An Explanation - Best I Can Do

As many of you know, tomorrow will be our last edition of the "Big Show with Matt Perrault" on Big Sports 590.  I can't believe it either but I've been living by a saying over the last few days that I think is appropriate: "Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened".  Its little girly I know but - that's me :).  

Our first show was on April 25th, 2005.  I was 27 when I came to Omaha from WUMP in Huntsville and was in a relationship with a girl that was back in Alabama that caused me a lot of issues - most of which never made the air.  1 episode - unfortunately - did on Todd and Tyler one morning.  That was the low point of my time here in Omaha and forced me to move mentally to Omaha.  Once that happened, a lot good things fell into place.  Omaha became home and quickly became the best place I've ever worked. 

Some of you of have known about this news for a few weeks and I really appreciate all the love you have shown to me.  There was a internet report that came out that detailed some ratings numbers that made it sound like the show wasn't doing well and maybe that was why the show is over.  I just want everyone to know that this show was doing very well in all areas.  Sales were up.  Ratings were good. And the show was more popular than ever.  Sure, we did our best during Creighton basketball season but that is why the station was put on the air.  We "hung our hat" on Creighton basketball as my old boss would say during our first years.  But in life, nothing stays the same - that goes 2 fold for radio.  

I found out on December 30th that I was being let go at the end of March.  I can not tell you exactly why Journal decided to not renew my contract.  It was a process that I wasn't a part of - only affected by.   What I can tell you and what I do want you to know is that I fought for 4 months to stay and keep the show going.  I went as far as to offer to reduce my salary by 2/3 which was ultimately rejected.  We made the company money but radio is sick right now.  Our other properties are really suffering - thus cuts had to be made.  Downsizing is never fun but local radio is a labor of love.  You have to want to make it succeed and do the little things to be successful.  That's not the nature of my industry at the moment.  

I am leaving Omaha with my head held very high.  We did everything we were suppose to do but sometimes, when you work for someone else, you end up on the cutting room floor.  Creighton basketball will always be special to me as will the fans of the Jays.  I felt like the show was a place for them to hear about their program and hear players, coaches, and media members talk about the Jays.  I wanted the Jays' fans to feel on the same level as Nebraska for once because I saw them that way.  It made my job a ton of fun.

As for my next step, I don't think I will be out of work for too long.  It's funny, in January I was a finalist for a Top 20 market job on the West Coast and truly thought I was leaving Omaha.  I was sad then to leave and I'm just as sad now to leave without a new job.  Yet, a lot has changed for me professionally over the past 2 years in Omaha and I am truly excited about what is in front of me.  I'm ready for something new.  

I want to say thank you to everyone who has ever read this blog, emailed me, or listened to the show over the years.  I know we haven't always agreed on issues but that's part of being a talk show host.  Omaha is filled with some of the nicest people I've ever met.  To those of you outside of Omaha that I never got a chance to meet, thank you as well for listening every afternoon.  

There is someone who doesn't get talked about enough that I want to thank.  Brian Delehant, the producer of the Big Show, is responsible for the show working here in Omaha.   I want to thank him so much for his hard work and putting up with my moody ass.  Seriously, the kid has been my shrink with my relationships with girls, has been my priest when I was mad at myself for being stupid, and my friend to go drink a pint with after work.  I'll miss working with him and wish him nothing but the best.  He's the best producer a talk show host could ask for.  He just gets it.

In closing, I'm so proud of what we did in just 4 years.  From starting the first ever call-in show for the Jays post game, to raising $25,000 for the victims of the Westroads shootings, to bringing an injured Nebraska service man back from North Carolina to see the Huskers play USC for not a penny out of his pocket, to helping the downtown stadium project become a reality - The Big Show left its mark.  

As a talk show host, that's all you try to do.  I will miss you all and as always - thanks for listening. 

Yours,

mp 

  

PS:  Here are my top 5 sports moments over the past 4 years - feel free to share your at Matt@bigsports590.com

5. Jays play Kentucky in the NIT 

4. Nebraska vs. USC in LA (Live from Jim Rome's Studios)

3. Steve Pederson gets fired 

2. Tom Osborne comes back as AD

1. Dana Altman comes back 

Honorable mention : Jays beat URI in the NIT on Witter's shot, Jays beat SIU in Overtime with crazy finish, Nebraska hires Bo Pelini, Huskers nearly beat Top 5 Texas Tech on the road, Ripping on Doc Sadler :), Jays kill Nebraska at the Qwest Center - more I'm forgetting I'm sure....

Music. My first love....why aren't you watching Palladia?

As a 31 year old, about to be 32 year old male who grew up in Boston in the 90's, art, specifically music, had tremendous influence on my life. I still remember my first album that I bought when I was just 9 years old. Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi was my first experience to my life long love. I will never forget holding the tape cover and trying to figure what the hell the title meant. I knew (I was 9 remember) that I had seen a sign on the bridge over the train tracks by my house but I knew there was something else to it because of the look my mother made when she saw it. The tape was white and I would buy a hundred more like it, often times wearing the tape out I'd play it so much.

By the time I was 13, I would have 3 shoe boxes full of tapes. I would spend any extra money that I would get on music. I was immediately drawn to the Sony Walkman and bought several during those years. It was my personal escape from the world. It was not a coincidence that the discovery of music coincided with my mother and father getting divorced and then my mother getting remarried. Music is what helped me get through it all. The lyrics, the sharing of pain, the anger, the passion and the energy from sound all helped me cope. Then came the explosion of grunge music which would change my life.

At 15, I was working odd jobs to just buy music and was dedicated to finding new bands before anyone else. I bought a CD by a band named Cracker after hearing their first single on the radio - "Teen Angst" (no surprise there). I had become obsessed with a radio station named WFNX in Boston and had heard that song and immediately got my mother to drive to Salem, New Hampshire so I could buy it at Newbury Comics. (I would later intern at WFNX for Laurie Gail who was then their Music Director during the summer between my Freshmen and Sophomore years at UMass and personally contribute thousands to building the Newbury Comics empire in New England). WFNX said that Cracker was playing an all ages show at a local club called Avalon which is located directly behind Fenway Park. This would be the first team that sports and music became neighbors in my life. I bought a ticket the next day....1 ticket.

You have to realize that at this time in my life, I was really a loner. My father was a alcoholic who verbally and physically abused my mother, brother and myself. I was completely ashamed of my life. We lived in a upper middle class town that had lots of "traditional" families. I was the child of a 18 year old mom and 20 year old dad. My mother was remarried to a guy who was many years her younger. Today, this isn't that crazy but in Andover in 1990 - it was unique. I had a hard time making friends and trusting anyone. So when it came time for me to go to my first rock concert - I didn't have anyone to go with me.....so - I went by myself. Later on I would find a group of friends that loved music as much as me but that would be after I stopped walking around school with my headphones on and my hat pulled down over the my eyes.

Looking back on it now, it's crazy that my mother allowed me at 15 to get on the train and then on the Green line to go to an all ages show in Boston by myself. Yet, I would do it numerous times in high school and it allowed the freedom to discover the power of live music and the power of the microphone and stage. It had a huge affect on me as I would see concerts alone by bands like Helmet, Bush, Oasis, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Mighty Mighty Bosstones before anyone really had heard of them. I was the first one in my high school rocking their CD on my Diskman. It was my "thing" and I realized that I could do things by myself and gain confidence from the experiences. No one else from my town that was my age was going into Boston to clubs like Axis, Avalon or Paradise for concerts. (I didn't realize it but it was the precursor to my career of moving around the country alone for radio). The strength that my mother let me find I'm sure was difficult for her but as a mother of 2, working 2 jobs and going to school to become a nurse - I'm sure she was just happy that I found a way to spend my time that wasn't involving the drugs or alcohol that my father exposed me to early in life.

The reason I bring all this up is because there is a channel that is out there that people aren't watching enough. That channel is called Palladia. If you haven't watched it before - you really need to start because it is so unique and amazing (Channel 840 in Omaha on Cox). I've been to over 300 concerts in my life and this channel is full of incredible live musical performances from the past 15 years. I get fired up every time I turn the channel on to see what is on and what will be coming up. It's my favorite channel on TV right now. VH1 Storytellers is seen daily with acts like Pearl Jam, Snoop Dog, Kayne West, and REM. Interviews with key artists and rocking concerts from all over the world - ALL IN HD! It's heaven for me.

I can see amazing concerts from acts that I've seen numerous times and it allows me to go back to when I was that kid jumping on trains to go see shows by myself. I had a obsession with Oasis in High School - seeing them 10 times but Palladia has a concert from last year that is crazy good. I'm a huge fan of British music and the concerts from across the pond are great on Palladia. Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash, Lily Allen, and others can be seen every week. From concerts to festivals to special music programming - there is nothing like it on TV. Remember when everyone bitched about MTV not being about music? Well, Palladia is all about the music.

As someone who buys 2 albums a week on Itunes and goes to around a concert a month - I'm really nervous that Palladia won't make it like other great HD channels. 3 Sheets was an amazing TV show that people didn't get exposed to enough and it got cancelled. I don't want to see Palladia suffer the same fate.....so WATCH! I've had passionate relationships with bands like Pearl Jam, U2, REM, Ani Difranco, and Oasis and Palladia is allowing me to keep those going.

Let me continue to be moved by the amazing music that is out there every night by watching Palladia!

BTW - Can't wait for Death Cab for Cutie in 2 weeks at the Holland!

What the hell is that?!

Reporter going after Billy G in Lexington - Chasing him!

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/41921377.html#

My Little Bro Makes Good...

Check this out. http://bostonsportsu18.com/ It's a website that allows kids to write their sports thoughts....my brother - Colin Norris - wrote on the NCAA tournament....pretty cool!  We are proud of him!

Sprinting To The End...

Here is where I will be over the next few days in case you want to come out and talk to me:

Wednesday: 7 to 9 at Hooter's for Trivia Night (125th and Center)
Thursday: 2 to 6 pm Rusty Eck Ford
Friday: 2 to 6 pm Two Fine Irishmen (180th and Q)
Saturday: 10 to noon Menard's in Fremont

Thanks for the emails, voicemails, and handshakes...hope to see you out at one of the upcoming events...

Jays vs. Kentucky Is Going To Be Very Interesting...

So have you looked at the NIT bracket lately?  3 No. 1 seeds are in the 3rd round....the only one that is not....Yup - Creighton.  And standing in the way for the Jays?  Oh - just the 7 time National Championship Kentucky Wildcats.  

There will be 17,000 people in the Qwest Center tomorrow night.  If it's my last game covering the Jays - at least it was Kentucky!  

Pregame show begins at 2 pm...Yup - 2 pm.  A Beat Kentucky Pep Rally will hit you with the CU Band and Pep team live from Farrell's - 9th and Dodge.  McGough Law Bluejay Report at 4:30.  Tip at 6.  

Go Jays....

"I'd rather do nothing and be happy than do something that I don't really love"....well, I love my job .

Check This Out

Here is a cool story on our Beat Kentucky Party on Monday at Farrell's.  We talked to this writer on the show today:

Jays vs. Kentucky story

Kentucky People. Kentucky.

So that wasn't fun was it.  After ten minutes of NIT basketball, the Creighton Bluejays looked everything but a team that was on the bubble of the NCAA's.  Bricks, blown D, Open 3 buried by Bowling Green...Jays were down by 14 points and headed out of the NIT.  

Well, thank god for home crowds cause Creighton used a sling-shot energy thrust from the nearly 10,000 fans to get a hold of the game vs. Bowling Green.  2 3's helped the Jays get the game on their side.  1 from Justin Carter to give the Jays their first lead of the game and another from Booker Woodfox which sent the crowd into a frenzy.  

2 point win.  2 point win vs. Bowling Green at home!  YUCK.  Creighton was for 0 for 11 from 3 in the first half but they hit 5 in the 2nd half.  Huge.  And now....well...now the winningest program in NCAA basketball history is coming to Omaha.  Kentucky.  FREAKING KENTUCKY!!  Owner of 7 National Championships.  Rupp, Pitino, Antoine Walker, Jamal Mashburn etc....wow.

There is only one thing to do for Monday night on ESPN at 6 pm - and that is SELL OUT THE QWEST CENTER!  Tickets are available now on Ticketmaster.com.  I can't wait for Monday.  Get ready for the Super Bowl of Creighton Basketball!!  Creighton vs. Kentucky!  Wow.

Selection Sunday Means N.I.T. For CU

The field of 65 was revealed today and the Creighton Bluejays are not in the NCAA Tournament.  I don't have a problem with that at all given who got in.  Sure, Arizona didn't beat anyone on the road but they have wins vs. teams in that simply don't match up for Creighton.  Penn. St, St. Mary's, New Mexico, and San Diego St all were left out.  I put the Jays in ahead of all of them so I can't complain if CU is out too. 

The real issue is that only 4 mid-majors got at large bids.  In 2004, 12 got at large bids.  It's a huge problem.  As Barry Hinson once said "we are the magic" - talking about the Mid-majors in the NCAA Tournament.  To fix this problem, I would get rid of the auto-qualifier for the Conference tourneys.  If you are good - you get in.  Not hot for 4 games...but hot for 30.  Better indication of the quality of a basketball team.  Xavier, Dayton, BYU, and Butler - that's it.  Sad.  

The silver lining is that the Jays are now a No. 1 seed in the N.I.T.  The Jays HAVE to show up and show that they did belong in the conversation....and get this - KENTUCKY might be coming to OMAHA!  Or - Dana will see his old friend Lon Krueger at UNLV.  AWESOME!!  This is what the Jays needed to focus and get ready for Bowling Green.  

Nebraska is in the same bracket.....The Huskers might have a shot to get to play the Jays in Omaha for a chance to go to New York.  However, they have to win at New Mexico and then at Notre Dame before they even would get a chance to play CU.  

In 3 games, Creighton could see Bowling Green, Kentucky and then Notre Dame at the Qwest Center...are you kidding me!!  That's awesome!!  

Flu is awful....

Just wanted to update you all  - I'm out with the Flu again today.  I was asleep for most of yesterday but today I just feel like a truck ran me over.  I apologize - awful time to get sick but I should be back tomorrow.  I haven't had the flu is years and I hope to never again.  I was asleep for 20 of the last 24 hours....

Some Great Jays' NCAA Reads and Listens:

America Needs More Woodfox!

March 10th - ESPN Prediction on CU

Good Article by a local writer in Nebraska on CU's situation

Big Show friend Gary Parrish of CBS Sportsline is mad that CU is getting Votes in the AP Poll still

And he now agrees with me that St. Mary's should be out

Jerry Palm of CBS Sportsline and CollegeRPI.com on the Big Show Monday after the MVC Tourney and I blow apart Penn St and St. Mary's resume's

Want some Sunshine CU fans? Here is Sunshine

Finally - the show is now on Twitter

Home and Heartbreak

1 game of magic.  1 game of disaster.  Kinda sums up the season for the Creighton Bluejays.  Flip a coin and that's the likely hood of seeing the Jays in the NCAA Tournament.  My opinion - they have done enough to get in (Joe Lunardi disagrees) but the next time I'm in committee room will be the first.  But let's look at the resume of CU as of this morning. 

26-7.  Good RPI 38. Very Good. SOS 114.  Not Good.  14-4 in the MVC.  OK  Co-Champs of the Valley.  Good.  Record. Top 50 - 2-0.  Not bad but not enough.  8-4 on the road.  Very good.  1 loss on a nuetral floor vs. 4 wins.  Ok.  

With all of that...you would think I would say they are a lock.  However, with mid-major teams, you CAN NOT give the committee a reason to keep you out.  With the BCS schools, they look for a reasons to keep them in.  Mid-majors don't get that luxury.  Getting blasted in the semi-finals of the MVC tourney could be that reason that keeps CU out of the tournament.  

The question will now be how many of the 34 at large spots are available after this weekend.  Mid-major 1 bid leagues need to won by the favorite...all of them.  I predict the Jays will be 1 of 4 or 5 teams that will be up for a 1 or 2 bids in the field.  The loss to Illinois St.  was U-G-L-Y but maybe in 10 days the affect will wear off.  I don't know though....73-49 is pretty striking.   

7 losses.  2 to Ill St.  Ark. Little Rock.  @ Wichita.  Drake.....

26 wins.  Dayton, New Mexico @ St Joe's, @ UNI, 9 straight win streak- a 11 gamer as well......

That top line is heavier than the bottom one unfortunately.  Prediction:  Last 4 out but not dead yet.  

UPDATE FROM THE MVC::  Get this!!

Assuming Howard and Southern Illinois were not Top 65 teams in 1987 and 1990, respectively (pre-RPI) ...  No eligible team with an RPI of 64 or better, 26 wins, and from a Top 10 league has been omitted from the NCAA Tournament.

Creighton's RPI is 39 today.   MVC ranks No. 9
First number is team RPI, conference RPI is in parentheses.

Teams             Year          W-L     RPI
#UNLV             1992  26-2    15 (Ineligible) (11)
Howard          1987            26-5    Before RPI
S.F. Austin             2008            26-5    64 (17)
Southern Illinois       1990            26-7    Before RPI
Akron                   2007            26-7    67 (14)
IUPUI                   2008            26-7    69 (22)
Robert Morris   2008            26-7    135 (24)

ON A HAPPIER NOTE:   Check my Mom!!  

That's an article in the Boston Globe about what my mother does!!!  Very Proud of her today!

Booker Woodfox. That's All You Have To Say....

I write this the morning after.  I write this is in disbelief.  I write this still here in St. Louis.  

The Jays did their best to choke away an NCAA tourney bid, a 22 point lead, and a season that was filled with ups and downs.  We have never seen a comeback in the MVC tourney like the one Wichita St. did last night but we also got our first real "Madness" moment this March.  

Credit goes to Valley Commish Doug Elgin who went OVERBOARD to make sure that everyone knew that Booker's shot at the buzzer was legit - no matter what Double G says.  He allowed 2 columnists to watch the video with a stop watch.  Elgin knows that Marshall is extremely unpopular here in St. Louis with the Valley.  Most fans hate him and the Valley wanted to make sure there was no doubt about the clock malfunction's affect on the outcome.  It didn't.  

1.5 is what it took for Book to send Jays fans into a Morgan St. Mardi Gras.  Creighton fans are here in St. Louis by the thousands and they got to stay around, even if there is a twinge of guilt inside their stomachs.  22 point lead!  The Jays up 13 with 10 minutes to play just stopped playing but the Refs also stopped calling fouls as well.  P'Allen Stinnett had 5 second half turnovers but he also got mugged several times without a whistle.  Cavel Witter also suffered the same abuse.  It was a football game out there for about 8 minutes.  That allowed the comeback and the historic shot so I guess we should say thank you.  

Number 1 play on SportsCenter.  Number 1 moment in my 4 years in Omaha.  It happened right in front of me.  I had sweated out 39 minutes 58.1 seconds and I still can't believe we were in that situation last night.  

Greggggg cried afterwards.  Literally.  Cried.  He said that the ball should never had been the Jays'.  WRONG.  Antoine Young's crazy drive was right in front of me and Clevin Hannah knocked the ball out.  Right call.  1.9 left and Booker was just Booker.  But no tears will change that the shot was legit and so was the win.  Now, Creighton must play Ill. St. and then probably UNI.  The only way to apologize for the awful collapse is win the whole darn thing now.  Pregame at 2:30 today for the Jays vs. RedBirds.  

Live History

So I have to thanks Rep. Lee Terry for the passes to check out the Senate floor today but what my family and I witnesses was amazing.  Most of the time - you come to Washington DC and don't get to see anything newsworthy.  Not today.... 

When I sat down inside the Senate chamber, I looked down from our perch and saw that Senator John McCain of Arizona was in the room and preparing to speak.  I was aware that the Senate was debating the new Obama spending plan and fireworks could happen.  There were only about 5 Senators in the building but it got heated in the room real quick.

Read about it here.

It was awesome to listen to it in person...now, I disagreed with a lot of it but learning and watching history happen was truly inspiring about our democracy.  

It's Coming!

March to the Arch!!!

Big 12 Counter: 6-8 NIT here Nebraska comes but they need to win at least 1 more game this year to be sure of that.