UNI in Vitale's Top 25

[MiloCat]

Dick Vitale has UNI in his Top 25 at number 23. This team is starting to get some attention.

[SMK4UNI]

WOW!!! That is pretty impressive to have us in Dickie V's top 25 since we are a "mid-major." I thought he only ranked the BCS teams.

Thanks for the website.

[MGLD Panther]

That is really something coming from Vitale. Especially after what he said last year about us not being worthy to be in the tourney.

[GonzoCat]

It's kind of funny that's called the sensational 16, "I'm ranking the nations top 16 teams each week." Then he has 25 ranked, just goes along with what a space cadet old DV is.

[pantherfan4ever]

Dick Vitale has UNI in his Top 25 at number 23. This team is starting to get some attention.

dang, i just read that and was going to post that exact same thing

[CanuckPanther]

Sportsline also shows us as 23

[northwest iowa panther]

northwest iowa panther

I live in Northwest Iowa and listen to sports talk radio from Omaha, NE. It's interesting to hear the perspective of the Creighton fans riling on all the attention UNI receives from the national posters and the lack of respect their beloved Bluejays receive after beating the Panthers.

To the credit of the talk show hosts, they point to the MVC and especially UNI, Creighton and SIU as programs that many Division I schools should use as models. Unfortunately the move is on in Nebraska to fire Barry Collier at NU. I say unfortunately because I would guess Coach Mac will be mentioned as a possible successor? Most call-ins agree the new coach should have successful experience in building a program from a low fan base, overcome the image that his school is better known for football, been able to successfully recruit the best players in state, be good at teaching fundamentals and team work and finally, been able to get his team to the NCAA tournament. Guess that job description fits someone we all know.

One last thing about the Omaha talk shows. Jimmy Motz, a Creighton player, was interviewed on Monday and will become a regular on the Monday show. He was commenting on all the talent in the MVC and was naming all the good players in the Valley and all the outstanding big men that were in the Conference. He specifically mentioned players from Bradley, WSU, SIU, ISU and his own team. I was hanging on every word waiting for him to single out Ben J., Eric Crawford, and the two leading rebounders in the Valley, Stout and Coleman. I'm sure it was an "oversight" but not one word about any UNI player! Found that very interesting!

[pantherfan4ever]

I live in Northwest Iowa and listen to sports talk radio from Omaha, NE. It's interesting to hear the perspective of the Creighton fans riling on all the attention UNI receives from the national posters and the lack of respect their beloved Bluejays receive after beating the Panthers.

To the credit of the talk show hosts, they point to the MVC and especially UNI, Creighton and SIU as programs that many Division I schools should use as models. Unfortunately the move is on in Nebraska to fire Barry Collier at NU. I say unfortunately because I would guess Coach Mac will be mentioned as a possible successor? Most call-ins agree the new coach should have successful experience in building a program from a low fan base, overcome the image that his school is better known for football, been able to successfully recruit the best players in state, be good at teaching fundamentals and team work and finally, been able to get his team to the NCAA tournament. Guess that job description fits someone we all know.

One last thing about the Omaha talk shows. Jimmy Motz, a Creighton player, was interviewed on Monday and will become a regular on the Monday show. He was commenting on all the talent in the MVC and was naming all the good players in the Valley and all the outstanding big men that were in the Conference. He specifically mentioned players from Bradley, WSU, SIU, ISU and his own team. I was hanging on every word waiting for him to single out Ben J., Eric Crawford, and the two leading rebounders in the Valley, Stout and Coleman. I'm sure it was an "oversight" but not one word about any UNI player! Found that very interesting!

is there an email address that we could email into the show and mention his "oversight"?

[Panthers to the Bone]

Creighton has had that problem before too. When Altman got his MVC COY award a couple years ago, he said something to the effect that there were tons of great coaches in the MVC, and went to state all the coaches in the MVC....except Coach Mac. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

[ceaser150]

[QUOTE=northwest iowa panther]I live in Northwest Iowa and listen to sports talk radio from Omaha, NE. It's interesting to hear the perspective of the Creighton fans riling on all the attention UNI receives from the national posters and the lack of respect their beloved Bluejays receive after beating the Panthers.


If Creighton fans are upset at the lack of respect they are receiving, I would suggest in the future they try to avoid losses to 2 teams with RPIs of 200 or lower (Chattanooga #202, Ill St #220). Throw out both or even one of those and they would be getting equal if not more run than UNI. I'm sure if UNI loses tonight at Evansville we will disappear off of the national radar.

[chester]

To the credit of the talk show hosts, they point to the MVC and especially UNI, Creighton and SIU as programs that many Division I schools should use as models. Unfortunately the move is on in Nebraska to fire Barry Collier at NU. I say unfortunately because I would guess Coach Mac will be mentioned as a possible successor? Most call-ins agree the new coach should have successful experience in building a program from a low fan base, overcome the image that his school is better known for football, been able to successfully recruit the best players in state, be good at teaching fundamentals and team work and finally, been able to get his team to the NCAA tournament. Guess that job description fits someone we all know.

What about Altman for the Nebraska job, any speculation that he'd be the guy? Just curious. I was told a few yrs ago by someone fairly close to CU that Nebraska was probably the one job he would "hold out" for. (not sure if that's true, since by some accounts he almost took the Illinois job) I'd think Nebraska would jump at hiring someone from a school that has dominated them head-to-head, unless there's still the stigma of him supposedly having been mediocre at Kansas State hanging around.

[Matt Trump]

What about Altman for the Nebraska job, any speculation that he'd be the guy? Just curious. I was told a few yrs ago by someone fairly close to CU that Nebraska was probably the one job he would "hold out" for. (not sure if that's true, since by some accounts he almost took the Illinois job) I'd think Nebraska would jump at hiring someone from a school that has dominated them head-to-head, unless there's still the stigma of him supposedly having been mediocre at Kansas State hanging around.

I think Nebraska's always wanted him badly, but Creighton is doing a very good job of keeping Altman around money-wise. They have a lot of wealthy donors that are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their coach and success.

[Matt Trump]

I live in Northwest Iowa and listen to sports talk radio from Omaha, NE. It's interesting to hear the perspective of the Creighton fans riling on all the attention UNI receives from the national posters and the lack of respect their beloved Bluejays receive after beating the Panthers.

A lot of people on this website complain about the amount of hype Bucknell has been getting and the lack-thereof that we have received. Its tough to get a lot of love from the "four-letters" until you make some noise in the NCAA tournament (ie Gonzaga making the elite 8, Bucknell beating Kansas).

Sports talk in Des Moines has been giving UNI basketball a lot good run lately, which is nice.

I also listen to the afternoon sportstalk on BigSports 590 in Omaha from time to time and their afternoon host is very respectful of the Panthers.

[MiloCat]

I think Nebraska's always wanted him badly, but Creighton is doing a very good job of keeping Altman around money-wise. They have a lot of wealthy donors that are willing to do whatever it takes to keep their coach and success.

It helps that they don't have a football program to support.

[NJ Panther]

I have to agree with the Creighton fans, to an extent, as a Valley fan. For an established program they have gotten fairly little national love, usually only as a footnote to us and SIU. Loss to SIU will set them back a week or so though. Altman would be an absolute idiot to leave Creighton and their 10,000 season ticket holders for a school that barely cares about basketball (NU). He grew up in Nebraska, so perhaps there is a little Cornhusker in him waiting to jump out. With what Creighton pays him (base alone is $400,000), the Quest center, the fan base, and the city it would take a KU type job for him to leave. Not a Clones fan, but unless he's a Husker on the inside why would he take Nebraska and turn down a strong ISU program? When he does leave anyone think our old friend Darrian Devries will take his job?