Today's Omaha World-Herald discusses what might happen if the city, MECA, and the Royals can't come to an agreement over playing in the new ballpark, with the assumption being that the Royals leave the metropolitan area.
Would another baseball team come to town? My best guess: Yes. It, however, wouldn't be a AAA level team. The Pacific Coast League, of which the Royals are a member, is probably the loudest voice demanding a stadium custom built for AAA baseball. Highly unlikely that another AAA team would come to Omaha.
It also wouldn't likely be a AA or single A team either. The nearest leagues are in Texas (and Oklahoma) for AA, and Michigan/Ohio for single A. Both of those leagues are bus leagues, and those bus trips would be rather grueling.
But there is a nearby league that would fit Omaha... the independent American Association, which includes Lincoln, Sioux City, Kansas City, and St. Paul. A bus league to be sure...but easy bus trips and natural rivalries. And they're interested, of course. Would downgrading professional baseball from AAA to independent hurt Omaha? To some extent, but even the Royals admit that minor league baseball isn't about the game... Kansas City has done a horrible job of sending future prospects through Omaha in recent years, so it's not like Omaha would lose their opportunity to see the future stars. Heck, some people think that in recent years, the Kansas City Royals have been a AAA farm team for the rest of Major League Baseball.
Now, could a 24,000 seat stadium work for any minor league team? That's a $140 million dollar question. It might be more intimate than Rosenblatt, as you could easily close down the upper deck...but would that be enough?
One possibility for the Royals that hasn't been discussed is the LaVista rumor. I still don't see that being very realistic. Omaha didn't see a lot of value in investing in a smaller stadium optimized for AAA baseball. Where does LaVista, with 5% of the population base, get the resources to build a AAA stadium? Council Bluffs used casino profits to build an arena that struggles to pay the bills. What's the funding source for a new stadium in LaVista?
The city dismisses concerns about the slow pace of negotiations, and for good reason. The #1 priority is, and has to be, the NCAA. If the NCAA isn't happy, this new stadium doesn't happen and the future of the CWS becomes cloudy. First things first, Omaha. But after that, the next game starts. And all sides are positioning themselves in the news media, whether it's the Royals and the PCL criticizing the new stadium and talking about moving, or the city, talking about other leagues.
I still think in the end, the Royals sign on to play in the new stadium. It might not look realistic now, and might get ugly down the line, but I think it happens.
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Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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OMG: What Would Omaha Do if the Royals Reject the New Stadium?
Posted: May 15th, 2008, 1:15am CDT by Husker Mike
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Hal Daub on deck
Posted: May 14th, 2008, 7:01pm CDT by Street Sweeper
Hal Daub on deck -
General Election begins today
Posted: May 14th, 2008, 4:40am CDT by Street Sweeper
General Election begins today
Plains Feeder
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Racist Democrats? Who would have thought?
Posted: May 14th, 2008, 2:20am CDT by ptg
No Worries?
Hillary Clinton wins big in West Virginia. A state where most of the voters still believe the Democrat Party stands for racial segregation. A state that has kept an Exalted Cyclops of the KKK in the Congress since 1952. Where folks believe Obama is a Mohammedan and his wife is an atheist.
Barack Obama didn't stand a chance: 95% of the Democrat voters in West Virginia are white. Really white. Barack isn't worried, though, he has plenty of white friends.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Raimondo concedes?
Posted: May 13th, 2008, 4:00pm CDT by Street Sweeper
Raimondo concedes?
Plains Feeder
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They have sharp knives
Posted: May 13th, 2008, 5:31am CDT by ptg
Bloody Work - click for more
Federal Immigration cops have raided a Kosher meat processing plant in Postville, Iowa, arresting hundreds of illegal immigrant workers. I don't mean illegal Jewish immigrants. Those arrested are cats here illegally from Mexico and Guatemala and such.
Iowa Governor Chet Culver thinks they ought to be prosecuted, but... Perhaps the "but" has something to do with campaign contributions made by the Rubashkin family, who own the Postville plant to politicians of every stripe.
The old feeder notes that the Rubashkins have also started a similar Kosher kill operation in Gordon, Nebraska. Ostensibly, the idea was to employ Red Indians from the Pine Ridge Reservation. I'm guessing the Native Americans didn't work out as cheap labor** and that the plant in Gordon is operated by unpapered cats from South of the border. Just a guess.
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** If Red Indians had been amenable to slavery, why would the New World have had to import slaves from Africa?
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Tony vs Scott: Who ya got?
Posted: May 13th, 2008, 5:00am CDT by Street Sweeper
Tony vs Scott: Who ya got? -
Bettin' on the Second
Posted: May 13th, 2008, 4:00am CDT by Street Sweeper
Bettin' on the Second -
"Never tell me the odds..."
Posted: May 13th, 2008, 3:00am CDT by Street Sweeper
"Never tell me the odds..." -
Tony: Maybe I'll support Kleeb, maybe not
Posted: May 12th, 2008, 6:55pm CDT by Street Sweeper
Tony: Maybe I'll support Kleeb, maybe not
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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When Bo Pelini Talks, Husker Fans Listen
Posted: May 12th, 2008, 5:42pm CDT by Husker Mike
With the new "Saban Rule" keeping head coaches away from the recruiting trail, Bo Pelini has a little time this spring to spend on the rubber chicken circuit. And in two speaking engagements in Columbus (the real one in Nebraska, not Ohio!) and in Omaha, Pelini is scoring with fans who listen to what he has to say. Jim Mancuso, who organized the Omaha event, pretty much summed up Pelini in comments to the Omaha World-Herald:"I've talked to a number of people and the consensus was that he is a real guy. He's a normal Joe like the rest of the people that were in there. It's pretty obvious he's not a polished speaker, and that's probably what makes it better. Ninety percent of the people in that gymnasium aren't polished speakers, either.
Of course, the fact that he hasn't lost a game as head coach yet means his honeymoon with fans is still ongoing. Much of the focus to date has been on Pelini's defense of former head coach Frank Solich. It obviously made Omaha World-Herald columnist and flip-flopper Tom Shatel uncomfortable, as the last four years have done absolutely nothing to bolster the notion that Frank Solich needed to be fired. But by that same token...what's done is done. Solich is at Ohio University, and isn't coming back... except hopefully to get recognized for the job he did as a player and coach.
"I think that really touches home with these people: He's one of us. Not arrogant or cocky or anything he could be or should be. That goes a long way, especially in the Midwest."
Blankman had an interesting take on Pelini's comments in Columbus (the real one in Nebraska, remember?), where he mentioned that the "tunnel gates" would be soon be coming down. Now, I've thought the gates were kind of clumsy...especially when the guards didn't realize that the team was ready to come out....so getting rid of them isn't a big deal to me. Is it a de-Pedey-ification of the stadium? You could look at it that way, or simply a realization that they simply get in the way. The claims that removing the gates somehow dishonors six greats from the pre-Osborne era is somewhat disenguous considering that the man who put the gates up also took down the pictures of Nebraska's all-Americans and Hall-of-Famers and put them in storage.
But the statement that caught my eye was Pelini's statement that Husker players will play with a renewed sense of determination:"I'll tell you one thing: When we take the field you're going to see a team that's out there playing with passion. That's what it's all about. They're going to play hard, with great effort and passion, because they're not playing at the University of Nebraska, they're playing for the University of Nebraska and the people across this state."
Now...we've heard this before. But under the previous regime...it was merely a slogan that had to be posted on a sign or recited in a video.
Let's be honest... last year's team didn't play very hard the last couple of months of the season. So why believe it now? Simple. Bo Pelini has walked this walk before, whether it was 2003 Nebraska or his LSU defenses. Conversely, the previous regime also had a track record with the "dumbest team in America."
Yes...it's all talk right now. That's all we've got in May. But I've got to believe that Nebraska's effort has to be better in 2008...and that's a great first step for this program to make on it's way back from the depths of the Error.
Omaha TV News
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How?
Posted: May 12th, 2008, 1:22pm CDT by Ted Brockman
The owners of KPTM and KXVO have declared bankruptcy.
How can you go broke when you get two stations for next to nothing and you run them on a budget that appears to be lower than that of your average street vendor?
We thought all the geniuses of Pappas' caliber were already serving in the Bush administration.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Kleeb TV: LOTS of info
Posted: May 11th, 2008, 4:20pm CDT by Street Sweeper
Kleeb TV: LOTS of info
Plains Feeder
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Militant Hindoos?
Posted: May 10th, 2008, 9:18am CDT by ptg
Sacred Beef Steaks - Holy Hamburger
From the Drudge Report: BRITISH AIRWAYS takes beef off menu to avoid offending Hindus...
I always thought Hindus weren't as thin-skinned as Mohammedans. British Airways won't serve beef in flight in spite of the fact that Hindus are generally quite tolerant of others. Its a case of Dhimmitude gone wild; its obsequious proponents extending the appeasement to them as might possibly be offended. As one Daily Mail commenter wrote, British Airways will next offer "no food for fear of offending anorexics and bulimics."
I think they ought to keep Mohammedans off the planes. They are offensive to everyone and, who knows, might be plotting a terror attack.
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Many American and European cats associate Hinduism with pacifist non-violence. This is a big mistake, probably resulting from a failure to discriminate between Hindus and Buddhists. Hindus make great soldiers and India, 80% Hindu, has atomic bombs.
The Hindu religion has an entire varna (it is politically incorrect to refer to a caste) given over to the martial way of life, the Kshatriya. The 'plot' of the Bhagavad Gita, a text most of us think we know as a sort of Hindu Testament, revolves around a man's decision to go to war.
When Hindus become militant, the first cats they attack are usually the Mohammedans. Familiarity breeds contempt, I guess, but militant Hindus have been known to go after Christians as well. In today's 'blame everyone but yourself' world anyone can be your oppressor.
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Reminds me of the only time I ever heard of Hindus causing trouble in the UK. Again, the matter was beef, in the form of Shambo the Sacred Cow. Seems Shambo tested positive for TB and the law required it to be destroyed. Out of the woodwork came the militant British Hindoos.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Richard Carter doesn't "want it"
Posted: May 9th, 2008, 9:20am CDT
Richard Carter doesn't "want it"
Plains Feeder
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Stuff Muslims Don’t Like
Posted: May 9th, 2008, 4:42am CDT by ptg
Man's best friend
Michelle Malkin as introduced a new feature to her excellent blog: Stuff Muslims Don't Like. The first installment features the Mohammedan distaste for two-piece bathing suits. Today's SMDL post points up the unhappiness of Moslems in America with having to afford their wives due process in divorce proceedings. Some of our Dhimmi courts aren't going to allow these pushy creeps to say "I divorce thee." three times to cheat their wives out of a fair property settlement, and the Moslem men don't like it.
Its easy for me to list things I don't like about Mohammedans besides their sympathy for the al-Qaeda. For example, their filthy habit of washing their feet in public washbasins. Of course its difficult for many Americans to comprehend Mohammed's dietary rules, but it doesn't bother me in the least that they won't eat delicious bacon burgers. As long as they don't try to stop the rest of us from enjoying swine flesh, Moslems can refuse to eat anything with pig in it if they want. In fact, they could stop eating altogether, for all I care.
Unclean bacon burger
Can you think of something Mohammedans don't like? My best try is illustrated at the top of this post: Muslims don't like dogs. I can't imagine a more wretched existence than that of a stray dog in Mecca.
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Where there is an unhappy Mohammedan, can Dhimmitude be far behind?
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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Thursday Night Beer: Make That 25 Years for the CWS
Posted: May 8th, 2008, 5:20pm CDT by Husker Mike
The NCAA finally signed a Memorandum of Understanding ... and the big news was that it was for 25 years, instead of just 20 years. So score yet another victory for the Mayor and the City, as the College World Series is now assured to stay in Omaha until 2035. That's huge.
Many people still cling to the belief that the NCAA didn't want a new stadium...well, read the details and start doing the math. The new stadium provides additional revenue streams from parking (remember the Qwest Center has OVER TWICE as many parking spaces as Rosenblatt, despite the misinformation that's run rampant), and premium seating (skyboxes and club seating) fees that simply didn't exist at Rosenblatt, and likely wouldn't without a more expensive retrofit.
And the folks complaining about the increased hotel taxes were probably shocked to learn that Nebraska ranked as the second most affordable vacation spot in the country when you look at hotel and meal costs. Yeah, that extra buck at the Super 8 is going to scare people away.
Last weekend, I caught the Columbus Telegram's video of Bo Pelini speaking at a Chamber banquet (via CornNation.com). Good stuff. We all wondered how Bo Pelini would do on the rubber chicken circuit, and he passed with flying colors. Tonight, he packed them in at the St. Pius X/St. Leo's Sports Night with a record crowd.
On the other hand, I caught the Spring Game wrap-up of the Bo Pelini show, and had to wonder about him. Perhaps this show was taped too early in the morning, or after he'd spent too much time looking at film, because he made Tom Osborne look like Robin Williams. We knew he'd be rough around the edges.
Damn that AJ. He took a shot at EverydayShouldBeSaturday earlier this week, so I thought I'd check in with GatorNation... And what do I find but a YouTube retrospective of that 19-0 Debacle in the Desert in 1996. Uggg. Myself and 35,000 fellow Husker fans packed Sun Devil Stadium, only to watch the Huskers bumble their way to three safeties. What a miserable night that was; 98 degrees at kickoff in the "House of Heat" and Nebraska bungling things on offense as if Bill Callahan was already in charge.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Esch does WHAT?
Posted: May 8th, 2008, 4:35pm CDT
Esch does WHAT? -
Tony TV: Reading the fishwrap
Posted: May 8th, 2008, 9:10am CDT
Tony TV: Reading the fishwrap
U. of Nebraska - Omaha College Democrats Blog
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Thank You
Posted: May 7th, 2008, 5:35pm CDT by Dave
This will be my last post here at the College Dems blog, and I want to thank everyone for being such great friends and such a dedicated group of people. I came to UNO three years ago and joined the College Democrats. Whether you came because of those fun buttons we were selling, or a [...]
Plains Feeder
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Hillary Clinton doesn't pump her own gas
Posted: May 7th, 2008, 4:00pm CDT by ptg
You should be taxing the rich, memsahib, not the gas.
Hillary Rodham Clinton hasn't driven a car or pumped gas in many years because of Secret Service restrictions. When she is in St. Louis, Mahatma Gandhi pumps her gas.
Gas tax holiday? I see it as a double-edged sword that will only cut in my favor. Call me selfish. You'd be right. -
Dog Starving: not in Nebraska
Posted: May 7th, 2008, 5:54am CDT by ptg
Dead dog
From Omaha, Nebraska's Kathy Sarantos Niver at Action 3 News comes this story about an Omaha man facing felony charges for leaving his dog outside to starve and freeze to death. Sure, Keion Shelton is a jerk, but should he be made a felon? Here's an excerpt of Kathy's story:Police say Keion Shelton left town for a week in February and left his dog chained up outdoors to a utility pole. Shelton lived at 7027 North 33rd Street. The dog died.
As long as they don't break any other rules, pet owners in Nebraska are free to kill their animals by any means that isn't cruel. Folks usually shoot them with a firearm of sufficient caliber to cause near instant death. Its usually done to end suffering, but the pet being in extremis isn't a requirement. Perhaps the mutt is just useless. You can legally shoot your dog just for the hell of it, if you want. I've had to shoot a few dogs and cats, ones that were sick or injured or had turned bad. Cats are easier. Dogs have a way of looking at you...
A spokesperson for the Nebraska Humane Society tells Action 3 News the pitbull died of starvation and hypothermia. He reportedly was unable to reach his food and water, which had frozen, and "was exposed to consistent overnight temperatures below ten degrees, without adequate shelter."
A law passed by the legislature in 2007 makes it a class 4 felony to abandon an animal resulting in serious injury, illness or death. This is the first prosecution in Douglas County based on this new law.
Out behind the Vet's
For them as are squeamish about dropping the hammer on Rover or Fluffy, or that live in some wussy neighborhood that frowns upon shooting, there is always the Veterinarian. Its all pretty clinical; you don't have to watch if you don't want. The pet needn't be suffering or even sick, the owner makes the decision, not the vet. As with shooting, you can do it to punish the pet or on a whim; motive doesn't count. In the end, Rufus and Fido wind up dead in a barrel like the victims of an internet serial killer. You pay the vet and you are home free. No foul play. No crime.
Hasenfeffer, anyone?
It isn't done much here, besides with livestock that have been made into 'pets', but Nebraskans may kill and eat their pets if they like. As long as the slaughter isn't cruel, Fido-san can become a delicious meal. Nebraskans of Korean heritage can indulge in their rich home-made dog meat stews without running afoul of the law. (Just so they don't steal the neighbor's dog.)
The Law: is it a ass?
I agree that animal cruelty is wrong. I disagree that it ought to be a crime at all, let alone a felony. This is the kind of offense to the common decency that calls for a home remedy. Where were this shameful Omaha dog-starver's neighbors?
This jerk's neighbors should have taken the dog away from him. In fact, it would have been more humane if one of them had shot it, to end its suffering. If the barbaric butt-head didn't like it, the bigger of his neighbors should have 'straightened him out'. No government involvement required.
Why didn't the neighbors prevent the dog's awful death? I'll bet dollars to doughnuts they were afraid of getting jammed up with the law or sued. Now we will have a local jerk converted into a felon. Where is he going to get a job? I guess there will be a giver-mint program for him.
Revolting development
Since the old feeder believes animals to be private property, the enjoyment of which should be minimally constrained by the law, the concept of Vegetable Rights seems truly far fetched. I saw a link to this Weekly Standard story, The Silent Scream of the Asparagus, at Hot Air. An excerpt:At the request of the Swiss government, an ethics panel has weighed in on the “dignity” of plants and opined that the arbitrary killing of flora is morally wrong. This is no hoax. The concept of what could be called “plant rights” is being seriously debated.
Read the whole thing (2 pages) if you have the stomach for it. I gagged at the part where a farmer wrongfully "decapitates" some wildflowers. I can see lawyers lining up to be court-appointed guardian ad flora so they can file suits for plant plaintiffs. Green prosecutors will fill the news with chlorophyll drenched murder scenes. Farmers in handcuffs.
As Abe at Don't Let Me Stop You says, "you can't make this stuff up."
I'm sure someone, somewhere is trying to figure out a way to give vegetables the right to vote. They outnumber us. Even if all species of animals could vote, the plants would still have a huge majority. We will all be forced into ethical fruitarianism.
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In a totally unrelated matter, the old feeder has heard a rumor that CBS evening news anchor Katie Couric is going to be replaced by Charo. Cuchi-cuchi.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Non-Nebraskans for Kleeb
Posted: May 6th, 2008, 1:30pm CDT
Non-Nebraskans for Kleeb
Plains Feeder
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Damned with faint praise
Posted: May 6th, 2008, 1:01pm CDT by ptg
From Tony Harnden, Washington correspondent at Telegraph Blogs:Standing in his cowboy boots on the back of a 1941 Ford pick-up truck in tiny Zebulon (population: 4,329), Bill Clinton bestowed on his wife Hillary what he perhaps considers the ultimate accolade. She would, he stated gallantly, be an even better president than he was.
Thats not saying much, is it? -
Wind power: not just stupid, but dangerous
Posted: May 5th, 2008, 6:48pm CDT by ptg
Bucolic Rural Iowa
Last week the old feeder drove through NW Iowa. My route used to offer pleasant scenery most of the way from the feedlot to my destination. I get off of I-29 at Onawa and take the county blacktops to Arnolds Park. For the last 10 years, a growing part of the drive has been through a wind farm. Its like driving through a hellish, whirling machine.
Almost everyone agrees that these monstrosities are hideous eyesores. Nobody with any sense of the rural aesthetic wants them anywhere near where they live. Even a citified eco-nut like Ted Kennedy won't have 'em. Now the scenic Iowa roads between Galva and Peterson are studded with the ugly contraptions as far as the eye can see. Perhaps portending worse to come.
Whenever I drive through this grotesque mistake, I note that a significant number of the windmills sit idle, their 'props' feathered. Parts and technical skills to repair wind generators are scarce. Unlike an ordinary hydrocarbon or nuclear power generation plant, the workplace is spread out over many square miles. How efficient! The plant workers have to drive all over several counties, hauling their tools and huge parts, just to get from one end of the 'power plant' to the other.
Average sized generator blade
Think of the fleets of pickup trucks spewing exhaust on the crops, the livestock and the farm families as they zoom up and down the special access roads in the fields to perform regular maintenance. These towers and roads take many acres of prime Iowa cropland out of production. Add the corn ethanol boondoggle and its no wonder food is getting pricey.
Did I mention that wind power isn't dependable? This means that a non-alternative power generation facility must be up and running at all times with enough output to take over from the wind instantly. Otherwise, serious outages will result, like this one in Texas. Where's the green advantage? In Al Gore's dreams, thats where.
Blade on the road - three trips per pinwheel
Wind generators have also been called the "Cuisinarts of the air" for the number of birds they kill. DadGum once opined that the blades turned too slowly to cause much damage to birds. Not so. The ends of the blades must travel a distance equal to pi times twice the length of one blade per revolution. Windmills like this can turn from 30 to 60 rpm. Do the math; a wind generator could cut you in half!
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Now and then, I see a windmill with its blades broken. Last Saturday morning, I stopped and took a few pictures of one of them. The blades are gone and the main shaft is severely compromised. These breakups can be dangerous.
Blades missing
Where do you suppose the pieces ended up when this whirligig flew apart? Those are some mighty big slivers. The parts for wind generators are hard to get, difficult to transport, and require cranes to install. The repairs are impossible in bad weather. Many of these generators with less obvious problems like bad gear boxes or electrical trouble sit idle for months before they can be put back to work.
How long before this gets back on line?
If your fear of decapitation, your distaste for bird whacking and the nasty environmental hypocrisy of it's inefficiency aren't enough to put you off wind energy, consider this horror. Still want to see more of our rural beauty pocked with ugly giant pinwheels?
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I forgot to mention that these generators can be sabotaged with a deer rifle.
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Drill the ANWR. The caribou want us to do it.
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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BCS Scuttles a College Football Playoff
Posted: May 4th, 2008, 2:47am CDT by Husker Mike
The BCS has shot down the "Plus-One" model as a quasi-playoff system for college football. I never was a big fan of the "Plus One" model, except perhaps as baby steps towards a real playoff. Why not "plus one"? It emphasizes the worst of both systems. It keeps the bowls and fan inconvenience in place. It lengthens the season for some teams, and one more team ends up the season a loser. What's the advantage? Well, now the complaints about the BCS come from the fifth place team, not the third place team. And we've now got some sort of answer when there appear to be more than two title worthy teams.
I'm not a fan of the current bowl system. Don't get me wrong... I've had fun in places like Miami (love the weather, hate the travel) and Phoenix at New Years. (Even Pasadena can be enjoyable if you don't go intoside that toilet of a stadium.) But getting travel plans is frequently difficult and expensive. For the 1996 Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech, I had two choices: fly out of Omaha and pay nearly $1000 a ticket, or fly out of Kansas City for half that, but fly back at 6 am New Years morning, only about 7 hours after the game ended. Yuck.
Before "alliances" and the BCS, New Years Day was a football party, with three early games to choose from, followed by the "Irrelevant Yawner Bowl" from Pasadena, and the night cap of the Orange and Sugar Bowls in primetime. And for a few years in the early 90's, the Cotton and Fiesta Bowls were played opposite the Rose Bowel, meaning you had football nirvana.
Not anymore. The BCS spreads the big games out single file, and the early games are pretty much over before some people recover from New Years Eve. (WTF is the point of starting two games at 10 am on New Years morning?) Add in four minute commercial breaks and bad matchups, it's just not what it used to be.
I like the BCS system for ranking teams, though I still think strength of schedule needs to be brought back into the system. It might have saved us from watching Ohio State get blasted in January. Even better is if you'd take the BCS rankings and seed a playoff.
If we're going to have the current tedious games and matchups like Georgia/Hawaii, we might as well do it as part of a playoff.
Last season, our opening matchups in an eight-game playoff would be:
#8 Kansas @ #1 (yeah right) Ohio State, 2 pm
#7 USC @ #2 LSU, 5 pm
#6 Missouri @ #3 Virginia Tech, 11 am
#5 Georgia @ #4 Oklahoma, 8 pm
Those primetime matchups look pretty good to me, and you still could have the bowls for the other teams. Play these games in lieu of the conference championship games or the next weekend. Ohio State, LSU, and Oklahoma all have stadiums larger than the bowl games, so you have better attendance and better atmosphere. Assuming the higher seeds win, turn around and have the following matchups the next week:
Oklahoma @ Ohio State, 2 pm
Virginia Tech @ LSU, 7 pm
(Yes, I know that the visitors in those games would have been Missouri and Georgia.) Again, some good matchups to watch on TV, and nearly 200,000 fans would attend those semifinal games.
The Journal-Star debates this internally and makes some good points on both sides. Tom Osborne surprised me with his support of the current bowl system. If you want to do a playoff, don't mess around with "Plus One". Why make fans travel twice in one week? And why take the higher attendance possibilities of home games off the table. If you want a playoff, do a playoff. But if you keep the bowl system, fill New Years Day up again instead. There's a reason why the NCAA basketball tournament is so successful, and one big reason is that they play 4 games simultaneously all day, and rotate you around the games if you don't have a regional interest in a game. If the NCAA took the bowl game approach, the first round would take a week and a half to play, and those blowout first round games would kill any buzz that a Davidson could provide.
I'll take a playoff over the current BCS setup. But we'll have to wait until 2014 and the end of the BCS to make it happen. My guess is that someone is going to put together a billion dollar proposal that will get the attention of college football's power brokers and make it happen. It'll be HUGE.
Plains Feeder
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Mannie Leibovitz and the Naughty Nymphette
Posted: May 4th, 2008, 2:24am CDT by ptg
Miley Cyrus as "Art"
When an adult male queer gets young men to expose themselves sexually under color of "art photography", I'd be inclined to call it child molestation. When the boy's parents not only agree to the lewdness, but prosper therefrom, I'd call it child abuse. Why should it be any different if the child is female and the photographer is an aging bull dyke? Isn't the result kiddie porn of one degree or another?
Mannie the Molester
"Take off your top, Miley..."
So much for the old feeder's thoughts on the Miley Cyrus - Annie Leibovitz flap. Since Miley's parents agreed to her being debauched by horrible old Manny, (they were present at the photo shoot) I figure its a lost cause. Nobody is going to get in trouble for this nonsense; nobody really cares. One more little girl's chances for a normal life shot to hell. Perhaps its just the price of liberty. Or a sign of the times.
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Mythical nymphets as art.
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Afterthought: The high-school old feeder, posing as an ordinary teen-age shutterbug, used to volunteer to help the school photographer take the yearbook portraits. Our school had the ladies draped for a consistent visual theme. I got to adjust the girls' drapes before the shoot. In those days, I had to take my thrills where I could find them.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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It's good to be an Esch
Posted: May 2nd, 2008, 3:30am CDT by Street Sweeper
It's good to be an Esch
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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Big 12 Roundtable - Spring Roundtable
Posted: May 1st, 2008, 4:40pm CDT by Husker Mike
The Crimson and Cream Machine from SoonerLand has requested another roundtable, so here are my thoughts...
Who are some of the new faces that emerged in the spring who could be serious playmakers for your team this fall?
The biggest "new" face has to be wide receiver Curenski Gilleylen. It looks like it's easier to spell his name than catch him, as he's got speed to burn. If he can consistently catch the ball, he'll provide a deep threat that's been a rather rare commodity. An old face in a new place would be Cody Glenn, who moved from I-back to linebacker and basically won a starting job. (Of course, that's in part due to the lack of depth at linebacker!) Also making an impression at linebacker is senior walk-on Tyler Wortman, who might have been the star of the spring game on defense. And while he's not a "new" face, since we saw a glimpse of him last fall, Roy Helu is going to challenge Marlon Lucky for serious playing time. That might free up Lucky to line him up elsewhere on the field to take full advantage of his speed.
What is your biggest concern following the spring?
Wide receiver. Nate Swift and Todd Peterson are nice possession receivers, but the Huskers need some of the youngsters to step up: Gilleylen, Menelik Holt, Will Henry, Chris Brooks. Names that we heard more about before they arrived in Lincoln than after they enrolled.
Any major changes (philosophy, coaching or personnel) that you are concerned or worried about?
Didn't you see how last season ended? Major changes were called for in Lincoln, and we're getting them. I think that, without exception, every new coach is an upgrade over his predecessor. Blankman will disagree with me over Barney Cotton, but considering how the synergy between Dennis Wagner and Bill Callahan worked out, that's got to be an upgrade as well.
Looking over the 2008 which home and away game will be the most difficult?
Home: Missouri (That's easy.) I'm not completely sold on Kansas, and Virginia Tech lost eight players to the NFL draft, not to mention their top two running backs to suspension and injury, off a squad that lost to Kansas in the Orange Bowl.
Away: Oklahoma (Also a no-brainer.) Texas Tech isn't going to be all that easy either, but I like our chances to do better than the last time the Huskers traveled to Lubbock.
Time for your way too early predictions (Yes, you can change them in August). Rank how you see your division finishing up next season.
First of all, there are two teams that are huge wildcards in the Big XII North. The Huskers and Kansas State. With the Huskers, the question is how much of the problem last season was coaching and how much of it was talent. I think it was largely a clusterfool of coaching, though others will argue that it's much deeper in the program. Then there is Kansas State, who signed 19 JuCo's this spring. Usually, you sign JuCo's because you have a pressing need...and with that many JuCo's signed, it sure appears that Ron Prince thinks he has a lot of needs. If it all works out, K-State could surge. But, for right now, I've got to assume there are big problems in the Little Apple.
1. Missouri (No duh... with all those players returning from a Top Five squad?)
2. Nebraska (Call me crazy, but I think Billy C is going to look even more inept this fall...)
3. Kansas
4. Colorado (Hawk Love has the Buffs on the move upwards)
5. Iowa State
6. Kansas State
For more, check out the Crimson & Cream Machine... -
The NCAA Commits to 20+ Years in Omaha
Posted: April 30th, 2008, 5:12pm CDT by Husker Mike
Well, chalk up one more criticism of the new stadium debate down the tubes. Today, the NCAA made an unprecedented commitment to keep the College World Series in Omaha for a minimum of 20 years. And just like everything else in this whole bizarre debate, it rated a ho hum from many.
I usually enjoy listening to KOZN radio's Kevin Kugler and Mike'l Severe, but on days like today when their position against the downtown stadium go down in flames, it was almost like listening to a funeral. I mean...the College World Series staying in Omaha until 2031 is good news, isn't it?
Well, not if you were looking to Save Rosenblatt. Which meant we were treated to even more conspiracy theories and black helicopter talk about how this whole new stadium idea was some sort of unnecessary ego trip by the Mayor forced on the City and the NCAA. Of course, nobody brings any substantial proof behind those charges... just more half-truths, idle speculations, and rumor mongering.
My favorite is the idea that the NCAA would never move the CWS. Let's break that argument up into two parts: would another city bid for the CWS, and would the NCAA ever leave Omaha? We already know that other cities would bid for the CWS; even Hal Daub acknowledged it. Would the NCAA ever leave Omaha? That's a loaded question, and the answer depends on the timing. The NCAA College World Series is a unique event. Omaha knows it. The NCAA knows it. The history of the CWS in Omaha counts for something, and the NCAA knows that they have something good going in Omaha. So the answer is...as long as Omaha shows that we're serious about wanting the CWS in Omaha, we'll probably keep the CWS.
Now some people want to twist this around and read into that statement that the huggable NCAA just loves the CWS exactly the way it is...which couldn't be further from the truth. The NCAA had a list of things that they wanted addressed in order to obtain a new contract: clean zone, new locker rooms, etc. That bill was likely to run over $30 million...and probably would have garnered Omaha another five year extension. But what after that?
That's when the $80 million renovation idea took hold...but even that wouldn't solve everything at Rosenblatt (open concourses, hotels). But is that necessary for an extension starting in 2011? Nope. But when you look at everything that the NCAA has suggested, you know that at some point, the NCAA would be making requests for those other things.
From my perspective, a new stadium for the CWS was inevitable. If not in 2011, then 2016 or 2021. Should we have waited to find out? Perhaps...but you run the risk that very likely the changes made at Rosenblatt for 2011 would have been demolished in 2016 or 2021. That would be money wasted.
The NCAA looked long term at this. Mayor Fahey looked long term. Omaha's philanthropic community looked long term at this. That's why Omaha is building a new stadium. It wasn't necessary to keep the College World Series in 2011...but we would have been kicking ourselves in 2016 or 2021 when we ended up building a new stadium anyway despite tossing $30 million into the Rosenblatt money pit.
And yes. I do believe that, in the end, the Royals play in the new downtown stadium by 2012 too. Yes, it's probably too big for the Royals. I don't believe La Vista is going to be able to justify a $25 million subsidy for a new stadium when Omaha struggled with justifying it. Warren Buffett and Walter Scott didn't buy half of the Royals to have them leave town either. It may sound impossible now, but some people thought the new stadium sounded impossible in March.
The other criticism revolved around the process. Which is fair; it was a contentious process that divided a lot of people. But one frequent criticism of government is that it's slow to react. This stadium process went from idea to signed contracts in just over one year. That's almost unheard of in government. How long did Omaha argue about building the Qwest Center? Lincoln started talking about an arena years ago, and their commission recommended a new arena near the Haymarket in 2005. Today, they moved a little closer by selecting a developer for the arena. And it's still not a done deal; it might go in front of the voters next year. Almost FIVE years from the first discussions.
Speaking of the Lincoln arena, this looks like a rather sweet future home for Husker basketball. I just hope Doc Sadler can wait until 2012 or 2013 for his practice facility.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Mike Teevee: Johanns on the air (and a new Kleeb)
Posted: April 30th, 2008, 11:55am CDT
Mike Teevee: Johanns on the air (and a new Kleeb)
Plains Feeder
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Deep pockets
Posted: April 29th, 2008, 5:56am CDT by Dadgum
Keokuk National Cemetery
This old vagabond died flush with over a quarter mil on him in Sheldon, Iowa. After they figured out who he was they buried him with a military funeral.
I wonder if carrying all that money around made him feel more secure than people who worry about identity theft and the multitude of ways you can lose it by entrusting it to financial institutions.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Tony TV: My Opponents...
Posted: April 28th, 2008, 9:39pm CDT
Tony TV: My Opponents...
Omaha TV News
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Brummed Out
Posted: April 28th, 2008, 4:48pm CDT by Ted Brockman
Cross-eyed afternoon anchor Sheila Brummer is no longer a Sux News employee. She was let go late last week.
Well, it's a start. However, until the boneheads running that station stop hiring the inept, nothing will change.
Look at Six's recent hires: over-inflated KM3 retread Jodi Baker, E.T. lookalike Justin Joseph, blissfully ignorant Brian Latham, mop-headed weathergirl Andrea Rich, congenitally idiotic Rachel Pierce (and the list goes on and on).
Compare that list of misfits with KETV's hires over the same period—Owen Lei, Kristi Andersen, Nicole Berlie, Marla Rabe, and Adrian Whitsett—and it's not hard to see why the ratings look as they do.
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Sux 2 B 6
Posted: April 28th, 2008, 4:09pm CDT by Ted Brockman
Read this. Hilarious.
Let this be a lesson to you kids out there: serial bad hires eventually catch up with you.
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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A Ruud Awakening for Some
Posted: April 28th, 2008, 3:07pm CDT by Husker Mike
I'm no fan of the New England Patriots, but you do have to respect a franchise that has won three Super Bowls this century. So when they selected Bo Ruud in the sixth round of the NFL draft yesterday, they proved the critics of the Ruud brothers wrong once again. They were wrong about Barrett, who nearly made the Pro Bowl this season. Now they're wrong about Bo as well. Heck, if it wasn't for Bo's interceptions against Ball State and Iowa State, Nebraska might have gone 3-9 this season. Why the hate for two of Nebraska's native sons, I'll never understand.
Many people want to point to this season's mediocre NFL draft results as some sort of indictment of Bill Callahan's recruiting. That may be...but the jury is going to be out on that for some time. This class of NFL draft picks is tough to assign to any coach, since it contained some fifth-year Frank Solich recruits. Much like the argument as to whether Callahan was able to fully develop players either... we'll see this fall just what kind of improvement these players have made, but for now, it's all speculation.
One thing is clear... there are a lot of four and five star recruits whose eligibility expired that never came close to meeting the buzz that was showered on them when they arrived in Lincoln. Were those expectations overrated, or did Callahan and company fail to develop players? Right now, I'd have to go with "all of the above."
Speaking of Billy C, Matt Hayes of the Sporting News reveals yet another juicy tidbit about the Bill Callahan Clusterfool that provides yet more insight what really happened:Compared with where the process was last fall in Lincoln, the Huskers have made bigger strides than any team this spring. How bad was the dysfunction? Consider this anecdote:
Hayes also listed Nebraska as one of his top five teams making progress this spring. Yeah, it's spring practice and it's hard to get a good read on it. But maybe it's not insane to hope for a huge improvement this fall, especially if the Clusterfool was as bad as it seems.Former coach Bill Callahan was obsessive about his offense; he made the game plan and called the plays. Sources say before the Texas game -- and at the height of Nebraska's failures -- Callahan let his assistants build the game plan and said he wouldn't call one play.
After the first series, Callahan not only called every offensive play, he called the defensive sets, too. The Huskers gave up three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and lost, 28-25.
Plains Feeder
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Peg-Eye Nate's Really Deep Thoughts
Posted: April 28th, 2008, 3:31am CDT by ptg
Peg-Eye Nate blogs over at The Conservative Cat, and is renowned for his really deep thoughts. Here is the latest from a young fellow with his head screwed on straight:The human species did not get where it is by being passive; rather, we got where we are because in some point in our history, someone discovered that when you hit something in the head with a sharp rock it doesn't get back up.
I wonder if there were any pacifists in his or her 'society' who wanted to Ban the Sharp Rock? As human nature hasn't changed all that much since then, there must have been some cave-wussies that thought the sharp rock was a bad thing. I suspect early rock grabbers' sharp rock bans were to blame for our near extinction 70,000 years ago.
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The picture isn't of Nate. Nate is somewhat more suave, and wears a mustache.
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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Osborne Frees "The Bobbleheads"
Posted: April 26th, 2008, 4:55pm CDT by Husker Mike
In tomorrow's World-Herald, Lee Barfknecht profiles the first six months with Tom Osborne as athletic director at Nebraska. Diabetics may want to check their insulin levels before reading it, as it's incredibly positive (some might argue nauseatingly so...):Smiles are so prevalent you wonder if laughing gas is pumped through the vents.
Of course, much of the positive vibrations may be simply a natural response to changes from the previous regime. And yes, we get a little more dirt from "The Bobbleheads" (a term staff members used to describe themselves responding to suggestions from above). Read the article if you really want to know more; I know I got a kick out of it.
One rumor that is being dispelled is that donors would send in millions of dollars in donations once the previous regime was ousted. They really haven't seen much of a windfall in donations, though they really haven't asked for anything. Donors may not feel much of an urgency to donate, since the north stadium complex is completed. That'll change as Osborne plans to start working on upgrading the Hewitt Academic Center as well as a Nebraska Hall of Fame. Also in the preliminary stages are discussions for a new basketball facilities, though the basketball facilities must wait for the city to make a decision on a new Lincoln arena.
One thing that Steve Pederson did well was keep the budget in balance, as Osborne feels the finances of the athletic department are in very good shape. That's allowing Osborne to move forward with other plans.
Those plans don't include additional sports. Periodically I hear rumors of the Huskers upgrading their club hockey program to division 1...but Osborne doesn't even mention hockey. He does mention interest in resurrecting men's swimming and adding men's soccer, but he doesn't plan on adding any sports. So that rumor can be debunked as well.
Plains Feeder
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Meth-ican restaurant entrepreneur
Posted: April 26th, 2008, 4:24am CDT by Dadgum
El Chico Loco
Juan Humberto Castillo-Alvarez, ringleader of the Los Krazy Boyz Estherville, Iowa, gang that murdered 15-year-old Gregory Sky Erickson in 1997 over an unpaid drug debt, received his sentence yesterday at the Clay County Courthouse in Spencer, Iowa, according to The Daily Reporter. Castillo-Alvarez immediately fled the country after his number two man, meth idiot Luis Lua, murdered Erickson rather than simply "punish" him with two severe beatings.
Castillo-Alvarez fled to Mexico City, generally regarded as one of the largest and most corrupt cities in the world, but against all odds he was eventually captured there in 2006 and returned to Iowa for prosecution. He is the tenth and final member of the gang to be prosecuted and convicted.
Back in the mid nineties I was working in Estherville for awhile and had lunch at the Mexico Lindo restaurant that Castillo-Alvarez owned and operated. At that time restaurants owned by real Mexicans were still a rarity in northwest Iowa. Juan Humberto himself waited on me. He was a personable guy, the food was good and the prices were fair. I didn't know he had a pistol or two hidden in the ceiling tile. I also didn't know that you could get a side of Mexican weed or meth with your takeout order of tacos and enchiladas. I planned to go back the next time I was in town.
Sky Erickson was one of a kind according to local legends. In the words of his mother, Joni Ketter, "Sky was really a very cool kid. He was incredibly bright and had this magnetic personality that just drew other people to him."
Too bad the Krazy Boyz were drawn to him and too bad the cops arrested him in possession of some weed and $728. And too bad the criminal justice system tried to make an informant out of him and were unable to protect him from loco Luis. And why couldn't someone have come up with $1400 to pay off his drug debt? This is one of those stories that, if you were to dig into it, would probably reveal incompetence and failures far beyond the crimes of young Sky.
I remember reading an anonymous quote in 1997 from someone presumably higher up in the system, "There's plenty of blame to go around." -
Let them eat ethanol
Posted: April 25th, 2008, 5:53am CDT by ptg
Full stomach or blissful numbness - take your pick
Food shortages? Food riots? Food rationing at Sam's Club? Instead of whining to the United Nations and blaming capitalist greed, American farmers should demand that the world's hungry folks be given corn liquor ethanol.
We make plenty of it, and alcoholism is a popular alternative to eating government rationed food. Just ask the former Soviets.
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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Thursday Night Beer: Royals to new Downtown Stadium? Or LaVista?
Posted: April 24th, 2008, 6:14pm CDT by Husker Mike
Yesterday, Kevin Kugler of KOZN radio (1620 AM) broke the story that the the Omaha Royals had discussed a new stadium with the city of LaVista near Cabela's at the Interstate 80/Harrison Street interchange. The World-Herald reports that yesterday, Alan Stein, the managing partner of the Royals, started negotiations with MECA to play in the new downtown stadium.
So what's going on here? Well...it's negotiations carried in public. And the media and the public is getting to see part of the posturing that is going on. Nothing new really...this is the sequel to MECA's negotiations with the Mayor's office over the ball park.
Both sides have made some bombastic statements. MECA's David Sokol and Roger Dixon have said the stadium works without the Royals. Perhaps...but without any activity in the stadium in July and August once college baseball season is over, it's not as likely to spur development downtown. Of course, maybe MECA is thinking about another team, perhaps a independent league team like in Kansas City, Lincoln, and Sioux City.
A couple of weeks ago, Stein suggested that MECA's $6 parking fee was too high compared to other minor league ballparks. So I did a quick survey of other nearby PCL teams: Indianapolis $5, Oklahoma City also $5, Des Moines $6. Now I don't particularly like to pay to park...but considering the Royals first proposed a downtown stadium, you've got to question what they were expecting.
Bottom line is that both sides are posturing to get themselves the best deal. I don't think La Vista is a serious option. I'm not sure where La Vista would get the money for a ballpark, or even how La Vista would make it economically viable. Council Bluffs used casino revenue to build the Mid-America Center to lure the Omaha Lancers across the river...and the Mid-America Center has struggled financially. Maybe the economics of Sarpy County and suburban Omaha are better than Council Bluffs, but I really question the viability of a suburban baseball stadium. There's a reason why most baseball stadiums are built downtown these days.
Another interesting dynamic in this debate that no one speaks of is David Sokol, chairman of MECA and Warren Buffett, part owner of the Royals. The same David Sokol who is mentioned as a potential successor to succeed Buffett at Berkshire Hathaway. That's why, in the end, I think this deal gets done downtown. We're just seeing tough negotiations by very successful people.
With rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow, I took advantage of last night's beautiful weather to fertilize and seed my lawn last evening. So I turned off the TV...and when I came back in an hour and a half later, realized I had only missed one inning of the Nebraska/Creighton game. Oh...and "Huskers 13"...
Jeffie over at DoubleExtraPoint enters the debate over Joe Ganz vs. Sam Keller...except that Jeffie starts reading more into my defense of Ganz than I stated. Obviously the best quarterbacks in the Big XII are Chase Daniel, Graham Harrell, Sam Bradford, and probably Colt McKoy. Ganz is going to be somewhere in the middle. Jeffie does use a little different definition of "garbage time" than I originally used; he worked with a 15 point or greater lead. I used a 24 or more points as my definition. His numbers might be a better way to evaluate the two.
What a turnaround season for Dan Ellis. The former UNO goaltender signed a free-agent contract with Nashville after being buried in the Dallas Stars organization ever since leaving UNO. He made the Predators roster in training camp in a minor surprise, joining former UNO teammate Greg Zanon...then spent the whole season outplaying the Preds' #1 goalie before finally getting the nod as the playoffs approached. And Ellis took his game to the next level in the playoffs, almost singlehandely holding off the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings throughout the series, including a 52 save performance in game 5. Alas, Detroit took game 6 to end the season. But Ellis is getting plenty of props, including some kudos from Don Cherry (you know, the crazy Canadian hockey commentator who dresses like Herb Tarlek, minus the white belt). Ellis will be a free agent again, and certainly will cash in for much more this offseason.
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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Half-baked campaign
Posted: April 24th, 2008, 9:50am CDT by Street Sweeper
Half-baked campaign
U. of Nebraska - Omaha College Democrats Blog
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Tribute To The Fallen 2008
Posted: April 23rd, 2008, 9:58am CDT by Dave
This year, we placed 4,041 American flags, one for each of the men and women who have given their lives in Iraq.
Husker Mike's Blasphemy
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Lunatic Fringe
Posted: April 22nd, 2008, 5:01pm CDT by Husker Mike
Finally, we have an idea of the size of the "SaveRosenblatt" movement: about 1.9% of the city of Omaha. Earlier today, a parallel campaign to recall Mayor Mike Fahey over the plan to replace Rosenblatt Stadium came up a dismal failure as they only obtained 40% of the signatures needed to force a recall election. The opposition to the Mayor's plan always seemed bizarre, and now with the city close to securing a long term agreement with the NCAA, perhaps it's time to dismiss the "SaveRosenblatt" folks as lunatic fringe.
Speaking of lunatic fringe, it seems the few remaining members of the Steve Pederson fan club took a lot of joy over the fumble on the opening, tribute play of the spring game. I guess now that they've been completely marginalized, they have to find SOMETHING to hold onto after their hero nearly ran the program into the ground. But if there was any doubt that the vast majority of Husker fans are glad that the last four years are history, it was erased on Saturday afternoon when over 80,000 showed up in Lincoln for a freaking scrimmage. Jon from CornNation reported that fans started lining up around 6:30 in the morning, even though they were assured of getting a seat in the stadium.
After digesting on the spring game for a few days, I'm still not sure what to think about the Huskers in 2008. It certainly didn't clarify much, other than I think the defensive line is much improved. (Either that, or the offensive line isn't as strong as we've been told.)
The success of the Husker offense is going to revolve around Joe Ganz managing the game and the stable of Husker running backs being productive. I came away from the Spring Game even more impressed with Roy Helu and Marcus Mendoza. I already liked Quentin Castille as well. That's four backs who look like they can contribute. And if Kenny Wilson can somehow get healthy again, that would make five.
Wide receiver is going to be the question mark offensively. Nate Swift and Todd Peterson are going to be the anchors, but some of the young receivers are going to have to step up this spring. Curenski Gilleylen can stretch the field, but will need to improve his hands. Chris Brooks one-handed catch showed he has good hands. With the depth at I-back looking even stronger, I've got to believe that we'll see Marlon Lucky split his time between I-back and wide receiver. If you want to get the best players on the field, you need both Lucky and either Helu or Castille on the field at the same time occasionally.
Defensively, should Husker fans be pleased or worried that a walk-on and a recently converted I-back were among the stars at linebacker last Saturday? I guess pleased, when you consider the lack of depth going into the spring. Certainly, I think the position will be stronger than I thought it would be a month ago. But it's still cause for worry, because that position only went from being a major liability to a concern.
The biggest takeaway is watching and listening to the change in attitude in the players. Almost to a man, they all seem happier than before, and it shows on the field. Will that make a difference next fall? Hard to say, but considering how horrible things were towards the end of 2007, it couldn't hurt.
But even if they improve...does that mean a better record in 2008? Improvement could mean that thirty-point blowout losses simply get cut to single digit losses. In 2004, I knew that the team would struggle with the transition in offense. In 2008, it's not so much a change in methodology but rather a change in attitude and coaching. I still could see a 9-3 or even a 10-2 record, if everything breaks right and we see incredible improvement on defense. On the other hand, 7-5 isn't hard to fathom with road trips to Norman and Lubbock, plus games against solid teams like Virginia Tech, a top-ten Missouri, and a Kansas squad coming off an Orange Bowl victory.
Maybe we'll find out more in the remaining months...but I have a feeling we really WON'T know until the end of September or perhaps the middle of October. Until then, it's all speculation.
A View of Historic Dundee
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This is new for today!
Posted: April 22nd, 2008, 10:52am CDT by Administrator
Basically, I am just me. I enjoy life and having a god time. I love to laugh and so I surround myself with friends that have good personalities and I’m looking for the same in a potential partner. After all we probably should be friends first. I also enjoy spending time with Jake and Bailey my two dogs. (So if you don’t like animals, please don’t apply, insane cock brothas need no apply too) Mostly I love camping and spending time outside, tinkering in the yard and such. I can be found some days in side, reading a good murder mystery. Also, for all of those that wonder……
Yes I know I don’t have a pic on here. Believe me I have my reasons. But I will say that I am 5′9" BBW with light brown hair and blue eyes. If you want to know more, please ask.
Plains Feeder
Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska politics
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LeeTerry.com
Posted: April 22nd, 2008, 6:00am CDT by Street Sweeper
LeeTerry.com -
Tony: Roe vs WHAT?
Posted: April 21st, 2008, 4:25am CDT by Street Sweeper
Tony: Roe vs WHAT?
Plains Feeder
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Toying with the wind
Posted: April 21st, 2008, 3:40am CDT by Dadgum
Wind Toys
Windmills weren't always a trick on taxpayers. The old relic in the picture was more useful than the goofy wind generators standing behind it.
A comment from Small Dead Animals should make most people doubt the efficiency of wind power and battery power.
I had walked on at the wind's will,-
I sat now, for the wind was still.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti -
Lost weekend
Posted: April 21st, 2008, 3:24am CDT by ptg
A few of the EZ fixes
The installer failed on my Windows XP machine. It took me two full days to to fix it. Bill Gates suggests more than a dozen fixes, none of which really worked. The problem wouldn't have been so all-consuming had I not just bought a new flight simulation package. Obsessed with getting it installed, there was no time for blogging.
What did I miss? More Democrat blood spilled in the battle for the White House. A liberal pervert getting busted. A couple of important weekend anniversaries:
Oklahom
