Tom Shatel brought up the idea of Nebraska and Creighton playing two games a year in his column this morning. This is a idea that's been floated by Creighton in the past, one that's generally been met with resistance from the brain trust, if you can call them that, down in Lincoln.
The idea was first suggested by The Rat, aka Danny Nee, back in the Rick Johnson years. Before Creighton could take them up on it, Johnson was out, Altman was in, and Nebraska was no longer interested. The story really picked up steam a few years later when Barry Collier was named the coach at Nebraska and stated his preference to not play Creighton at all. His quote at the time was, "I don't see what we have to gain from playing them." Over his tenure, his stance softened on playing the game once a year, but he never so much as batted an eyelash at the idea of playing an annual home-and-home series.
Since Sadler took the job last year, the subject really hadn't been broached. His AD, Smiley Steve, was still around and it was him that many suspected was really behind the "dropping Creighton from the schedule" idea. But with Smiley gone, and the contract for the series expiring after the game on Saturday, Shatel brings the subject back to the surface for another go-round. Dana Altman's comments haven't changed; and while Slingblade may be new, the party line he's toeing on this subject isn't.
Dana Altman: "We've wanted to play two since we got here...check the crowds. When we go there, its their biggest non-conference crowd. And when they come here, it's a big game for us."
Doc Sadler: "I have no problem considering it, but we have to do what's best for both programs."
Nice. What Doc is saying there, if you really analyze his statement, is this: We'll think about it, but while it might be a good idea for Creighton, its a terrible idea for Nebraska. Big-conference bluster aside, is it really a terrible idea?
For the sake of trying to be balanced in my analysis, lets set aside the smack-talk for a minute and look at this from UNL's perspective. They're the flagship campus of the only state university system in Nebraska, and to a certain vocal portion of their fanbase, its embarrassing to lose to a small, private school from Omaha. Its unconscionable that a Big XII team with the resources, budget, alumni and fanbase of Nebraska would ever lose to a Missouri Valley team, much less with the regularity its happened lately. To these people, Creighton is lucky that Nebraska plays them at all. They should be happy they get a taste of a real conference once a year -- shame on them for being greedy enough to ask for a second game!
The quieter, more level-headed Husker fans looks at the game and realizes that while Creighton does come from a smaller conference, they are a successful program that most national pundits who know what they're talking about (read: Not Digger Phelps) recognize as a solid team that no one should be ashamed to lose to or apologize for beating. It would be great to beat them more often, but losing to them certainly isn't embarrassing. To these folks, the series is a great rivalry game that helps prepare their team for the rigors of conference play. Still, they're not sure whether playing twice a year is a good thing, simply because they don't want to add another tough game to their schedule on top of their Big XII slate.
Creighton's fan base, at least the ones I've spoken to, almost universally would like to see the teams play twice a year. To me, the reasons go beyond an extra good game on the schedule, although that plays a part in it. The biggest thing to me is that Creighton and Nebraska are the only two D-1 programs in the state. When you consider other Big XII teams' non-conference slate of in-state or traditional rivalries, most if not all of them have 3-4 games every year against such teams. Nebraska has who? Creighton. And that's it. Hell, for that matter, who does Creighton have in terms of a geographical rival? Nebraska.
Why should they play twice a year?
For Nebraska, its a chance to get some hype about their program in the biggest city in the state, a city with thousands of UNL alums. Its a chance to play a good, competitive game against a respected mid-major program with a more storied past than their own. And its a chance to give their fans a fun rivalry game in both cities every year.
For Creighton, its a chance to play the big state school down the road, to get bragging rights over their co-workers, their friends who are alums of UNL, and to get a win over a team from a bigger conference.
An outsider looking at this probably thinks the game means more to Creighton than it does to Nebraska. But why is that? Why doesn't it matter to Nebraska?
The answer is simple: it does matter. This game means something to both sides. Sure, Slingblade tells them it doesn't matter, but Nebraska's own fans don't even buy into that BS. He claims its the "17th most important game, as far as I'm concerned". But if that's the case, then a reasonable person would assume its the 17th highest-attended game in Lincoln every other year. Surely they sell more tickets to those other 16 games, because after all, they're more important.
What's that? Creighton-Nebraska drew 13,112 last year, the largest non-Kansas attendance UNL got all year? Hmm, that doesn't seem congruent with Doc's theory, now does it? Seems like the fans think its a big game. Seems like it does matter, and that their fans don't consider it to be the 17th biggest game of the year.
But will the twice a year, home-and-home series ever happen? I doubt it. Creighton will continue pushing for it, I'm sure, but I'm just as sure that Nebraska will continue pretending this is a David vs Goliath matchup when in reality they simply have a Napoleon complex over the success of their neighbor to the east.
You bet.
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