[Husker] Roundballers

[Darin Mattke]

Dave,
Thanks for bringing more attention to the basketball program and requesting
more specific critique of the games and system.  I no longer live in
Nebraska and would like to see a more in-depth analysis of our team from
fans.  This forum allows us to concentrate on more specifics than the media
can do, even if it is 'amateur' opinion, speculation or random thoughts.
Having concrete criticisms gives us all more to think about and discuss.

I hope more will offer their thoughts on the basketball program and
critiques of the games!

BTW, I'm just as excited about signing day - I can follow multiple threads!
;-)
Darin
Husker in the ATX
(Austin, Texas)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <NUStLNorris at aol.com>
To: <husker at tssi.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 11:44 PM
Subject: Fwd: [Husker] Roundballers


> In a message dated 1/30/05 3:53:46 PM Central Standard Time,
> rrbeach at rrbeach.com writes:
>
>
> > No one has brought it up yet, that I have seen anyway, but NU got
their's
> > handed to them against Texas Tech on Saturday 84-68.  The game was worse
than
> > the score indicated.  It was a very lethargic outing by the Huskers who,
to
> > me, seemed to act like they really wished they were someplace else.  I
guess
> > it is pretty indicative of how big a deal the men's BB progrom is to
fans when
> > the football signing day generates more excitement than the basketball
team
> > which is into the conference season.
>
> Potential uniform changes and a ton of other things a whole lot less
> significant than this year's signing day generate more excitement on this
list than
> the Cornhusker basketball team, Bob.  You have a keen sense for the
obvious.
>
> NU was very bad Saturday, but to say the the game was worse than the score
> indicated is really not true.  I believe the biggest lead Tech had was by
the
> final margin of 16.    NU was within 8 with two minutes to go in an ugly
game,
> I'll admit.  But it's not like they were ever down 25 or 30, or anywhere
near
> that.  So to say that the game was worse than the score indicated is
simply not
> accurate.
>
> I know you can't stand Collier, Bob.  But tell me again that this
basketball
> program hasn't improved a lick since he's been here.  Post-season last
year
> ... not a sniff prior to that.  That's measurable improvement -- not just
my
> opinion.  But by actually going to the Devaney Center and knowing a little
about
> the game, I see the improvement in other ways too.
>
> But this season has been a frustrating one for those of us who actually
> follow Husker basketball closely.  Collier has specific things he does
that I don't
> necessarily agree with (as I'd mentioned in a previous post), but I won't
cop
> out and totally blame him for a senior class that's been AWOL as a general
> rule this year (including this Tech game where they went a combined 9 of
28 from
> the field).  The upperclassmen have to take some ownership at some point.
> These seniors (three of the four are four-year players, one -- Marcus
Neal -- a
> JC transfer) showed noticable improvement from their freshman year to
their
> junior year, but this year has been an unexplainable step backward.  And
Neal
> was better last year than this.  They seem to be good students and great
kids
> ... just a tough, tough year collectively.  Something we had every right
to
> "count on" going into the season simply hasn't been there.
>
> At least NU hit 76 percent from the line against Bobby's boys.  They were
bad
> at Tech ... they stunk up the second half at Missouri.  But they're 3 and
4
> in conference play with four of the next six league games at home (and one
of
> the road games is at Baylor).  Nebraka's best players are underclassmen.
When
> names like White, Harris and Walker are added to the likes of McCray,
Maric
> and Wilkensen ... I'm interested to see what it looks like.  The
recruiting
> class Barry and Spinelli have coming in is very good.  The talent level
over this
> year and next is a measurable step or two (or three?) forward.  Experience
is
> not as important in basketball as it is in football.  No where close.
Giving
> newcomers the minutes allocated to seniors this year will not be a big
risk.
>
> As a long-time Husker basketball constituent, the next two years are what
> I've been waiting for.  Escort Collier to the airport if he hasn't won an
NCAA
> game at the end of the 2006-2007 season.  Go for it.  But the talent
level's
> improving, I'm looking forward to watching it and I'm not going to remain
quiet
> (although I tell myself I should) when slanted, non-specific, inaccurate
> criticisms are presented about something I know a little bit about.
>
> Bob ... you've been saying some things about Collier and his program that
are
> uninformed and inaccurate.  I wish you'd offer up some specific criticisms
> related to the game itself instead of the knee-jerk "nobody cares/fire the
> coach" dreck.  It gets really old and shows a lack of anything except the
most
> basic, superficial knowledge of Husker basketball.
>
> Dave Norris
>


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


> _______________________________________________
> husker site list
> husker at tssi.com
> http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/husker