Creighton 50, Nebraska 48
I’m sitting at the desk, pondering my next move. What should I write? What should I do? I have no emotion on my face, save for a blank stare as I contemplate how to put into words my extreme pleasure with another Creighton victory over Nebraska. When I’m not typing, my hands move to the sides of my head, as if I’m trying to prevent an onslaught of migraine headaches.
I guess I look a lot like Barry Collier.
It is too arduous a task to put into words how I feel about this win. I don't like Nebraska basketball. I grew up watching Danny Nee’s Husker teams dispose of the Jays as if they were merely dingy floor mats on the Huskers’ way to the Big 8 and Big 12 conference seasons. My detest for NU hoops grew from a jealousy of basketball talent, success, and media coverage. While life as a Jays fan has been great during the recent regular season meetings between CU and NU, my negative feelings boiled over as I sat in my seats last March and watched Nebraska’s Nate Johnson dance off the Qwest Center court in front of me, celebrating a Nebraska victory in the NIT and the end of Creighton’s season.
I have friends that love Husker hoops. I love watching Husker football. But Creighton has been, is, and forever will be a cornerstone in my life. But I will be satisfied with nothing less than a non-conference road win over a sub-par BCS-conference team ripe for the beating. End of story.
The thing is, Collier helped out today. He didn’t get between the Jays and the victory; he sealed the deal.
Let me get this straight. Your opponent has two "centers," with each in serious foul trouble from the 10 minute mark of the first half on. You have a 6'10" center with great hands and an amazing ability to grab offensive rebounds, and he scores the first 4 points of the game for your team. He puts up 6 points and 7 rebounds, on his way to a double-double (which he has a couple of already this season), when you inexplicably take him out of the game. You pull him from the lineup, leaving a worn-down senior from Council Bluffs and a 6'9" guard from Grand Island to anchor the paint for your team. As your team’s lead withers away, the 6'10" center stays on the bench, not able to rebound from the pine or affect the opponents’ shots in the paint. And then you lose.
Sounds like a great piece of coaching, huh. I don’t mean to be so negative toward Collier, but the scenario above is just another indication that come crunch time, Collier is not the coach a team would want leading the way. Lead is a strong word, too, because many times all you see is Collier sitting on the bench, head in his hands, trying to figure out how a school from a mid-major conference comes down to Lincoln and wins for the third straight time.
But that is what makes Dana Altman so special. He was clearly not pleased with the way his team played. The Jays’ offense disappeared for the second straight game, and once again they were out rebounded and completely dominated in the paint. But Altman didn’t stop coaching. He is vocal – whether positive or negative – and he lets his team know that he is there for each and every player on the squad. You never get the sense that Altman has quit on his squad, and for that his players repay him with hustle and hard work. Things were not going Creighton’s way for the first 30 minutes of the game, but that didn’t keep Tyler McKinney, Kellen Miliner, and Nate Funk from picking up the Jays – and the entire population of Creighton supporters watching or listening to the game across the nation – and carrying them to victory.
I will pick Creighton to beat Nebraska each and every time they play, and I won’t make that decision based on player talent, skill, height, or depth. I will go with the Jays every time because of Altman. He is the quintessential collegiate basketball head coach, and it is for this simple reason – he puts in as much effort and sweat for his team as he expects from them. He is the reason the Jays won today, and he is the reason the Jays will continue to win for years to come.
I guess I look a lot like Barry Collier.
It is too arduous a task to put into words how I feel about this win. I don't like Nebraska basketball. I grew up watching Danny Nee’s Husker teams dispose of the Jays as if they were merely dingy floor mats on the Huskers’ way to the Big 8 and Big 12 conference seasons. My detest for NU hoops grew from a jealousy of basketball talent, success, and media coverage. While life as a Jays fan has been great during the recent regular season meetings between CU and NU, my negative feelings boiled over as I sat in my seats last March and watched Nebraska’s Nate Johnson dance off the Qwest Center court in front of me, celebrating a Nebraska victory in the NIT and the end of Creighton’s season.
I have friends that love Husker hoops. I love watching Husker football. But Creighton has been, is, and forever will be a cornerstone in my life. But I will be satisfied with nothing less than a non-conference road win over a sub-par BCS-conference team ripe for the beating. End of story.
The thing is, Collier helped out today. He didn’t get between the Jays and the victory; he sealed the deal.
Let me get this straight. Your opponent has two "centers," with each in serious foul trouble from the 10 minute mark of the first half on. You have a 6'10" center with great hands and an amazing ability to grab offensive rebounds, and he scores the first 4 points of the game for your team. He puts up 6 points and 7 rebounds, on his way to a double-double (which he has a couple of already this season), when you inexplicably take him out of the game. You pull him from the lineup, leaving a worn-down senior from Council Bluffs and a 6'9" guard from Grand Island to anchor the paint for your team. As your team’s lead withers away, the 6'10" center stays on the bench, not able to rebound from the pine or affect the opponents’ shots in the paint. And then you lose.
Sounds like a great piece of coaching, huh. I don’t mean to be so negative toward Collier, but the scenario above is just another indication that come crunch time, Collier is not the coach a team would want leading the way. Lead is a strong word, too, because many times all you see is Collier sitting on the bench, head in his hands, trying to figure out how a school from a mid-major conference comes down to Lincoln and wins for the third straight time.
But that is what makes Dana Altman so special. He was clearly not pleased with the way his team played. The Jays’ offense disappeared for the second straight game, and once again they were out rebounded and completely dominated in the paint. But Altman didn’t stop coaching. He is vocal – whether positive or negative – and he lets his team know that he is there for each and every player on the squad. You never get the sense that Altman has quit on his squad, and for that his players repay him with hustle and hard work. Things were not going Creighton’s way for the first 30 minutes of the game, but that didn’t keep Tyler McKinney, Kellen Miliner, and Nate Funk from picking up the Jays – and the entire population of Creighton supporters watching or listening to the game across the nation – and carrying them to victory.
I will pick Creighton to beat Nebraska each and every time they play, and I won’t make that decision based on player talent, skill, height, or depth. I will go with the Jays every time because of Altman. He is the quintessential collegiate basketball head coach, and it is for this simple reason – he puts in as much effort and sweat for his team as he expects from them. He is the reason the Jays won today, and he is the reason the Jays will continue to win for years to come.
posted by Creighton Otter at 7:12 PM
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