Huskers Sports: The Memorial Day Roundtable

1. SEC loverboy Clay Travis put something on his blog on Wednesday saying that the SEC Network will be much more entertainment, while the Pac 12 Network and BTN are used for propaganda. And I quote.. "many at ESPN and the SEC said they were using the BTN as what not to be at the SEC Network". Could the BTN be better? Are they nothing but propaganda for Jim Delany? What’s your thoughts?

David - Nothing but propaganda is pretty harsh, but what are they supposed to be? It’s a network dedicated to Big Ten athletics, of course they’re going to tout the virtues of the conference. If he thinks the SEC Network isn’t going to do the same, I think he’s fooling himself. I haven’t watched a lick of the Pac 12 Network because DirecTV hasn’t picked it up yet.

I think the BTN has quite a bit of entertaining programming, though, beginning with shows like the Journey. That’s must DVR tv every week for me. It’s high quality programming at a level that any newtork will have trouble attaining, so when the SEC Network puts out something of quality, then get back to me.

One thing I’d love to see the BTN do more of is carry more live events, specifically, baseball. If the conference is serious about improving the sport, and it seems like they are, why aren’t you using BTN to help you out there? There’s no reason why they can’t carry 40 or more games during the regular season, even if they can’t always use their A or B crews, there’s plenty of local talent around the schools that could do a servicable job. The amount of games, which I believe was fewer than 20 before the Big Ten tournament, is kinda pathetic. But they can carry more of the other sports too. Carry more events, that’s where I think they could improve, they don’t need to replay the Spring Football Report every day for three straight weeks.

Andy K. - Yaaawwwnnn.

What’s this? The SEC is claiming that their network will be more entertaining than the B1G?? Stunning. And what original groundbreaking ideas are they going to unleash first???

Well, they’re going to televise a radio show with a funny hick host. Hold on, let me pick myself up off the ground, I feel like Cactus Jack just hopped in the ring and gave me the "BANG BANG!!!" with both index fingers. What else ya got, guys? Wait - let me guess - maybe a roundtable show with some sports correspondents from the region??? (Today’s topic - "SEC! Are we awesome or what? Furman, go!" "Hell, yes. We’re badder than Bo Jackson with two oars & bucket of crawdads!!")

I mean, this is conference that saw the success of 30 for 30 & said "Let’s do the same damn thing and call it SEC Storied! Hoo-wee!"

Basically, ESPN’s in charge and when I read that they are talking about being more entertaining, it tells me is that they are ordering/insisting/strongly suggesting that the SEC Network become ESPN Jr. with some emphasis on televised sports talk and entertainment and not so much the actual televising of sports events.

Of course, everyone involved with SECNET is going to look to put down the Big 10; SEC folk because that’s what they do to all other conferences and ESPN because:

A) they’re probably still butthurt over the Big 10 turning down their lowball offer and starting a successful conference network of their own and

B) they really really need a win here. Or at least some way of making back a little of the cash they’re still shitting into a big hole in the ground in Texas.

And probably the silliest thing of all is to suggest that the other conference networks are propaganda. Of course they are!! And guess what - whatever format is used, that’s exactly what the SEC Network will be as well. Big 10 propaganda will continue to be lots of actual sports programming and highlights. SEC programming will have its fair share of hollerin’ talking heads and an emphasis on "entertainment".

Which, apparently, they feel their actual sporting events will not provide.

(Sorry, just trying to present the Big 10 counterpoint, Clay Travis-style)

Salt Creek and Stadium - Concerning the SEC, Clay Travis and ESPN: *FART NOISE*

As far as improvements to BTN, I echo what David says. Broadcast more of the Big Ten athletics, not just football and basketball. Start up BTN2. Let’s get more of the women’s sports on there and yes, more baseball. Broadcast ALL of the Big Ten championships that aren’t picked up by ESPN or Fox. Pick up the rights to broadcast NCAA championships that involve Big Ten sports - not as an exclusive but again, to sell the conference. I don’t need to watch documentaries shoe-horning Nebraska into the Big Ten canon or really any Iowa football games- I want live sports or more shows like The Journey.

And for the love of God, bring BTN2Go to the modern internet. Drop NeuLion’s craptastic Flash-based player and go to HTML5 or Silverlight or something that actually works on all computers, not just the developers’. Bring BTN2Go to the major consoles from Sony and Microsoft, to compete along side WatchESPN.

Oh, and can we get advertisment variety? I hate watching the same three commercials over and over and over and over again. Bring back Barbasol.

DM - I like the championships idea, too. Carry all of ‘em.

Brian- Damn, Salt done took all my ideas and ran with them. I do like Finebaum on the SEC Network, but at the same time... congrats, you become ESPN with Cowherd and Van Pelt simulcast during the day. There’s no damn entertainment value in that. Show me something like "People of the Tuscaloosa Wal Mart" or "Florida Jorts 2012- A retrospect" and I’ll believe you’re being entertainment. Besides, I will bet that the SEC Network will be a close cousin to the Longhorn Network as far as what ESPN is willing to do to get carriage. People will want the SEC Network, but no one wants the Longhorn Network (except UT fans).

Besides, you have Paul Finebaum, the BTN has Gus Johnson. Who wins that contest 9 out of 10 times?

2. Adam Rittenberg says that the most indispensable players for Nebraska is Taylor Martinez on offense, and David Santos on defense. We get Taylor, but Santos? Do you agree with this assessment, or do you have someone else on D in mind?

DM - How do you pick a most indispensable player for the defense when we don’t really know many answers to all the questions on that side of the ball. Really, you put the two deep on a dartboard, throw that dart and you’ll have your answer. I think Santos is as valid as any of the other options.

AK - Agree wholeheartedly with the above. Perhaps a better way of putting it would be to ask who has to become indispensable in order for the defense to be effective. Nebraska will be dealing with more athleticism and ability at the linebacker position than they’ve had in years and Santos is about the only one with game experience. It’s a great deal to to ask but he needs to become THE leader in his first year as a full-time starter.

SCS: Can’t argue with David or Andy. I mean, I get that they had to chose someone. But if you’re really being honest, fill in the ballot with either "NEBRASKA DEFENSIVE PLAYER WHO IS GOOD AT TACKLING" or "HEALTHY DEFENSIVE LINEMAN WITH THE WILL TO PLAY EVERY DOWN". Because with Pelini’s 4-3 two gap, those are kind of indispensable characteristics. Well, those two and intelligent safeties who don’t bite on the fakes and are ready to tackle when the defensive line and linebackers miss. Man, our defense is really not mistake-friendly. It’s going to be a fun fall!

Brian - I would have put Ciante Evans in that spot before I would have put Santos. Hell, you could even put a Stanley Jean Baptiste or even a Randy Gregory or Vincent Valentine. And, no slight to Santos, but I fully expect someone like Jared Afalava to be a bigger role in the LB sideline.

3. Lets say you are a season ticket holder, and you have a chance to pay 10% less on both your tickets for the year and your per seat donation to the University, but in order to do so your seats are in the new East section, all the way up in the upper deck. Do you do it? Or do you stay where you are and use your binoculars to see the people up there? And, if you’re getting tickets on the street for a game and you see that you’d be sitting up there, would you get them? Or would it depend on weather and such?

DM - I wouldn’t mind sitting up there. I know it’s super high, but I don’t think it will be a bad view, if it’s anything comparable to the view from the press box. I’m a bit of a fair weather fan in that I’m not going to spend my whole day going down to the game if the weather is terrible and I can watch it from home with all the other games around the country available to me, unless it’s a super huge game in which case, I’d probably go regardless of the conditions, but for an early season game or a game vs. one of the dregs of the conference, all that stuff is in play for me. Weather, game time, other games on around the country, did I get the lawn mowed/leaves picked up. Maybe that makes me a bad fan, I don’t know, but I’ve been to my fair share of games, if there are people that want to go to those games, I’m more than willing to let them. So, to answer your question, I’m not going to be paying for season tickets any time soon and really don’t have any desire to, so, I probably wouldn’t take that deal. I’ll stick with my affordable hoops season tickets for now.

AK - There are several contingencies that must be taken into consideration in order for me to give an informed answer.

Is my seat going to be constructed from the same campground/pirate ship quality wood plank that has come to define Memorial Stadium as one of the most fan-friendly, modern game day experiences in college football?

One of the joys of the upper decks in north & south end zone is missing half of the 3rd quarter if you leave with 4 minutes to go in the 1st half should you need to take a piss. Which you will if you drink beforehand. Will this be a staple of the east side as as well?

If yes on the wood planks, will the spacing for each seat still be geared toward the average size of a 12-year-old US male circa 1923? And if this is the case, will the university still be sure to put 4-6 grossly obese fat fucks in each row to both ensure arguments and that the poor folk on the aisle only have space for one ass cheek each?

Can I bring the guy who always sat behind me and shrieked, "SEXY REXY!!!" like a 14-year-old girls with a Bieber Live DVD and a box of sex toys every time Burkhead so much as scratched his nuts along for the ride? I’m sure that someday we’ll have another white skill position player for him to hetero-man-crush on and it just wouldn’t be the same without him.

Finally, I don’t mind sitting next to Cobby (@CobbyNation) but if he stirs up shit with the State Patrol about having to empty his flask and gets me tossed out as well, just because the cop didn’t like the look in my eye when Cobby screamed, "GET MY BACK, BRO!", am I suspended for additional games?

If yes to the 1st four and no to the last, dock me 10% and I’m in. You know, if I had season tickets in the first place.

SCS - I suspect it would be in Cobby’s best interest to lay low - apparently some of his internet recipes got picked up in New Jersey. Though I guess they kind of skimped on the rubbing alcohol - Cobby uses Everclear.

Anyways, back to the topic on hand. I’m there, for all of the above. But I’m 25 years old and haven’t been to a Nebraska game at Memorial in three years, so you know, I may be going through withdrawal and willing to take the cheap stuff from the guy on the corner. A pair of binoculars and some front row seating in the nosebleeds, and I’m going to be pretty happy. There’s no place I’d rather be on a football Saturday than Memorial Stadium.

I’m a romantic like that.

And if that means I’m all by myself in late November when we play Minnesota and the snow is falling? SO BE IT.

Cobby - SALT BOY, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE LIVING UNTIL YOU’RE ON A FERRY IN NEW JERSEY DRINKING A BAGGED DRAMBUIE WHILE TALKING TO A FIRED COYOTE UGLY WAITRESS IN A BLINDING SNOWSTORM MY BOY. THE TASTE IS SWEET AND THE MOMENT COULD NOT MAKE IT BITTER.

Brian- I would love, LOVE to spend a warm weather day up there. The thought of having your own all-22 angle that you could watch everything going on in the entire field and not even moving your head is one I would love. That being said, if it’s anywhere cold with that wind biting... no thanks. It’s easier to cool down in warmer weather than trying to deal with a 30 degree, 20 MPH wind biting your ears and nose.