Morning Coffee - Happy Fourth of July!

Double Extra Point gives us a preview video for 2007. Interesting choices of a song - Van Halen's Right Now. Does that mean this season's expectations are way high, or people can't wait for the 2007 season?

Sean Callahan is reporting that Zach Bowman's recovery is ahead of schedule and that he could be ready for the season opener against Nevada. It's great news - the Huskers secondary will certainly be better with him than without.

Nebraska baseball gets a new pitching coach. Eric Newman comes to Nebraska out of Dallas Baptist where he was the head coach the past three seasons.

It looks like a great move. We get a guy who can help with recruiting out of Texas. Dallas Baptist made the rounds in the Big 12 last season, playing Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas, so we'll get a coach who's familiar with the conference.

Nebraska has lost a huge number of pitchers to the pros, so Newman will have his work cut out for him. Only Johnny Dorn returns as a weekend starter.

More old videos for me. Preparing to watch the 1997 Nebraska - Oklahoma game, Tom Osborne's 250th win and the last time that Nebraska would meet Oklahoma on a perennial basis. Pre-game show runs through a bunch of earlier match-ups, still heart-breaking as ever. Even the 1978 win was heart-breaking after having to meet Oklahoma again in the 1979 Orange Bowl where we lost 31-24.

In '97, the two programs were at different points. Nebraska was winning a national title, while Oklahoma was struggling through a down period. John Blake was their head coach. Funny how 10 years later things have turned around. It's a cycle that's to be expected.

Have a Happy July Fourth! I think I'll go fishing. Lazy fishing. The best kind.

--JJ--