Sam McKewon in today's OWH

[cipsucks]

We don't hear from Sam on this site much anymore, so, I figured I'd post for him. I normally wouldn't start a thread over this, but it's been really slow here since the Nickolls State loss, I mean win.

In his Husker rewind column, after totally peeing off Barney Cotton, Sam had this nugget:

What's a good Big Ten goal for Tim Miles and Nebraska basketball?

In the nation's best basketball league, NU could finish with a 6-12 conference record--15-16 overall--and Husker hoopheads I know would be perfectly satisfied.

I think he's high (so to speak).

Here's the whole column:

http://www.omaha.com...ne-on-criticism

[tcp]

Sam might have better meds than I do. 6 wins? Yeah, I'd say the hoopheads he knows would be pretty thrilled with that.

[uneblinstu]

It's not impossible, but they'll need about every break to go their way from here on out.

[Norm Peterson]

Cip, your link doesn't appear to go to what you thought it did. I found a column about Barney Cotton and couldn't find any reference therein about how our hoops team might do this year. Did I just miss it?

Nevermind, I found it. I'd take 6 wins and be happy about it. More than that and I'll be ecstatic.

[Huskerpapa]

Minnesota just beat Michigan State...yes, the Big Ten conference is going to be very, very tough this year.

[uneblinstu]

The top is, but there will be wins at the bottom. We also get two teams at home early that I think will be very tough at the end. Gotta take advantage vs. Wisc and Purdue and see what happens from there.

[cipsucks]

I hope I'm wrong, but 4 wins is the most I see, and that's if we stay healthy.

[uneblinstu]

It's possible, perhaps even likely, but it's not a given.

[Silverbacked1]

I tweeted Sam after he spouted off after the Oregon game. Had a guy jemp on me about getting on Sam. It was funny.

I think the thing that grinds be is that the OWH sports just wants to kind of rip on the Huskers in general. I know some say it is fair but it tends to be on the negative side, at least for my tastes.

Guess that is why I don't read the OWH.

[cipsucks]

I think the thing that grinds be is that the OWH sports just wants to kind of rip on the Huskers in general. I know some say it is fair but it tends to be on the negative side, at least for my tastes.

I like unicorns and rainbows, too, silverbacked.

[uneblinstu]

What did Sam say after the Oregon game?

[HuskerBB]

Even mentioning 6-12 is not being fair to Miles with this group. Sets him up to look as if anything less is a disappointment. Going 6-12 in the Big 10 with this team would be a "coach of the year" effort. Not saying it is impossible but that would be way above reasonable expectations this year.

[Silverbacked1]

My bad it was Dirk I tweeted to and somebody got on me.

[basketballjones]

If we win 6 games in conference give Miles a lifetime contract baby.

[49r]

If we win 6 games in conference give Miles a lifetime contract baby.

Let's not go crazy here, fellas. 6 wins is absolutely highly unlikely, but then again not impossible. I hoops, as we all know, schitt happens. Getting to .500 would NOT be COTY worthy, nor would it merit any silly contract nonsense. It means coach got his guys to perform above their expected level, nothing more, nothing less.

[HB]

If we win 6 games in conference give Miles a lifetime contract baby.

Let's not go crazy here, fellas. 6 wins is absolutely highly unlikely, but then again not impossible. I hoops, as we all know, schitt happens. Getting to .500 would NOT be COTY worthy, nor would it merit any silly contract nonsense. It means coach got his guys to perform above their expected level, nothing more, nothing less.

WAY above their expected level.

[uneblinstu]

Expectations aren't static. They change as we get more information. NU might be better than many expected and with Penn St., Northwestern and Purdue being worse than anticipated, there might be some opportunities that most didn't think would be there heading into the season. They'll find themselves in a couple other games that most don't expect somewhere along the line, too. 6 might be high, but it's not crazy.

[hhcmatt]

On a semi-related note, why doesn't the basketball scheduling follow that of football?  Do we not split up into Legends-Leaders?

I find it odd that we're playing Ohio St, Penn St, and Wisconsin twice and not Northwestern or Michigan.

[Handy Johnson]

I'll do back flips if we win 6. Watching Gophers/Spartans on Mon. looked like they were playing a different sport entirely. Especially compared to the last Husker game I sat through. Fast, everyone could handle the ball, shoot it, TOUGH inside. This was a man-sized game. I hope to hell we're ready.

[hhcmatt]

Minnesota has pulled it together this year and that's with Mbakwe playing less than 20 minutes per game...yikes!

[Buglem]

On a semi-related note, why doesn't the basketball scheduling follow that of football?  Do we not split up into Legends-Leaders?

I find it odd that we're playing Ohio St, Penn St, and Wisconsin twice and not Northwestern or Michigan.

Great question. I wondered that as well. On the Ohio State and Wisconsin side, I figured that was part of our "welcome committee". Penn State is our crossover rival so that made sense to me. Would love to know the actual reasons though.

[uneblinstu]

I'll do back flips if we win 6. Watching Gophers/Spartans on Mon. looked like they were playing a different sport entirely. Especially compared to the last Husker game I sat through. Fast, everyone could handle the ball, shoot it, TOUGH inside. This was a man-sized game. I hope to hell we're ready.

C'mon guys, when I say we've got a shot at 6 wins (which we do), I'm not expecting them to beat one of the top teams, but in the Devaney Center, there will be games vs. the bottom of the league that are winnable.  That's where the six wins come from, not from Indiana or Ohio St. or Minnesota or Michigan or even Illinois.  We might get a shot at one of them if we catch one coming off a stretch vs. Indiana, Michigan and Ohio St. or something like that, but no one's claiming that we're at a level to compete there yet, but we are good enough to beat teams at the bottom.  That's where the number comes from.