SPORTS
Mad Chatter, Feb. 27

Good thing Wisconsin doesn’t play baseball.

In Monday’s Chatter, I had a little fun with Iowa fans in regard to Nebraska’s domination of the Hawkeyes. But in terms of sheer embarrassment, the Badgers’ recent Husker whippings stand alone.

Not only did Wisconsin football rudely welcome Nebraska to the Big Ten a year ago, 48-17. Not only did the Badgers embarrass Big Red in December’s Big Ten title game. (If not for the third quarter in September, the football rivalry would really look ugly). But in four UW/NU basketball games over the past 14 months, the Huskers have scored 40, 45, 41 and 44 points.

Even Moe Iba thinks that’s bad.

In last night’s game, Nebraska went on an 8-0 run. And later, a 7-0 …

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Tom’s Friday Tailgate

1. Before I left the Devaney Center last Saturday night, I sat down on one of the Jack Nicholson seats at courtside and tried to take it all in. There was a good chance this was my last hoops game at the Devaney Center.

I was looking for ghosts. I kept seeing Beau Reid, the sharp-shooting kid from Ohio, take down national-champ-to-be Kansas in 1988, and who would have ever guessed where KU was headed after that? I kept repeating the image of Alonzo Jamison picking up a steal and racing downcourt for a game-clinching dunk at the buzzer, but here comes Bruce Chubick sprinting behind him, timing his last-second leap perfectly to block Jamison at the buzzer. What a play. My all-time play at the …

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Tom’s Friday Tailgate

1. It’s fitting, in a way, that Michigan State is the opponent for Nebraska’s Legends Weekend, in this last year of the Devaney Center. Sure, it might be more fitting to have Norm Stewart or Billy Tubbs take one more bow. But Sparty was the opponent for one of the most important non-conference wins in Nebraska history: the Huskers’ 71-69 win over fifth-ranked MSU on Nov. 28, 1990. Yes, the Spartans were ranked fifth. Big deal. The Big Eight Conference back then brought the N0. 1-5 teams to the Devaney Center each year. But a lot of people thought Danny Nee had his best team entering that season. It would turn out to be the greatest team in NU history, with all due respect to …

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Tom’s Friday Tailgate

1. I don’t think Creighton is a soft team. You don’t win 20 games by Feb. 1, with the target on your back, by being soft. But the target is weighing on Creighton. You have to show up every game. This team has a serious soft streak and when it comes out, it’s not pretty. It was expected that Indiana State would give its best shot against CU, and that included a “black out” (why black? I have no idea) by the crowd. An ISU win wasn’t going to be an upset. The Sycamores played with their hair on fire, played like they had to have it.

What was disappointing is seeing CU take it without fighting back. There are times when this team doesn’t fight …

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Tom’s Super Tailgate

I’m not a betting man, but I like to watch. That in mind, these Super Bowl “prop” bets are strictly for my entertainment. Hopefully, yours, too.

1. How long will it take Alicia Keys to sing the National Anthem (Over/Under at 2:15): I’ll take the overs. Keys can belt out a song and will get into the moment.

2. Will either Jack or Jackie Harbaugh be shown on TV wearing any clothing with a 49er or Ravens logo? I’ll say yes, they each wear a logo from one of the teams.

3. How many times will the name “Harbaugh” be said during the game? (O/U 20 1/2): Over, I’ll say 25. Including Jack.

4. New category: What will be the highest tweet-per-second rate during the …

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Tom’s Friday Tailgate

1. All is quiet on the Hilltop. Maybe too quiet? After a Nebraska football loss, the email rings off the hook. Fans demand answers. Creighton loses two, including a bad one at Drake, and I haven’t heard much of anything, except from a Husker fan wanting to know why nobody goes after CU after a loss like they do Nebraska. Sigh. Basketball is different, plain and simple. One or two losses don’t wreck a season. I get that. I also think the expectation level is different with CU hoops. I’m holding off until Sunday’s game to see what the Jays do next. But the loss to Drake will leave a mark. That puts CU in position of the hunter in the Valley race. Do we expect …

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Tom’s Friday Tailgate

1. This is not necessarily a must-win for Creighton today at Koch Arena. There’s plenty of hoops left and a loss to Wichita State would mean the two are tied at the top of the Valley. And the Shox come to Omaha on Senior Day (Doug McDermott Senior Day?). But if you’re a special team, if this is your season, then this is a game Creighton must win. This is a chance for a big road win, high RPI opponent, future seeding, etc. But the stakes start with the Valley regular-season title. Creighton has won that a total of three times since Dana Altman arrived in 1994.

Certainly, the Jays don’t need to win the Valley to make the NCAA’s. But they can help their …

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Tom’s Friday Tailgate (UNO Hockey Edition)

Dean Blais put his team on a plane to Denver on Thursday. Then he climbed into the truck for the eight-hour drive to the Mile High City and UNO hockey’s biggest series of the year.

The Equipment Truck.

Why?

“Why not?” Blais said with that toothy grin.

There’s an old-school quality to everything Blais does that is endearing and just plain fun. You can only imagine Blais kicking back, riding shotgun, and entertaining the driver with stories of magical winter nights in cozy Minnesota and North Dakota hockey barns. You could probably make another “Slap Shot” movie with the material.

Yes, Blais is old-school hockey, and that adds a twist to the current situation the coach and his Mavericks find themselves.

The coach played at Minnesota, …

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Mid-week musings

1. I only have two problems with today’s Baseball Hall of Fame non-announcement. One, Dale Murphy didn’t get in. That’s silly. Second, a lot of the same writers who either looked the other way in the steroid era, or didn’t look hard enough, shouldn’t get to pass judgement now on the alleged culprits. I don’t think those that cheated should get in. I’d just like to see more balance in the voting process, include some baseball people, and players. Sure, players have agendas and old grudges. So do writers.

2. Great effort. Valiant game. Moral victory. Those cliches get tired with Husker Hoops. But NU should feel good about its game at Michigan. That’s where the program is now. Key to survival this …

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Plenty of topics to chat about

If it’s Sunday night, I finally have the computer at home. First, a reminder that my Monday Lunch with Tom chat is back tomorrow, at noon. As always, I’m buying. Feel free to bring up:

1. The Capital One Bowl: We’ve only rehashed it for a week. I’m sure there’s something we’ve missed. Warning: I’m optimistic about next season. Feel free to debate.

2. Bluejay Hoops: The Blue Bus rolls on. Will this team lose? It’s hard to see. But keep in mind, CU has had at least four Valley losses a season since 1989. But, still …

3. First-place Mavs: I know this isn’t the first time UNO has been in first place in their league, but is it the latest they’ve been in …

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