talked to Matt today on the show and found out that he was given 2 tickets to USC Nebraska by a fan so he could see the biggest game of the year. All he needed was a flight here. That's where Big Sports 590's audience stepped up big. With in 1 min. of the original interview airing - we were getting calls about how people could help Matt get to Lincoln.

We got with a local travel agency that handles JBG travel and set up a fund for Matt to come here. With in 2 hours - we raised over $2000 after announcing how to donate!!! Husker fans who listen to Big Sports 590 have donated enough money for Matt to fly here to Omaha on Friday where he will meet his mother who will drive 6 hours from Oshgosh to meet her son. Matt hasn't seen her since 2005!!! Matt hasn't been back to Nebraska since 2004 - the day after he graduated from High School and enrolled in the military. He will stay in a hotel in Omaha with his mom and get a limo ride to and from Lincoln and get to go out to eat with her on Sunday before heading back to the Fort Bragg Military Hospital on Monday.

I just thought that if any of us are having a bad day/week/month that this story might put a lot into perspective. Our health is such a blessing and to hear about a young man who thanks God every time he wakes up and can still see is a lesson for all of us. Also, it is amazing to me to see the incredible support that people in this community show for the troops and their fellow Husker fan. This story really touched me and Gene at ESPN.com who emailed me tonight to say how moved he was by the gesture.

I'm not a Husker fan but I hope NU shocks the world on Saturday night - and thanks to the audience of Big Sports 590 - Matt O'Brien will be there to witness it.

"Nebraska in the House".....big time....

Is It Basketball Season yet? :)

Gotta love it!

DI AA - Subdivision to Noone Today!

No.1 Appalachian St. beat Michigan today.

That's the ranking for App St....in Division I AA!!!! We have often asked if parity in college football was a good thing. Well, NO ONE ever asked about parity with DIAA!!! Last year, we saw teams like Montana St. beat Colorado and Northern Iowa nearly beat Iowa St. Yet today - we saw history. Unreal history.

Michigan - preseason No. 5 in Division IA - lost at HOME to the 2 time defending National Champion of DIAA. App. St. kicked the go ahead field goal with :30 to play. Then, after a miracle pass to get into field goal range, App St. BLOCKED the winning attempt by the Wolverines to win the game. Amazing.....they are the first DIAA team to beat a ranked DIA team. And it comes in the BIG HOUSE!

If Boise St. ended the debate that we need a college football playoff to decide the National Championship for the BCS. Then App St. just showed that good football teams come in all shapes and sizes...and all divisions. What I want to know now is - what would UMass and Northern Iowa do against Michigan? They both lost in the National Championship game to App St. the last 2 years and played them tough. I can say this - they won' t get the chance because nobody is going to want to play DIAA teams if this keeps up.

By the way - it was the first ever broadcast of the Big Ten Network for Michigan......think they will want to play on them again?