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I hope Tai Webster is smart enough to realize 6000 people in an arena is pretty impressive for a nonconference game against a midmajor in the middle of November for a team picked to finish dead last in their conference and a program that hasn't won an outright conference championship in over a century.

Doc did what Doc was comfortable with. Miles does the same thing.

Busy week... just caught up with the Valpo DVR.. wow. Regardless of talent and execution, the first thing that jumps out to me is that this looks like a TEAM. There isn't a fear of being pulled. That's already a cultural difference. You can see it minute by minute in a kid like Rivers, who was being used masterfully by Miles. For the most part, Doc's teams gave great effort defensively, but it appears Miles' teams will as well. The best word for the difference in philosophies is that Miles' defense looks very practical. I love that. It's easier to buy into something practical rather than strive to achieve something only occasionally possible. We were able to guard the 3 well. That's a nice change. Also, despite our current lack of athletes, I really think this team has a hgih IQ. Don't overlook that. For all the good that a guy like Toney McCray brought us, we don't have any real mental liabilities out there. Even a guy like Andre--say what you want about his athletic ability, but the guy has a good bball IQ. He altered a ton of shots, which isn't a stat, unfortunately. Lastly, how about this kid Ubel? I'm not sure we've seen that sort of development in a 4 year span outside of Maric. He has been a model student athlete. Another 20 lbs of muscle is no joke. Other bright spots: Benny is a fantastic on-ball defender, particularly in the pick and roll. He also did a nice job managing. Rey can get an uncontested shot any time he wants with that insane elevation. I like Petlz' leadership/comraderie and passing ability. I'm not sure how this team will compete down the road, but I'm very excited about supporting them this season. Osborne got it right.

Gracious or not I still hate all Creighton fans...

I don't know why people leave games early, I'm at the other end of the spectrum, whenever I go to a sporting event I usually stick around until most of the crowd is gone, so I don't have to deal with traffic.

You and Jadler might need to flush out your current discussions, plunge into different topics, grab a bowl and get some soup, plug in the TV, and pop a squat on the couch. Did I miss anything else?

Does anyone realize Jadler and I were probably typing the word "toilet" at the same time on this thread? And doesn't this thread have an inordinate number of references to using the bathroom? Can we all raise our aim a little higher now?

I would surmise even a jet lagged young kiwi should be able to figure out that the attendance and enthusiasm he sees this year will have absolutely no relationship to what happens next year with new players in a new arena. I just hope he likes to play video games while on the toilet.

1. Fans, who leave, tend to leave during timeouts. While the band is playing Hail Varsity for the thousandth time I have time to look at all the cockroaches sneaking out and berate them with sarcastic kindness. (My favorite is holding out my keys and asking them to have it warm and out front in 15.) 2. If you go to the toilet with your coat and significant other you are both awkward; I apologize.

The yearly thread about the crowd leaving early.

I expressed this same basic sentiment a year ago and got ripped for it. Among other comments, I was told, "As soon as they put a product on the floor worth watching, we'll stay until the end of the game to watch it." I even found an article on a study that performed a chicken-versus-egg analysis and concluded that passion of the fanbase begets success on the floor moreso than success on the floor begets passion in the fan base. In other words, the first thing is that you need to create a winning environment and the winning will follow. And so I got ripped for being a "Doc apologist" but that doesn't change the fact that Devaney is just as much of a morgue for Tim Miles as it ever was for Doc Sadler. Maybe someday people will quit making excuses for why they don't go and cheer and just admit that they're apathetic no matter who the coach is.

Ray could always shoot the ball lights out in practice and was encouraged by Doc to do so, but he would load up his pants in games so to speak.

Here is what I see as the most encouraging thing so far about Miles' coaching: Players are not looking over their shoulder. A shooter has to shoot and get in the flow. Gallegos is not playing like is afraid to get pulled for making a mistake. Part of it is maybe that he knows there are not many other options, but part of it is Miles. I think Miles will still chew some butt when necessary, but I also see more teaching, encouraging. The philosophy of players make plays combined with the new facilities is what will bring kids to Nebraska. I liked Doc alot and still do, so I don't want to want to turn this into a Doc versus Tim thread, but I loved the confidence and players having fun that I saw last night. Confidence is a contagious thing and while players like Ubel and Lance Jeter could probably give you there best under any coach, some personalities need to not be constantly thinking about what mistake they are going to make next and if they will disappear on the bench after they make it. Substitutions were made based on keeping players fresh, keeping them from fouling out, match-ups and a just an overall nice rotation. In the past when players would disappear for the rest of the game or get unexpected big chunks of head scratching playing time I think it was not a good thing.

Gallegos, Ubel and Talley are like Nebraska's version of Lethal Weapon 3. OK, they're not exactly Kenny Anderson, Dennis Scott and Brian Oliver. But, like it or not, those three are where our points will come from (or fail to come from) this season. And Talley is going to have to be able to play defense AND score or what will probably be a brutal season anyway will only be brutaler. Lethal Weapon 3. I kinda like that. They should have a poster. Except they're more like tazers, tear gas and bean bags than bullets, bombs and grenades. So, what are those? Semi-lethal weapons? Non-lethal weapons? Crowd control weapons? Hey, if it's crowd control, it seems to be working.

13,595. I hope Tai Webster is interested in playing in half filled arenas.

He's looking pretty good. You guys are playing much better than the Jays right now. If we keep Doug out of foul trouble it should be a good game on the 6th. You guys will have the edge since it will be in Lincoln.

I never hear any of the Creightonians say this. I only see that on this board. St. Joes will be a tough game for CU, also. They looked pretty good in beating Notre Dame last night. Plus CU has to get by Wisky and Arkansas/Arizona State, along with a game at Cal. We just hope CU can win the Valley and provide some entertainment along the way.