Creighton Thread

[HuskerWeatherman]

May I ask an 'aside' question? I am a Marquette fan....and I go to their bulletin boards (not as much as here...lol) and I will say it would be a cold day in h*ll before anyone had a thread following the Badger game unless it was hoping that the Badgers crashed and burned.

The conventional wisdom there is that what is bad for Wisconsin is good for Marquette. (Press, instate recruiting etc)

So all that said......why the love for the Jays here?

When I was a resident of Nebraska (born and raised) -- and especially as a student at UNL -- I had no love for Creighton. However, as I've gotten older (and it's been nearly 20 years since I lived in Nebraska), I've learned to appreciate Creighton quite a bit. I don't see that as being anti-Nebraska (which is still my first love). Rather, I've gained another perspective in my pride for the state of Nebraska. (And, it's been a long, tough road following the Huskers for the past 10-12 years.)

Wisconsin is a different animal. They have all sorts of college and professional sports teams. Nebraska is much more limited. In fact, you could say that outside of the University of Nebraska teams, the next greatest interest comes from Creighton.

I really don't see Creighton's success taking away from Nebraska's. It really has nothing to do with the failures in Lincoln. Nebraska could make it much harder on Creighton than the other way around.

In the end, all things Nebraska are good in my book.

 

[BIGRED..CHEESEHED]

I was wondering if it was as simple as that.....

Theory in cheeseland is that if there is a good recruit to be had coming out of high school (in state) anything that would give the edge to 'your' team was all that mattered

I thought the same would hold true with Nebraska kids......Creighton falters....UNL and opportunity to play in Big Ten rises.....to the point where EVERY Nebraska kid would want to play in Lincoln - just like the football team...

But I do understand the immense pride people from Nebraska have to all their teams....Huskers or not

 

[GoBigfRed]

May I ask an 'aside' question? I am a Marquette fan....and I go to their bulletin boards (not as much as here...lol) and I will say it would be a cold day in h*ll before anyone had a thread following the Badger game unless it was hoping that the Badgers crashed and burned.

The conventional wisdom there is that what is bad for Wisconsin is good for Marquette. (Press, instate recruiting etc)

So all that said......why the love for the Jays here?

You'll see a Husker fan poke there head on this board from time to time, but the/a moderators in the past have openly stated that Creighton fans have free reign over this board until Nebraska has a "good" team, or something of that nature.

Most of the Husker fans find someplace else to share their basketball frustrations as well as their good times. This isn't that place. Most Husker fans either could care less, or not care at all for creighton.

It's "HuskerMax" in name only on the basketball board.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

I'm here frequently. Husker fan through and through; you'd be hard-pressed to find more than one person that might disagree with that.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

I was wondering if it was as simple as that.....

Theory in cheeseland is that if there is a good recruit to be had coming out of high school (in state) anything that would give the edge to 'your' team was all that mattered

I thought the same would hold true with Nebraska kids......Creighton falters....UNL and opportunity to play in Big Ten rises.....to the point where EVERY Nebraska kid would want to play in Lincoln - just like the football team...

But I do understand the immense pride people from Nebraska have to all their teams....Huskers or not

I have found (meeting Husker fans across the country), that those in-state tend to build more fences than the Nebraska natives living out of state. I have also found it to be a good perspective -- having experienced many years on both sides. Much less hate from me.

And for that matter, Tom Osborne and I are obviously linked. We both felt it was time for Doc to go. He also agreed with me on Mike Anderson last season. We're basically twins.

 

[Brew City Husker]

You'll see a Husker fan poke there head on this board from time to time, but the/a moderators in the past have openly stated that Creighton fans have free reign over this board until Nebraska has a "good" team, or something of that nature.

Most of the Husker fans find someplace else to share their basketball frustrations as well as their good times. This isn't that place. Most Husker fans either could care less, or not care at all for creighton.

It's "HuskerMax" in name only on the basketball board.

I almost never look on the basketball board. The current coaching change has stirred my interest. One question: Why is it that a medium sized Jesuit University in a rust-belt, rather ordinary, upper Midwest city like Milwaukee can produce basketball teams that make the sweet 16 while the University of Nebraska can't even qualify for the NCAA tournament? I mean seriously, Marquette is just not that great as a school, and Milwaukee is certainly nothing special. How does Marquette do it, and why can't Nebraska do it as well?

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

I almost never look on the basketball board. The current coaching change has stirred my interest. One question: Why is it that a medium sized Jesuit University in a rust-belt, rather ordinary, upper Midwest city like Milwaukee can produce basketball teams that make the sweet 16 while the University of Nebraska can't even qualify for the NCAA tournament? I mean seriously, Marquette is just not that great as a school, and Milwaukee is certainly nothing special. How does Marquette do it, and why can't Nebraska do it as well?

Marquette has a very long history of basketball excellence. 27th in all-time college basketball winning percentage. 30 NCAA Tournament appearances. 15 Sweet Sixteens. 6 Elite Eights. 3 Final Fours. 1 National Championship. And, they don't have a football program -- so full focus is on basketball.

Milwaukee is definitely much larger than anything in Nebraska. And Chicago is a short drive.

 

[bilsker]

I was wondering if it was as simple as that.....

Theory in cheeseland is that if there is a good recruit to be had coming out of high school (in state) anything that would give the edge to 'your' team was all that mattered

I thought the same would hold true with Nebraska kids......Creighton falters....UNL and opportunity to play in Big Ten rises.....to the point where EVERY Nebraska kid would want to play in Lincoln - just like the football team...

But I do understand the immense pride people from Nebraska have to all their teams....Huskers or not

My own reason is I've been a fan since I was 10. Over 30 years. You don't attend as many games as I did as a kid without becoming a fan. Some get it. Some are narrow minded. I couldn't care less what people think.

As for recruits...it's rare enough that it's not that big of a deal. Akoy is going to be a guy both programs are after in a big way. But, again, that's rare. Once (if) NU gets their crap in a pile there shouldn't be that much recruiting competition outside of the state...NU will be after totally different players than would normally consider CU.

 

[bilsker]

You'll see a Husker fan poke there head on this board from time to time, but the/a moderators in the past have openly stated that Creighton fans have free reign over this board until Nebraska has a "good" team, or something of that nature.

Most of the Husker fans find someplace else to share their basketball frustrations as well as their good times. This isn't that place. Most Husker fans either could care less, or not care at all for creighton.

It's "HuskerMax" in name only on the basketball board.

Go crawl back in your hole.

It's a basketball board. Basketball is an afterthought in this state...and on this BBS. Only a few people care enough to visit this board. Someday maybe the board will be full of husker talk like the football board. Until then I'm sure you can avoid this one thread a year.

 

[bilsker]

I almost never look on the basketball board. The current coaching change has stirred my interest. One question: Why is it that a medium sized Jesuit University in a rust-belt, rather ordinary, upper Midwest city like Milwaukee can produce basketball teams that make the sweet 16 while the University of Nebraska can't even qualify for the NCAA tournament? I mean seriously, Marquette is just not that great as a school, and Milwaukee is certainly nothing special. How does Marquette do it, and why can't Nebraska do it as well?

As HWM mentioned...Marquette has a long bball history. But they also give a damn. NU hasn't for a long time. Hopefully with shedding the anchor that has held NU back for the last 6 years and the new facilities...they can attract a coach who won't make excuses anymore.

 

[Brew City Husker]

Marquette has a very long history of basketball excellence. 27th in all-time college basketball winning percentage. 30 NCAA Tournament appearances. 15 Sweet Sixteens. 6 Elite Eights. 3 Final Fours. 1 National Championship. And, they don't have a football program -- so full focus is on basketball.

Milwaukee is definitely much larger than anything in Nebraska. And Chicago is a short drive.

I live in Milwaukee. I know all about it. Marquette does have an outstanding basketball tradition. Tradition, however is not enough to carry a program (See Callahan, Bill). The question really is how has Marquette been able to build this tradition while Nebraska has built next to nothing in terms of basketball? Marquette has not always been great, or even good in basketball (See Dukiet, Bob).

Maybe I should have started a new thread, but this seemed related to Creighton's success in basketball. I think I can answer my own question, but I wanted to throw this out for discussion.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

I live in Milwaukee. I know all about it. Marquette does have an outstanding basketball tradition. Tradition, however is not enough to carry a program (See Callahan, Bill). The question really is how has Marquette been able to build this tradition while Nebraska has built next to nothing in terms of basketball? Marquette has not always been great, or even good in basketball (See Dukiet, Bob).

Maybe I should have started a new thread, but this seemed related to Creighton's success in basketball. I think I can answer my own question, but I wanted to throw this out for discussion.

I just don't think you can compare Marquette to Nebraska basketball. They are two totally different animals. And as I said, Marquette is in/near a basketball hotbed. And that is the school's #1 sport. They've built a tradition than goes back several decades. It's a lot easier to maintain that than it is to start one. (Bill Callahan didn't kill a tradition -- as much as he sucked -- the program itself is -- and always will be -- bigger than any one coach.)

If the question was simply: why does Nebraska have next to no basketball tradition... that would be fair. Yes, Nebraska has no excuse for being so pitiful for so long. But to expect them to be on the same plane as Marquette -- I just don't see that.

 

[bilsker]

I live in Milwaukee. I know all about it. Marquette does have an outstanding basketball tradition. Tradition, however is not enough to carry a program (See Callahan, Bill). The question really is how has Marquette been able to build this tradition while Nebraska has built next to nothing in terms of basketball? Marquette has not always been great, or even good in basketball (See Dukiet, Bob).

Maybe I should have started a new thread, but this seemed related to Creighton's success in basketball. I think I can answer my own question, but I wanted to throw this out for discussion.

Worth discussing. NU has simply never had many good coaches. Danny did what he did...and it was pretty good there for a while but NU never got over the hump. Then collier and Sadler came along and successfully squashed any passion anybody might have had for the program. You mention Bob Dukiet. The thing is he floundered for 3 years and was apparently shown the door. NU, on the other hand put up with 6 years of slop from Collier and were poised to put up with a 7th. Programs that take basketball seriously don't do that. Sadler, in his FOURTH year, went 2-14 in conference. Programs that take basketball seriously don't do that.

If this next coach is dead last in year 4 he should be axed. Period.

 

[Brew City Husker]

As HWM mentioned...Marquette has a long bball history. But they also give a damn. NU hasn't for a long time. Hopefully with shedding the anchor that has held NU back for the last 6 years and the new facilities...they can attract a coach who won't make excuses anymore.

Bingo!!! We have a winner. It's all about the coach. Repeat, it's all about the coach. It's all about making the correct hire. The Buzz Williams of the world can recruit the guys they need to Milwaukee, Lincoln, Omaha, Kamchatka or Timbuktu. Have you watched Marquette play? Have you watched Buzz Williams coach? I have no doubt that Buzz Williams could be as successful at Nebraska as he is at Marquette, not that Nebraska could hire him at this point. And Marquette took a complete flyer in hiring him. He was a nobody in the coaching world.

Until Nebraska finds that guy, and spends the money to hire that guy, they will continue to be a football school only. There is no reason that has to happen. Nebraska is in position now to get the right guy. New arena. New practice facility (Nebraska's facilities make Marquette's look like high school). New conference. Now is the time!!! Whether it is Chaka Smart (doubt it), Buzz Williams (may as well try for Roy Williams), or the next Buzz Williams, never has the opportunity been better to get it right.

 

[Brew City Husker]

I just don't think you can compare Marquette to Nebraska basketball. They are two totally different animals. And as I said, Marquette is in/near a basketball hotbed. And that is the school's #1 sport. They've built a tradition than goes back several decades. It's a lot easier to maintain that than it is to start one. (Bill Callahan didn't kill a tradition -- as much as he sucked -- the program itself is -- and always will be -- bigger than any one coach.)

If the question was simply: why does Nebraska have next to no basketball tradition... that would be fair. Yes, Nebraska has no excuse for being so pitiful for so long. But to expect them to be on the same plane as Marquette -- I just don't see that.

Why not? The lack of expectation from the fan base, the university, and in the coaching staff that the university hires has been the root cause of the lack of success up to this point. Nebraska's resources are so much greater than Marquette's. So much greater. It is simply a matter of hiring the right coach and properly supporting him. Nebraska has never done either.