Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Friday, March 8, 2013
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Monday, March 4, 2013
Bob Devaney Sports Center: Best Moment Ever!
I’m not proud of it but back in the day, my eyes would occasionally roll when old timers like Lyell Bremser and Don Bryant would detail stories about their early days covering Husker athletics. I can only hope my rude behavior wasn’t obvious. I was in my 20s back then. It was the early 70s and I was in the first years of what I thought was a big deal job broadcasting NU football and basketball on the radio. But I just couldn’t focus on the stories those older gents would share about Pete Elliott, Bobby Reynolds, Harry Good, Jim Kubacki, etc. All that was passé for me; ancient history. I was a punk. What can I say?
Trouble is, what goes around comes around. I fully understand people who don’t remember the advent of the 45 second shot clock aren’t interested in, and can’t relate to, the first Husker basketball games at the Bob Devaney Center in 1976. So if that’s you, hold your nose, roll your eyes, and drift off to more important times, like today. I’ve been there and done that. I understand. No offense taken.
If you’re still with me, suffice it to say I was extremely honored to broadcast the first basketball games played at Devaney. Those were the state high school tournament games in the spring of 76, prior to the initial Husker games later that fall and winter.
The first NU game was against the Iowa Hawkeyes on November 27th. A Google search resurrects all the names of the participants. I won’t bore you with all of it. But like today, for the new Pinnacle Bank Arena, the administration was hoping to initiate the building with a game against a quality opponent but one that the Huskers would be able to beat. That didn’t happen. Ronnie Lester (who Nebraska tried hard to recruit) was Iowa’s big gun. Lute Olson was their relatively young head coach. And the Hawkeyes spoiled the Devaney Center christening with a 71-56 win over Joe Cipriano, Brian Banks, and Carl McPipe.
And now, as I use the same spotting board forms that I worked with way back then to prepare for the final game at the Bob, filling out the names of Minnesota’s players, my mind races to all those games, players, coaches, staff, and fans I’ve been so fortunate to share a career with.
And the best moment in all those years and approximately 425 broadcasts I’ve done there? It’s a slam dunk: The 1983 win over TCU that sent the Huskers to the final 4 of the N.I.T. There was more emotion in that building in the 15 minute post game celebration that followed than any other in all these years. Listen to the 5 minute radio clip I found and I think you’ll have to agree.
So now, it’s off to Lincoln and the final broadcast ever at the Devaney Center. I got to do the last one at the old Coliseum, the first and last ones at the Bob, and the plan is, the first one next fall at Pinnacle Bank Arena. If you’re green around the edges, this is the stuff that will make your eyes roll. For me, it’s the stuff of a lifetime at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
Trouble is, what goes around comes around. I fully understand people who don’t remember the advent of the 45 second shot clock aren’t interested in, and can’t relate to, the first Husker basketball games at the Bob Devaney Center in 1976. So if that’s you, hold your nose, roll your eyes, and drift off to more important times, like today. I’ve been there and done that. I understand. No offense taken.
If you’re still with me, suffice it to say I was extremely honored to broadcast the first basketball games played at Devaney. Those were the state high school tournament games in the spring of 76, prior to the initial Husker games later that fall and winter.
The first NU game was against the Iowa Hawkeyes on November 27th. A Google search resurrects all the names of the participants. I won’t bore you with all of it. But like today, for the new Pinnacle Bank Arena, the administration was hoping to initiate the building with a game against a quality opponent but one that the Huskers would be able to beat. That didn’t happen. Ronnie Lester (who Nebraska tried hard to recruit) was Iowa’s big gun. Lute Olson was their relatively young head coach. And the Hawkeyes spoiled the Devaney Center christening with a 71-56 win over Joe Cipriano, Brian Banks, and Carl McPipe.
And now, as I use the same spotting board forms that I worked with way back then to prepare for the final game at the Bob, filling out the names of Minnesota’s players, my mind races to all those games, players, coaches, staff, and fans I’ve been so fortunate to share a career with.
And the best moment in all those years and approximately 425 broadcasts I’ve done there? It’s a slam dunk: The 1983 win over TCU that sent the Huskers to the final 4 of the N.I.T. There was more emotion in that building in the 15 minute post game celebration that followed than any other in all these years. Listen to the 5 minute radio clip I found and I think you’ll have to agree.
So now, it’s off to Lincoln and the final broadcast ever at the Devaney Center. I got to do the last one at the old Coliseum, the first and last ones at the Bob, and the plan is, the first one next fall at Pinnacle Bank Arena. If you’re green around the edges, this is the stuff that will make your eyes roll. For me, it’s the stuff of a lifetime at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.
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