Mike Gesell -- the one who got away, as viewed by a Phoenix columnist

[NearBigRedOfTheDesert]

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/Richardobert/151764

[Jarhead Husker]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

[wilber24]

Better yet, name me an instate recruit that would like to play in the DOC style?

[NearBigRedOfTheDesert]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Okay, but to play for IOWA?  Iowa b-ball is not exactly a premium destination.

[Jarhead Husker]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Okay, but to play for IOWA?  Iowa b-ball is not exactly a premium destination.

I know, that's what makes it all the worse......

[UNK_LOPERS]

Mike Bibby?  lol, not sure about that, but he's real good.  MG is easily the best player to come out of the state since Strickland....THAT good.  Perhaps I'd feel a bit better about all of this if he went to Stanford or Wisconsin....but he didn't.  We lost him to Iowa.  Nebraska has been better than Iowa recently....so how did we lose him?  A lot of people say that MG wanted to play PG and Doc seen him as a SG.  If so, that's a dumb way to lose him because we could use a kid like that at any position. 

Very sad.  I hope MG has a great career at Iowa....except when he plays us, of course. 

[SUHnami]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

[Jarhead Husker]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

So true..... I guess at some point you just have to win to start that forward momentum to develop tradition. There's not much going on with the team at the moment to spur excitement, that's for sure...

[wilber24]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

Nothing will change with this staff, time for change is now. 2 more years of losing will do nothing to help the problem!

[SUHnami]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

Nothing will change with this staff, time for change is now. 2 more years of losing will do nothing to help the problem!

It would probably take the 2nd coming of Christ to change this.  It really doesn't matter IMO whether it's Doc or someone else, they are going to have a tough time winning here.  Be careful what you ask for you may get someone worse than Doc.

[wilber24]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

Nothing will change with this staff, time for change is now. 2 more years of losing will do nothing to help the problem!

It would probably take the 2nd coming of Christ to change this.  It really doesn't matter IMO whether it's Doc or someone else, they are going to have a tough time winning here.  Be careful what you ask for you may get someone worse than Doc.

I will take my chances with someone else besides Doc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SUHnami]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

Nothing will change with this staff, time for change is now. 2 more years of losing will do nothing to help the problem!

It would probably take the 2nd coming of Christ to change this.  It really doesn't matter IMO whether it's Doc or someone else, they are going to have a tough time winning here.  Be careful what you ask for you may get someone worse than Doc.

I will take my chances with someone else besides Doc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You won't be satisfied. Some folks never will be. 

[Busticket]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

Nothing will change with this staff, time for change is now. 2 more years of losing will do nothing to help the problem!

It would probably take the 2nd coming of Christ to change this.  It really doesn't matter IMO whether it's Doc or someone else, they are going to have a tough time winning here.  Be careful what you ask for you may get someone worse than Doc.

I will take my chances with someone else besides Doc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You won't be satisfied. Some folks never will be. 

We're not at the point where we as fans should be satisifed, Suh.  Doc has had plenty of time to cobble together a respectable program and he hasn't got it done for one reason or another.  I personally like the guy but it's time for a change.  We need someone who will bring enthusiasm to the program; the kind of enthusiasm that can convince kids that we can make some big things happen here; things that haven't happened before (such as an NCAA win; heck, most of us would take a one-and-done at this point). 

Doc's biggest mistake was not finding his "Scott Spinelli".  Doc's fine with X's and O's but he didn't have an ace recruiter on staff and it shows.  Our limited talent means we have no margin for error against the big boys, and when things go bad (i.e. injuries), they tend to snowball.  Imagine our game against the Spartans if we had a Maric manning the post.  I suspect we wouldn't have been dominated on the glass and in fact may have won the game.

[SUHnami]

It's hard to build a winning program when the one or two Div 1 players a year in Nebraska decide to go elsewhere. We have got to keep the best in-state players if we want to build something here.  Unfortunately, in most top recruit's minds, the Husker program is not viewed that favorably right now........

Little to no basketball tradition.  What do you expect?  Not a surprise.  I agree with you we need to keep them but if a Duke or Kansas offered me, I'd be going to play there and not here.

Nothing will change with this staff, time for change is now. 2 more years of losing will do nothing to help the problem!

It would probably take the 2nd coming of Christ to change this.  It really doesn't matter IMO whether it's Doc or someone else, they are going to have a tough time winning here.  Be careful what you ask for you may get someone worse than Doc.

I will take my chances with someone else besides Doc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You won't be satisfied. Some folks never will be.  

We're not at the point where we as fans should be satisifed, Suh.  Doc has had plenty of time to cobble together a respectable program and he hasn't got it done for one reason or another.  I personally like the guy but it's time for a change.  We need someone who will bring enthusiasm to the program; the kind of enthusiasm that can convince kids that we can make some big things happen here; things that haven't happened before (such as an NCAA win; heck, most of us would take a one-and-done at this point).  

Doc's biggest mistake was not finding his "Scott Spinelli".  Doc's fine with X's and O's but he didn't have an ace recruiter on staff and it shows.  Our limited talent means we have no margin for error against the big boys, and when things go bad (i.e. injuries), they tend to snowball.  Imagine our game against the Spartans if we had a Maric manning the post.  I suspect we wouldn't have been dominated on the glass and in fact may have won the game.

Bus I understand the clamoring for a new coach, but as I outlined in a previous post in this thread....who are you going to get that wants to coach at NU who has little to no basketball history whatsoever!  We won't get a name coach or even a hot HC from a mid major.  It just isn't going to happen.  I agree DOC is not a great recruiter but he's excellent with X's and Os.  If he could just somehow land a 5 star player that would help get this program off the ground.

[Busticket]

Bus I understand the clamoring for a new coach, but as I outlined in a previous post in this thread....who are you going to get that wants to coach at NU who has little to no basketball history whatsoever!  We won't get a name coach or even a hot HC from a mid major.  It just isn't going to happen.  I agree DOC is not a great recruiter but he's excellent with X's and Os.  If he could just somehow land a 5 star player that would help get this program off the ground.

I agree....we're not going to lure a big name from an established power conference team.  Hate to say it Suh, but we probably will dip our feet in the mid-major pool again (I do really like Groce from Ohio).  If Doc's going to get this thing turned he may need to go the Delonte Hill route.  FInd a guy who is basically tied to a big time recruit and bring him on as an assistant.  If we then have one of those lightning-in-a-bottle seasons, our street cred will instantly change, and along with the new facilities, we could be propleed to the next level.