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.
12 comments:
If you know stories about NU players being disrespectful please tell the rest of us. I have seen nothing said or printed that have hinted at any character issues with NU players. This is just another one of your smears about NU players, coaches and fans.
As for it being loudest during the football team introduction........did you see the teams play last night. Even when Nebraska was winning, their offense gave us fans nothing to cheer about. Lucky for us that Creighton's offense posed no real threat to Nebraska. Nebraska's defensive pressure pwn3d Creighton's offense all night.
And by the way.............scoreboard.
I went to the game last night as a Creighton fan wearing blue and cheering for the Jays. I disagree with a lot of you take on NU disrespect towards CU, Doc Sadler dissing CU, ignorant NU fans, etc.
Did you see Justin Carter blow by the NU bench after the game? No handshakes or anything. Classless move. I hope Altman addresses it.
NU simply wanted that game more in the second half, and the results reflected that.
Quit trying to cause a great divide between the NU and CU fans. There simply isn't one there.
Keep whining, jerk.
Now this game doesn't count according to Creighton fan because the home team won. It only matters if the visiting team won.
Since we Husker fans don't know anything about basketball, Matt is here to teach us.......a win at home doesn't mean a darn thing.
Nebraska fans do care about the basketball team. Unlike Creighton, we have other teams that excel at this time of year so our fan base isn't concentrated on just one sport.
The only other thing that Jays fans have to worry about this time of year is getting the Mattress Factory early to make sure they get a table prior to the home games. How many of these "die hard" Creighton fans even know that the Jays have a soccer team that is just 3 wins from being National Champions??? I'd wager VERY few.
Matt
Who gives a crap about mid level college basketball? Neither of these teams will do a damn thing in March. Getting excited about bad basketball is a waste of time.
The traffic at the Bob has been horrible since the area opened in 1976. It didn’t just “happen” because 2,000 Creighton fans came to the game. Not that you would know, but Nebraska had some pretty good basketball teams in the 1990’s. During those years, the Bob was packed 14k+ every game. Six years of Barry Collier ran this program down to levels that had never been seen before…even at Nebraska. Many Nebraska fans gave up because we were not even competitive the entire Collier era. When the wins come, sellouts will happen again routinely. How was Creighton’s attendance back then when Nebraska was winning and they weren’t? They were struggling to put 1,500 fans up at the Civic. Say what you want, but Nebraska basketball has never had a problem getting 1,500 fans to come to a game no matter who we were playing. That statement may be the most ignorant thing you have ever said…and that is REALLY saying something.
How exactly is Creighton “showing in every game that they have been the better team?” That’s just dumb. Let me let you in on a little secret, that was by far our worst game of the season. Nebraska is the better team because they played that bad and still found a way to win. Plus, Nebraska was even favored to win.
I never thought I would see the day when a Creighton fan tells opposing fans that “their fans don’t know basketball for the most part.” That’s actually funny. Because of work, I’ve been to plenty of games at the Qwest. Fans are quiet, uninterested, talking on their cell phones, texting, visiting with people, and hanging out drinking beer with their buddies by the concession stands. Wow! That’s an amazingly idiotic thing to say!
I know, I know…this game doesn’t matter. Creighton fans build this game up like it’s the defining moment for each programs’ season. But now, it doesn’t matter because Nebraska won at home. Doc Sadler is 2-1 against Dana “All Class” Altman. Wake up Creighton fans, Barry Collier is gone and things are going to go back to normal. I don’t know why this is such a shock to you all. Guess you got spoiled when Barry Collier was recruiting players who couldn’t even compete at the MVC level. Your “it’s 1-2 because of the schedule” comment is something I would expect from a Big Spin 590 douche. Hater.
Matt, you are now officially the typical Jays fan. I live in West Omaha, so I know a thing or two about the typical Jays fan.
Typical Jays fans do not get to tell me anything about being a 'basketball fan'. Creighton leases a newer arena that has a liquor license. When they were at the Civic, they were generally pulling between 5-7k most nights....even with decent teams. The fact that you can pull 9-11k more now with a team no better than the previous ones (in fact, probably worse teams) does not impress me. If you cannot admit that most of those additional 9-11k are there to see and be seen, you are either lying to yourself or are ignorant.
How many of those sweater wearing preppies can tell me who Tony Barone was? How about Benoit Benjamin? Willis Reed? Not too many I bet ya. Hell, I know more about Creighton basketball than the typical Jays fan.
No matter how you spin it....and you will undoubtedly spin it come monday....here is what it boils down to:
Doc - 2
Dana - 1
Scoreboard
By the way, your "battle for Nebraska recruits" slogan is proven wrong. You want to know how many points were scored by Nebraska kids last night? Seven.
Also, Josh Dotzler was not fouled on his last second "Hail Mary". You are really reaching.
Scoreboard.
Poor matty! Oh well just ask Travis to stick his two in your mouth and you'll feel all better in the morning.
I enjoyed the victory Saturday but it does not come even close to victories/upsets in the past over the likes of KU, OU or OSU.
I just don't see the "rivalry" you speak of. I will admit it has been exciting in the past to beat CU when they were ranked but more because it was an upset over a quality team and not a win over a rival.
On Monday most Husker fans, including those who were at the Bob Devaney, will be talking about a 57 yd field goal as opposed to a 2 pt victory over the Jays.
Yet I love to catch up on your blogs and comments. It’s interesting to witness your disdain with Doc and NU Basketball. At times it comes across as obsessive and a little angry.
I just don't get it....
I guess the best way for me to comment on your adamant belief in this huge CU/NU rivalry is to steal from John Cusak in Grosse Point Blanke
"Do you really believe that there's some stored up conflict that exists between us? There is no us. We don't exist....."
I don’t catch your program too often so this may be a topic which has been discussed many times before but would you or have you ever attempted to get Doc on your show?
I will continue to go to the NU games this year. It will be a long year, especially in conference play, but we've come a long way.
I am excited about the young talent we have and I am a huge fan and supporter of our coach.
Well anyway keep up the good work with your show. (I graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism so I’ve got a little bit of knowledge of what goes into putting together a show.) You definitely know your stuff and have a naturally ability/knack for what you do.
Thanks for your time.
Too funny...
Tells everyone to relax, then goes on a hate-filled rant.
Matt, I think you're the one that needs to relax.
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