Husker Hoops Penitent

brfrad, you are right, so there is cause for some hope, I suppose, but the good programs are built on high school players, as I'm sure you know. Until the "stars" currently considering NU sign I remain guarded. However, according to Rivals.com. NU is in the lead for PG Whitt, and PFs Clemence, Breidenbach and C Sanogo- all of whom are in the Top 100.

Yeah, we'll see. They still haven't recruited one, solitary high school star (Top 50-75)!

Coughunter is right. Without h.s. difference makers we will remain gruesome.

Actually, yes according to Rivals.com. They are in the lead for PG Whitt, and PFs Clemence, Breidenbach and C Sanogo. Until they sign I will remain deeply skeptical.

Of those on the current team, who will be in the rotation next year? Perhaps Ouedraogo and Thobjarnarson as the only likely- and that is if they return. Both might want to evacuate (one to a functional team, the other to overseas professional ball). Cross might come back but who knows? The rest are doubtful, and if they do what does that portend? Probably another gruesome season. Without two-three "real" recruits- meaning Top 50 high school players- I expect more of the same next year. There won't be much returning production, and they won't have played as a team. That is fine in the summer when we comments like, "when we are moving the ball quickly we're pretty damn good". Bullshit. They haven't landed anyone from high school that is highly rated. In fact, they lost local Top 100 Williams and don't have a shot at the only 5 Star high-schooler in Nebraska history. The recruiting momentum that seemed palpable early on seems to have produced nothing so far. We have a disgruntled transfer, and two juco players coming in. Zero high-school stars! Unless this is rectified I think Hoiberg-ball will be the latest, and certainly last chance for this program. Agree? Disagree?

I don't think I have seen a worse Power Six team in my forty-five years of faithful college basketball viewing.

The Huskers are in real trouble if they show up for a game.

I didn't catch his latest comments. Could you supply the source? Thanks.

Yes, of the likely departures: Arop, Burke Jr., Green, Cross and now Mack I would least like to lose Cross. His game is very interesting and I think he could become something really special.

They better land PG Carter Whitt and C Adama Sanogo, plus a couple others. Perhaps the grad. transfer Kobe Webster from W. Illinois will sign, which might make Mack's likely (inevitable?) departure less consequential? I see Rivals still has NU at the top of the list w/ Top 100 big men (Clemence and Breidenback) so who know? If they could land these guys then we might have something. I wish a few of us were paid to worry about this shit-show....

I don't think there is many reasons to think next year will be much better. It looks like a complete exodus is in the offing so next year's team will be "new" again. If the staff don't start landing difference makers the "Hoiberg momentum" will be swallowed by NU's historical futility.

What Moos' statements really mean: we are twenty years away from being competitive in men's sports.

Uneblinstu- I think any time the Husker men's athletic programs have a game scheduled is a great night to spend with friends.

MU: 75 NU: 58

Did Mack make the trip to Michigan?

Wow! I never saw him. Glad you got to. And yes, it was a shame about Benjamin. I never did find out why he didn't suit up for the Big Red. It must have been some disciplinary reason. Isn't it staggering how many true "near misses" and just plain rotten luck NU has endured? They really were so close to becoming a power. Unless and until Hoiberg breaks through I will temper my optimism as best I can. Frankly, if Hoiberg can't take us to the promised land no one can or will. Again, thanks for the great posts, insights and information!

Johnny Benjamin! https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1988-02-02-0010350013-story.html#

Dead Dog Alley, that is one of the best posts in a long time. Great exhibition of your deep Husker knowledge. Regarding 1994, refresh my memory about "mystery big man". At first I thought it might be a reference to Osita Nwachukwu who Nee passed on, but that was in 1992. So I am stumped. By the way, kudos for remembering Johnny Benjamin! Your Husker knowledge is first rate. I remember being so excited about him (he averaged something like fifty points a game in h.s. While on this broad subject: how about a couple of other names that excited many of us: Delvon Harris and Ben Coupet! Both were school boy legends and were on their way to NU. Also, I read in a basketball book years ago and now cannot for the life of me find the source, that Wilt Chamberlain narrowed his college choices to NU and KU. When I read that I knew that something cosmic has happened....

thrasher31, you make a fair point. If he stays I hope he contributes, obviously. I also look forward to a time when there isn't a whiff of Miles in the program. Though I like Miles' wit and intelligence I never will find any coherent excuse for his last team to be so crappy. Even though they lost Copeland they hadn't played as well as they should have considering the talent and experience prior to his injury. Copeland, Watson, Palmer, Allen and Roby, plus a couple others and they were a joke. My hope is the curse NU labors under will, at long last be lifted by Hoiberg. Perhaps Arop, Burke and Green were "tainted" by the last staff in some inexplicable way? I know lots of people who say the same thing about Frost: 'once he gets his guys...' I'm not saying it will happen but one tends to get desperate and look for hope in anything one can find.

The fans of this shit-show deserve to be recognized as among the best fans in all of American sport. Over fifteen-thousand show up to watch the home team puke and piss themselves every game. Is there a better fan base (including those other disasters, football & baseball). It has been a dreadful spell but I have been dragging this sack of cement up hill since the early 70s. I wouldn't even know how to stop rooting for them even if I wanted to. I feel a kinship w/ many on this board much like someone who survives a disaster with another. Go big red!

UM- 91 NU- 55

Great posts, all. And yes, the botched two-for-one potential possession was (hopefully) bad execution and not by design. Either case, that was staggeringly inept. NU men's big-three sports are staggering. For the money invested there isn't a college nearly as terrible. After this coming football season when NU hopes to eek out a junky, also-ran bowl game in mid-December I hope NU stops wasting money on athletic scholarships and like the Ivy League, invests it's revenues in academics. The mathematics dept. was honored a few years back as one of the nation's very best. Why keep casting our pearls before swine? They stink every year. Let's accept it and make some rational changes.

Firstly, I want to apologize to HB for my misguided thoughts about Mack. I was blinded by periodic flashes where he was almost impossible to guard. (the potential to get a triple-double), but as the season has ground on he is regressing rapidly. Initially, I saw elements of former UT and NBA star T.J. Ford in his game. However, on average, his shot is poor, the free throws laughable and he gets easily distracted at times. If things are going well he stays present and involved, if not- which is almost always- he is borderline petulant. These are terrible qualities in a ball-handling guard. Earlier in the year I was among many on this board who hoped we wouldn't suffer much (or any) attrition at the termination of the season. Now I could care less. I look up and down the roster and ask myself if I hope anyone returns outside of Ouedraogo and Thorbjarnarsen. Ouedraogo really is coming on strong as a very young freshman, though ironically he is one of the few who don't play Hoiberg's beloved "position-less basketball'. Not surprising the two disciplined and hard working players are non-Americans. About this 'position-less basketball'- it seems impossible to me that a team that hopes to win more than a game or two in its league cannot do so without a strong inside presence, but what the hell- NU isn't paying me five million a year to design the team. Ouedraogo works hard and doesn't complain or pout. I think he has the makings of being a very strong contributor to future Big Ten squads, but again, he doesn't shoot from outside.... Naturally, it being NU, he will probably be the one who bails out, although who could blame him? Who wants to get the shit knocked out of him every night for a year (four) straight? Thorbjarnarsen is a quality piece, but I could see him wearying of playing for the league doormat for his whole career. If one is going to get beaten to a pulp every game he might as well get paid. As for Mack, I still think he could become an excellent player but he had better realize how much work he needs to put in. HB, you are right about him: no one in the N.B.A. will put the ball in the hands of a player who cannot shoot either from the floor or the line and who is injury prone, often needs disciplinary action to motivate him and doesn't handle adversity well. I got excited when his name was seen on the draft boards. What a fool I was. Looking at the rest of the roster I see Green as likely gone. He seems vaguely likable but clearly isn't capable of playing Big Ten ball. Unless he transforms next season he is a waste of a scholarship. Burke could help if he is NU's eighth or ninth option next year perhaps, but is quite skinny. Better by far than Green, but I have heard whispers he will be leaving next season. Arop? Easley? Both are coachable and high character guys but obviously not Big Ten players. At least Easley can't hurt NU (as long as he isn't shooting threes) if he doesn't consume a scholarship, but recall, Arop couldn't find minutes on one of the worst Power 5 conference teams in history! (The worst I've ever seen!) How the hell will he play next year if the new players are better than this year's? (Although now I will reserve judgment on the quality of the sit-out transfers) I hear about the sit out players whipping the starters nearly every practice. Yeah? What's your point?! Initially I was very high on Cross but now I just don't know how he fits into what Hoiberg purports to want to do. Run, shoot, and out-hustle every opponent. I don't know if he has the demeanor or the physical skills. I think the smartest player was Samari Curtis! In short, I can't see anyone long-suffering NU fan giving a f*** who returns next season. This year was supposed to portend great things going forward, but I see very little to recommend anyone being encouraged going forward. This skinny, fast-paced NU team just shot 8-30 at the free throw line at home on Senior Day! Think about that and try to find another performance worse than that at any level from jr. high to the professionals. I challenge anyone to find a worse performance (26.7% FT) by a team if the criterion is say, more than 20 attempts in a game. That said, next season's team once again will largely be a completely new, inexperience team again. Why should we think they will improve? Will they play as a team together next season? I look at this disgusting mess and wonder what Hoiberg must think. He's obviously a brilliant mind, but this isn't Iowa St. It is the NCAA's historically lowliest team. I know having an incoming player like Allen gives some reason for optimism, but Mayen and King? Mayen is a nice player by most measures but is only ranked in the Top 40 of Junior College! NU just had two Top 5 Jr. College players in our back court this year (Mack/Green).... King is a solid player but has had major surgery on his knee and was averaging about ten points for UW. He could be very good, but my point is there is nothing to suggest NU is poised to make a leap next year, or even be much better than this year. Every conference team is recruiting as well, or better, some far better.... Is possible for anyone in the wide world who can make NU great in basketball? Seriously. Would Coach K or Calipari be able to win at NU consistently? Or even be decent on a yearly basis? I should have known the season was lost after getting the shit beaten out of us on opening night by U.C. Riverside in Lincoln! I'm asking all Husker fans to think about this soberly. A week from today NU will sit at 7-24 after having been annihilated at Michigan and Minnesota, respectively.Two days later an opening round embarrassment will mercifully end this season, at which point the frantic evacuation will begin. If you are honest, not a single person on this board thought we would be close to this bad this year, and unless they do some actual recruiting- not just signing people recklessly, there is no reason for optimism. I know this may sound hysterical but 120+ years of futility begins to take on a patina of the ineluctable, so before casting stones at me just remember this: NU shot 26.7% FT as a team on Senior Day. (and I am waiting for someone to show me a worse FT shooting performance as a team!) Go on, do your worst.

Good grief. That was some shit-basketball. Getting easier to accept with each successive blowout. Aside from Mack, I'm not sure any current player has much of a shot at starting next year unless they really make drastic improvements. Ugly, ugly basketball.