Norm Peterson

OK, so you can go back 15 years to find someone as good. Or go back 23 years to find someone arguably better. Either way, this kind of player doesn't come along very often in a Husker uniform, and we should appreciate the rarity of what we're seeing.

The big knock on Maric was that he kept missing all kinds of bunnies. That was a giant criticism of him at the time. Along the lines of Brian Diaz doesn't dunk. Walker doesn't miss bunnies. He's shooting over 70% from the floor. Last year, he almost averaged 70%, and his sophomore year, he was 60%. So, this is not an aberration or a lucky 4-game run. Maric's best season he shot 57.5%. That's why I take Walker in a footrace.

Andre Smith 1981 Dave Hoppen 1986 Rich King 1991 Venson Hamilton 1999 Aleks Maric 2008 Derrick Walker 2023 The six best Nebraska centers in my lifetime.

Just some advice from an OG. I told people a few years back that a kid as talented as Terran Petteway doesn't come along very frequently for us and to enjoy the ride (the year of No-Sit Sunday.) Well, we're seeing another once-in-a-generation kind of effort from Derrick Walker in 4 games so far this year. And if his performance keeps up like this, I will confidently tell you that you won't see another guy like him in a Husker uniform in maybe another generation. I went back and watched the extended highlights from Creighton again. What he did against Creighton was special. Kalkenbuglewhatever is a GOOD player. A very good player. He's long, he's very talented, he's experienced. Derrick Walker abused him. And, let's be clear: It wasn't just some lucky shots that were falling. Derrick was playing his game. The shots he was taking are very much in his arsenal. If he continues to play his game and doesn't let the hype get into his head, I think we could be witnessing something historic for a Husker player. I'm saying it now: We have not had a big man in a Husker uniform that was as talented as Derrick Walker since Aleks Maric, and Derrick probably beats him in a footrace. You probably have to go back to senior year Venson Hamilton to find a Husker big man who was better. No matter what happens with the team, try to enjoy watching Derrick Walker. This could be a season for the ages.

I don't think the computers have caught up to how good we are this year. And I'm not saying we're great. Or that we're a tournament team, although we might be. I'm saying we're better than the computers realize because we have players doing things they haven't done historically. 1. We are playing strong defense right now. It was really sketchy at the beginning of the year, but we seem to have defense figured out a little better now. 2. We are playing within ourselves and being disciplined in following the game plan rather than a bunch of freelance stuff. 3. Derrick Walker. I hope people realize what they're seeing with Derrick Walker. He has developed himself into a historic talent by Husker standards. The last time we had a big man who could basically score as well as Derrick has shown, he was the Big Twelve player of the year. And I'm not exaggerating. I went back and watched the extended highlights against Creighton and Derrick was basically scoring at will against a very talented 7-foot center. Talented and experienced 7-foot center. We're playing solid defense. We're rebounding the ball well now for the first time in Hoiberg's tenure. We have a solid 1-2 punch with Griesel and Walker. And if CJ Wilcher can settle in and find his range, we'll be a tough out for anyone in this league with the exception of maybe IU and Purdue. At this moment, we're better than what the computers realize. They don't have enough data yet to account for what my eyes see.

That makes me think our new FB coach isn't going to have the option to mess around with the Blackshirt tradition.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: Kent P draws images with his words that allowed me to visualize the action back when away games weren't on TV. (Even when they are, I'd rather listen to a synced radio broadcast than bland TV PBP guys.) And then the Pinnacle Sports Network screwed the fans and screwed Kent and decided we needed an announcer who wasn't a fan of the program to call the games. Like WTF? Give me a fan of the program! I want the guy whose voice tells me he loves the program as much as I do. Who says things like "BANGARAAAAANG!!!!" and "I LOVE YOU SHAVON!!!" I am glad Kent is our guy. And he's just a good dude, too. So ... Yes, thank you, Kent!

I saw tweets from Strick, from Glynn Watson, from Lance Jeter, even from Bryce McGowens. Party atmosphere, baby! Here's the one from Strick, BTW

Yes. The answer is yes.

Conference home games in bold. Not sayin'; just sayin'.

From what I can tell, Mr. Farabello usually keeps himself in check.

OK, guys, y'all need to re-up your prescription for Lithium. Get rid of the high highs and the low lows. I mean, this was just one game. Let me repeat that: Just. One. Game. It's gonna be a slog of a season and every conference opponent is really good. Every single one. And we don't have any more talent on this roster than we did when we lost to Memphis. So, I mean, slow your roll just a little ... 9-4 over the last 13? No. I did not realize that. That's pretty impressive actually. Anyway, I don't want you guys to get too carried ... Three straight wins against ranked teams? Is that some kind of record? It is? Whoa. That's pretty wild. Still, I would just caution ... Fred has two of our five all-time wins against ranked teams on the road? What the actual fuck? Are you serious? Holy shit! I had no idea. Um, I mean, try to temper your expectations because ... Jesus Christ Northwestern beat Michigan State on the road last night?! Um don'tdoitNormkeepcalmdon'tfallforitthere'salotofseasonlefttoplayandwe'restillNebrasketball Can we at least keep the "bubble watch" discussion to a minimum until after we beat Iowa on December 29? Thanks

Pretty rough night for a team that has 10 players better than our best guy.

Tough weekend for that school to the east. First, their #4 seed volleyball team gets upset in a season-ending loss in the NCAA volleyball 2nd round. And now this. You gotta feel for them, man. That's rough.

Don't wanna steal anyone's thunder, BUT ... I peaked. We got a nice little bump. Add that to the fact those other guys took a dump.

Can't wait to see the Kenpom bump. Love that we are a bad loss for them. Love that we knocked them out of the top 10. Maybe even out of the top 25. Love that they'll get a worse seed in whatever tournament because of losing to us.

2nd game in a row that we'll leave the game with the same W/L record as our opponent

This dude's delts were the size and shape of cantaloups, I kid you not.

This guy's upper body was much more massive than yours, if you can believe it.

Let me tell you, I amazed myself on the legs. Legit amazed. I don't know what an empty hip sled weighs but Norm did 10 reps of 5 plates plus 25# on each side the last time I did the hip sled. By my math, that's 500 pounds. Plus the sled. And I felt like I coulda done more. I told the guy I was working out with that at this rate, maybe I'll be able to dunk again LOL

OK, so, backstory, Norm's doc tells Norm he needs to get in better shape, so Norm joins a gym for the first time in his life. And now I get what people talk about when they talk about guys who skip leg day. Kinda had an idea before but now I really get it. Anyway, I've been going to the gym and there's this guy who is absolutely massive in the upper body but his calves are ... fairly ordinary. Unimpressive. Forgotten. Massive upper body, though. Massive. Like absolutely massive. Unbelievably jacked. He probably benches 400# on a light day. And when he's lifting barbells and dumbbells and doing arm stuff, he's always wearing a tank top to display his absolutely massive upper body muscles. But I noticed the other day when he was doing some leg stuff, he had this bulky, loose-fitting hoodie on. Obviously doesn't want to draw attention to the contrast between his upper and lower, right? Yeah. Anyway, as a side note, he got off a leg machine and just for kicks I went over to see how much weight he was pressing and it was like less than what I do. chortle snort. In fairness, my legs have done more work and moved more weight on a daily basis over the last several decades than most people who go to the gym a lot. But I digress. Anyway, so the other night, he's there working out doing legs. He's got his hoodie on concealing his upper body because he has the legs of a chicken. And this young lady enters the gym. Even as women in gyms go, she was astonishing. In the face, I'd give her maybe an 8. Nine on a good day. But from the neck down, she was absolutely flawless. I mean like freak of nature. Not muscular at all, but toned, swimsuit model-worthy. Astonishing. Like everyone in the gym, man, woman or child, would stop what they were doing to take note that this exceptional creature had entered the ecosystem. And from my perch on the treadmill, I see chicken leg guy suddenly remove his oversized hoodie and, y'know, it's just time to go work those triceps, y'know? Like just kinda over by where this young lady is now doing some bicep curls. I mean, a man's gotta work his arms once in a while amiright? And I don't think she noticed him. At. All. I'm still laughing. Just had to share.

Against Texas, they went 8 deep, played five guys at least 33 minutes each, and their 6th man got 12 minutes. So, if Baylor Scheierman had come here instead, who would be getting his 33 minutes? Someone not nearly as good, that's who.

Good point. Fortunately, Keishei came to play, and, though he played few minutes, Walker still scored in double figures.

They come, they go. We'll fill a roster for next year and whoever they have will be our team, the team we cheer for. I'll let the coaches worry about who those players are going to be at this point.