Everybody expected the Huskers to lose their second game of the Big 12 Conference Postseason Tournament in Kansas City to Texas A&M.  The men did after a terrific battle with the Aggies.  But the women?  They were dominated by A&M in the semifinals.  The 80-70 final looks closer than it actually was.

After a record setting 29-0 regular season some people were saying it might be good for the Huskers to suffer a loss at the conference tournament before they headed off to the  "Big Dance".

Well, at this juncture I don't buy it, even though I maybe saw it coming midway through the Big 12 Conference season.  The games got closer as the target on the team's back got bigger.

It may be the toughest conference in the country and that might be a saving grace for the Huskers.  What they face in the tournament may not be as tough as what they faced in the Big 12, but even the bottom teir of the conference was giving the Huskers fits the second half of the campaign.

The shooting percentage went down, from the field and free throw line, rebounding seemed to come tougher, and they seemed a foot slower on defense.  They played well in spurts, but to get big wins at tournament time  you need more than spurts.  You need solid 40-minute games.

With Connie Yori on the bench and Kelsey Griffin on the floor I trust the Huskers can regain momentum, but there is now a chink in the armor.

The loss to A&M does not diminish the great record breaking once in a lifetime season for the Big Red, but I am concerned for them as they head to the tourney.

We should find out later tonight they will continue to be a number one seed for the tournament and head to Minneapolis to start their run to a possible national championship, but now there are some questions that about the Huskers that didn't exist before the lackluster loss to the Aggies.

 Can Yvonne Turner regain her three point shooting stroke?  Can Cory Montgomery get a key rebound? Can Lindsay Moore play like a senior at point guard again instead of like the  freshman she really is?  Can the bench players provide some big minutes?

I think the Huskers can get it figured out with a week of practice.  Remember, they like practice!  And I will predict a run to the final four.

I know it's march madness time.  I know the Lady Huskers are 29-0 heading into the postseason, but I'm thinking baseball.  Trust me I'll be watching the Lady Huskers as long as they last.  That's the biggest sports story in Nebraska during 2009-10.  No offense Bo.

However, I'm starting to think baseball. I've got a trip to Tuscon planned next week with former Star-Herald sports reporter Chuck Huey to watch of a couple of Rockies games.  Nothing like a little spring training action to get the juices flowing!

The Twin Cities Legion Baseball fundraiser dinner is coming up Friday, March 26.  Get your tickets bought and get set to enjoy the evening.

I've got two baseball fantasy drafts planned for Sunday the 28th.  There is nothing better than baseball.  Which brings me to a special trip that KNEB is planning on sponsoring this summer.

Yours truly is scheduled to be the host on a Heartland Tours and Travel and KNEB trip to Chicago.  The trip will be August 6-11 and will include a Lincoln Saltdogs game, a stop in Chicago for a Cubs game with Cincinnati and then back home with a stop on the way in Omaha for a Royals game.  Or you can spend a night on the boats if you prefer.

While in Chicago there will be a tour of the city which will include a Lake Michigan and Chicago River Cruise.  We will hit Millennium park.  We'll visit Oprah's stomping grounds and the Chicago Board of Trade...and yes there is Cubs baseball.  

I have visited Wrigley Field before.  It was in July of 1994.  My wife Veronica and I were on our honeymoon.  We also made stops in Kansas City, St. Louis and Cincinnati for baseball games.  Everybody knows I am a Cardinals fan, but Wrigley Field was by far the best stop on the trip.  It is a must.

I hope you can join me for the trip in August.  It will be a great final blast for the summer before you send the kids back to school.  It is a trip designed for a baseball fan...and designed for a great family excursion.  Be listening to KNEB for more information.  If you have any questions give Heartland Tours and Travel, a part of Ameristar Transportation, or me a call.

M

There could be plenty of discussion about how extra-curricular activities will be conducted in the future at Scottsbluff High School when the Board of Education convenes for its regular meeting Monday night.

There is a proposal to charge a $50.00 one-time fee for students wishing to participate in any sport, plus speech, one acts, cheerleading and drill team.  It is a one time fee and not a charge for each activity a youth is involved in.  The school does not want to discourage students from participating in multiple activities.

Students that participate in these activities are also required to buy a $20.00 activities pass that gets them into events free.

I have no problem with either of these charges.  Parents shouldn't either.  Most parents spend an incredible amount of money on traveling teams.  It is no different to represent SHS.  For those parents who can't afford $50.00 there are fee waivers available.

No Western Conference schools have a participation fee.  Many schools in neighboring states do have a one according to Dr. Gary Reynolds, Scottsbluff's outgoing Superintendent.

With rising costs,(Scottsbluff High School Activities Director Lee Dick says it's $1.00 per mile on a bus and $15.00 an hour for the driver) and budget shortfalls there aren't many other solutions, outside of eliminating school sponsored extra-curricular activities altogether.  Participation in these activities, though, is important to a well rounded education.  Club activities, outside of the school, are mostly elitist and would further damage the foundation of  our educational system.

With that in mind, I asked Dick about student participation in extra-curricular activities at SHS.  He told me for the activities mentioned in the proposal the student participation is 35-to-40 percent of the student population.  He says, if you add music and band, it is between 40-to-50 percent participation.  According to Gering High School Activities Director Tom O'Boyle, nearly 80-percent of all students at his school participate in some sort of school sponsored extra-curricular activity.  

If those figures are correct there is a huge difference between the schools.  When      O'Boyle told me 80-percent I was impressed.  When Dick told the SHS percent I was disappointed.  However, I don't think a participation fee will diminish the Scottsbluff numbers at all.  There needs to be a solution to the problem at SHS and the problem is not necessarily the money shortfall, but the student participation shortfall.

The $50 burden on a parent is a small price to pay for the dividends one will receive later on in life.

I also support the other proposals offered before the board Monday.  A rise in school lunch prices is small.  Keeping freshmen and sophomores on campus for lunch is a good idea.  They need to earn off campus privileges for their junior and senior years.  Paying to park is done by most schools in the eastern part of the state.  Again, as you progress in school the better your parking space.

It's the way of the world.

People are going to get the wrong idea when they look at the final score of the Bridgeport-West Point Central Catholic first round game Thursday at the Girls State Basketball Tournament in Lincoln.  When they see the Bluejays downed the Bulldogs 64-19 they are going to say Bridgeport didn't belong at the tournament.  They would be wrong!

The Bulldogs are a great story.  They overcame three serious knee injuries to cap the season with a trip to Lincoln.  Bryan Schluterbusch's team battled through mid season losses of senior Courtney Laux and Charlee Wallesen and the sidelining of Emily Wright in the district final overtime win against Perkins County to get the C2-6 bid.

Lesser teams would have crumbled after seven straight losses to end the regular season, but the Bulldogs showed plenty of reserve to get things turned around.  They certainly were a better team with the three injured players, but they will be better individuals down the road for battling through the adversity with class.

The girls were nothing but smiles before the game.  It was frustrating for them and their fans to watch the game unfold as it did, but nobody gave up.  They fought to the end.

Coach Schluterbusch should be commended for his efforts and salutes to the girls as well.  Wallesen tried to play Thursday, but she was limping badly and was just a fraction of the player she is when healthy.  It had to be tough for Laux listening to the game after knee surgery Thursday morning.  Wright was all smiles when I talked with her prior to the KNEB braodcast of the game, but some tears came at the end of the short interview.

Bridgeport has great tradition and this senior laden ball club was set for a banner year before the injuries.  To me, it was still a banner year even though the record was not as anticipated when the start of the season.

State tournament time is a great time to see old friends and colleagues.  I don't know who to root for in Friday's second round Class B game between Alliance and Gretna.  Lady Dragons coach Jerome Skrdla is a longtime friend, and you can't root against Jordan Hooper.  I think I'll go and enjoy watching her play one more time and whoever wins...it will be alright with me.

I couldn't tell who a couple of Scottsbluff Bearcats were rooting for this morning at the Alliance-Sidney game.  Juniors Hattie Guzman and Marcie Sindt just sat and intently watched the contest.  I think with Scottsbluff's returning juniors and seniors for next season Guzman and Sindt could be playing instead of watching games in Lincoln.  I don't know how many games they got in, but they also mentioned shopping!  I sense new spring wardrobes will be debuted at SHS Monday.

By the way listen for my Connie Yori interview on Sports Talk this Saturday morning at 7:40 on KNEB-AM.  She was gracious enough to grant me an interview following the Alliance game.  She was certainly in a good mood after watching  Hooper score 29 points and pull down 21 rebounds.

Just sitting courtside at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln waiting for the start of the Alliance vs Sidney first round Class B game.  The winner will face Gretna Friday.  The Lady Dragons topped Beatrice in the first game of the day 64-54.

I quietly rooted for Gretna.  An old friend from my Kearney days, Jerome Skrdla, is the head coach for them.

Jerome has been coaching girls basketball for over 30-years.  He led Kearney Catholic to the first two Class C2 titles in 1984 and 1985.  They were 44-0 in those two seasons.  Then he quit.  He said he couldn't handle the parents anymore.  However, he missed the game and returned to coaching a couple of years later at Ft. Calhoun before going to Gretna.

He has been a great girls coach.  My brother-in-laws brother Rich Olson has been an awesome girls coach forever.  He coached the boys team at Beatrice when I was in high school at Hastings.  He also left coaching for awhile and missed it.  He returned to guide Millard South for years and is now at Lincoln Northeast.

Two great girls' coaches, both male.  Are there more female coaches for the girls game nowadays?  Probably, but by count at the girls state tournament, the sidelines are still dominated by male coaches.  Of the 48 teams at state 41 are coached by men, inluding all of the clubs in Classes B, C2 and D1.

I'm getting ready to watch Jordan Hooper.  At 6-2 I thought she might be the tallest player at state, but that is not the case.  There are a number of 6-2 girls, but none other than Jordan that will play at Nebraska!

The tallest girl at state is 6-4 Alyssa Kamphaus of Seward.  There are 35 girls in the tournament that stand at least 6-0.  That is seven percent of the players!  Girls are certainly getting taller.

One other note.  Ron Luikens and Pete Moreno of Scottsbluff and Terry Osborn of Sidney are on hand representing western Nebraska in the officials pool at state.