Interested in the fact that he and I undertook inverse migrations between Nebraska and Massachusetts, I sat down (at least I assume we were sitting down via e-mial) with him to get his thoughts on Cornhusker football and the state of the Nebraska sports scene in general.
What follows is the first part of a two part interview with Matt...
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Q: I'm always interested in people's impression of my home state. What was your first thought when you learned you would be moving to Nebraska?
A: When I first applied for the job, I thought the job was in Milwaukee. I wasn't told about the job being in Omaha until my 2nd phone interview. My first thought was - if a Boston kid can live in Alabama for 5 years - I can live anywhere. Honestly, I knew nothing about Omaha except the band 311 came from there. I was very happy when I visited the city on my interview and fell in love with the downtown Old Market area. I've lived there since Day 1. Omaha is nothing like people think and once you get here - you realize that it's one of the best sports towns in the country. I couldn't be happier with my decision to move here 2 years ago. Husker football has sold out 282 straight games. Creighton basketball out drew on average the Philadelphia 76ers last year. The College World Series draws over 300,000 people and we get some of the best concerts in the country. Omaha has a ton of culture and is a hidden gem in the Midwest.
Q: My experience in the Northeast has been that college football runs a distant second to Fantasy Football, much less the NFL. Did you grow up following the college game?
A: Nope, I was a pro kid all the way around growing up in Boston. I did however go to Boston College football games every now and then but I wasn't passionate about following them. If it wasn't Patriots season - it was Celtics/Bruins season - then it was Red Sox season. The only college games I used to watch on TV besides the Eagles were Florida Gators football. I liked their colors and wore a bunch of Gator gear growing up. I'd watch the Tenn vs. Florida games on CBS and quickly learned to hate the Vols and that sick orange they wear. I guess I was destined to go cover the SEC at some point in my career.
Q: How familiar were you with Nebraska football coming in? I know you worked in Alabama prior to Omaha, but what did you do to prepare yourself to basically talk Nebraska football 365 days a year?
A: Growing up in the mid-90's you know about Nebraska football - it's impossible to be a male sports fan and not be informed about the tradition. However, going to Alabama was great for me because I quickly learnedabout the love that millions have for college football. SEC fans were all too eager to educated the "Yankee" on their love of football. I don't think anyone can top their devotion and if they can, I don't really want to be around them anyways. They take things way too seriously but it was fun to work there because of it. Nebraska fans are awesome but they have lives outside of their fandom. After the SEC experience, understanding their love of their program was pretty easy.
Now, as far as talking about football 365 on my show - welcome to a big issue that people here have with me. My show is basically what I want to talk about. I talk about Nebraska football non-stop in season but I talk about Creighton Basketball in-season because we carry them on our station and I'm very close to the program. I love college basketball as much as college football. I talk about baseball, pro basketball, pro football and my life too. I do a 4 hour sports talk show - I'd be bored out of my mind if I limited my show to one topic. I love talking about college football and Nebraska but I do it when it is the front page story. Some might argue that NU is always the front page story, but here in Omaha - basketball is exploding. We talk about the BIG story, whatever that might be.
Q: I think your show does a great job of striking that balance. I never feel lacking for Huskers or Jays coverage, but you also get national talk radio with a regional slant. In an era of radio syndication, I don't think you can overvalue that.
Nebraska, in terms of football, is sort of a unique situation as there is no opposition--from either professional teams or other D1 college football programs--in state. Auburn has Alabama, Boston College has the Patriots, every big time football school has some sort of competition for fan allegiance except for Nebraska and probably Arkansas. Ultimately, do you think that's good or bad for sports in Nebraska?
A: Nebraska football has no competition but Nebraska as a University does have competition. Creighton is the little brother who won't shut up but must be acknowledged. While Creighton will never be able to compete with Nebraska in terms of money and exposure because of football, basketball is exploding here in Omaha and outside the city. The Qwest Center has become the crown jewel for basketball venues in the state and CU was #13 in the NATION in attendance last year. CU Baseball, if they build a new ballpark, could also begin to chip away at NU's attendance from people in Omaha. The Jays basketball and baseball programs are growing at a faster rate than Nebraska's and they are beating NU consistently.
To answer your question - it's great for Nebraska as a university to have no competition for football. It means total attention all fall from everyone. From a media person's perspective, I think it's boring. You want that instate rivarly game every year for the drama and hype. I've seen it with Alabama vs. Auburn and Virginia vs. Virginia Tech. That's why I have pushed the rivarly during basketball season since I've been here. Fans need someone to "hate" in order to establish their identity and get pumped up for that one big game.
This is a big topic that some say I just don't get because I'm not from here but I think you either love your Jays or your Huskers. Just because Husker basketball blows, doesn't mean you can put on blue and yell for the Jays in the winter after wearing red all fall. It's a little different for Jays fans because they don't have football but for Husker fans, they need to keep their love on Lincoln side of the Platte River all year long.
Q: To segue away from Nebraska football for a bit, is it ever acceptable to root for Nebraska football AND Creighton basketball? I maintain that it is and here is why: Growing up in Nebraska, just like every other option-obsessed boy, I was a Cornhuskers fan. When it came time to choose a college, I foolishly thought that I should try to walk-on to the Creighton basketball team in 1998. I didn't make it, but I did become a CU hoops fan for life. Conveniently, Creighton doesn't have a football team so in my mind I'm conflict free.
A: Well, I just answered the 2nd question in the first. I often put it like this on my show - If you had $1 dollar left to your name and you had to give it to the school you love to save your life - who would you give it to? If it's Nebraska - you need to keep out of the Qwest Center in the winter except when Nebraska basketball is disgracing the court with it's presence. Jays fans have it tough because they don't have football so I don't really have a problem with them cheering for Huskers football. But if Big Brother is so big and strong - their fans shouldn't cherry pick teams just because one is good and the other isn't. CU won the season series vs. NU this year in baseball - who did you cheer for then? What about Volleyball? I bet you were proud when the women won the National Championship? See my point......If the Jays had football, this would be easy but because they don't, people feel like they can have this "bi-fandom" thing going on. Husker fans need to stay with their teams - for all sports.
The only legit excuse I have heard is a person who has graduated from both CU and NU for undergrad/grad. Those people have an arguement but others don't.
(Ed. For the record, I always root for CU when it comes to hoops or hardball. As much as I want to support pan-Nebraskanism, rivalry cannot be overestimated.)
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Return tomorrow for part two of this interview where Matt ranks the CWS and makes his prediction for the 2007 Cornhuskers while assessing Bill Callahan's potential at Nebraska.
Q: My experience in the Northeast has been that college football runs a distant second to Fantasy Football, much less the NFL. Did you grow up following the college game?
A: Nope, I was a pro kid all the way around growing up in Boston. I did however go to Boston College football games every now and then but I wasn't passionate about following them. If it wasn't Patriots season - it was Celtics/Bruins season - then it was Red Sox season. The only college games I used to watch on TV besides the Eagles were Florida Gators football. I liked their colors and wore a bunch of Gator gear growing up. I'd watch the Tenn vs. Florida games on CBS and quickly learned to hate the Vols and that sick orange they wear. I guess I was destined to go cover the SEC at some point in my career.
Q: How familiar were you with Nebraska football coming in? I know you worked in Alabama prior to Omaha, but what did you do to prepare yourself to basically talk Nebraska football 365 days a year?
A: Growing up in the mid-90's you know about Nebraska football - it's impossible to be a male sports fan and not be informed about the tradition. However, going to Alabama was great for me because I quickly learnedabout the love that millions have for college football. SEC fans were all too eager to educated the "Yankee" on their love of football. I don't think anyone can top their devotion and if they can, I don't really want to be around them anyways. They take things way too seriously but it was fun to work there because of it. Nebraska fans are awesome but they have lives outside of their fandom. After the SEC experience, understanding their love of their program was pretty easy.
Now, as far as talking about football 365 on my show - welcome to a big issue that people here have with me. My show is basically what I want to talk about. I talk about Nebraska football non-stop in season but I talk about Creighton Basketball in-season because we carry them on our station and I'm very close to the program. I love college basketball as much as college football. I talk about baseball, pro basketball, pro football and my life too. I do a 4 hour sports talk show - I'd be bored out of my mind if I limited my show to one topic. I love talking about college football and Nebraska but I do it when it is the front page story. Some might argue that NU is always the front page story, but here in Omaha - basketball is exploding. We talk about the BIG story, whatever that might be.
Q: I think your show does a great job of striking that balance. I never feel lacking for Huskers or Jays coverage, but you also get national talk radio with a regional slant. In an era of radio syndication, I don't think you can overvalue that.
Nebraska, in terms of football, is sort of a unique situation as there is no opposition--from either professional teams or other D1 college football programs--in state. Auburn has Alabama, Boston College has the Patriots, every big time football school has some sort of competition for fan allegiance except for Nebraska and probably Arkansas. Ultimately, do you think that's good or bad for sports in Nebraska?
A: Nebraska football has no competition but Nebraska as a University does have competition. Creighton is the little brother who won't shut up but must be acknowledged. While Creighton will never be able to compete with Nebraska in terms of money and exposure because of football, basketball is exploding here in Omaha and outside the city. The Qwest Center has become the crown jewel for basketball venues in the state and CU was #13 in the NATION in attendance last year. CU Baseball, if they build a new ballpark, could also begin to chip away at NU's attendance from people in Omaha. The Jays basketball and baseball programs are growing at a faster rate than Nebraska's and they are beating NU consistently.
To answer your question - it's great for Nebraska as a university to have no competition for football. It means total attention all fall from everyone. From a media person's perspective, I think it's boring. You want that instate rivarly game every year for the drama and hype. I've seen it with Alabama vs. Auburn and Virginia vs. Virginia Tech. That's why I have pushed the rivarly during basketball season since I've been here. Fans need someone to "hate" in order to establish their identity and get pumped up for that one big game.
This is a big topic that some say I just don't get because I'm not from here but I think you either love your Jays or your Huskers. Just because Husker basketball blows, doesn't mean you can put on blue and yell for the Jays in the winter after wearing red all fall. It's a little different for Jays fans because they don't have football but for Husker fans, they need to keep their love on Lincoln side of the Platte River all year long.
Q: To segue away from Nebraska football for a bit, is it ever acceptable to root for Nebraska football AND Creighton basketball? I maintain that it is and here is why: Growing up in Nebraska, just like every other option-obsessed boy, I was a Cornhuskers fan. When it came time to choose a college, I foolishly thought that I should try to walk-on to the Creighton basketball team in 1998. I didn't make it, but I did become a CU hoops fan for life. Conveniently, Creighton doesn't have a football team so in my mind I'm conflict free.
A: Well, I just answered the 2nd question in the first. I often put it like this on my show - If you had $1 dollar left to your name and you had to give it to the school you love to save your life - who would you give it to? If it's Nebraska - you need to keep out of the Qwest Center in the winter except when Nebraska basketball is disgracing the court with it's presence. Jays fans have it tough because they don't have football so I don't really have a problem with them cheering for Huskers football. But if Big Brother is so big and strong - their fans shouldn't cherry pick teams just because one is good and the other isn't. CU won the season series vs. NU this year in baseball - who did you cheer for then? What about Volleyball? I bet you were proud when the women won the National Championship? See my point......If the Jays had football, this would be easy but because they don't, people feel like they can have this "bi-fandom" thing going on. Husker fans need to stay with their teams - for all sports.
The only legit excuse I have heard is a person who has graduated from both CU and NU for undergrad/grad. Those people have an arguement but others don't.
(Ed. For the record, I always root for CU when it comes to hoops or hardball. As much as I want to support pan-Nebraskanism, rivalry cannot be overestimated.)
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Return tomorrow for part two of this interview where Matt ranks the CWS and makes his prediction for the 2007 Cornhuskers while assessing Bill Callahan's potential at Nebraska.
6 comments:
Interesting piece, as I've never listened to Perrault but only heard of him via reactionary histrionics on the internet.
I will say that one thing that irks me is when people try and dictate who should be able to be fans of whom and why. My mom is from a huge Catholic family from Omaha. Three of the four girls went to Creighton (the other went to the convent) and all three boys went to Prep. I attended the Tony Barone basketball camp two seperate years...and we're talking the Bob Harstad/Chad Gallagher years. I also happen to be a UNL alum and a fervent Husker football fan since I was about 5 (1978ish). So I'm sorry if I don't fit into the parameters of what Perrault has decreed as my eligibility of fandom to be. I still root for CU for in hoops and still couldn't care less what happens to NU in any other sport other than the gridiron.
And he's also way off base in thinking that more than 2% of Nebraskans who live outside of Omaha give a hoot about CU basketball. Heck, the Bluejay's first round game didn't even receive primary coverage on my local CBS affiliate in last year's tournament...and I live in Nebraska! I was tormented while having to keep up with every basket on either the internet or the scoring bug of the game we did get (I think it UNLV and someone?!)
But still an interesting read. Good to hear someone say nice things about his time here after coming from elsewhere. I'll be looking forward to the next edition.
Nice one.
Growing up in the western part of the state, I've never even considered rooting for Creighton. Truth be told, never knew that much about them until I moved to Lincoln to go to school.
I still wait for Nebraska to get good at basketball. I think I'll be waiting forever, but I've never lost hope. Maybe that makes me somewhat of a fool, I don't really care.
Creighton did win the baseball series but Nebraska wasn't exactly clicking on all cylinders this season. It's great to have an in-state rival, though.
DT,
I agree with you on both counts. I'll continue to root for NU in the fall and CU everywhere else and I didn't graduate from either school.
Here's a story about Creighton coverage in Nebraska. My freshman year at CU the Jays are playing in the NCAA tourney. Lacking funds to take in the first game in Florida, my roommate (an out-stater) and I go back to Hemingford...and the game isn't even carried.
Now that the OWH won't give you anything, however, I'm concerned as to how I'll follow Creighton hoops.
Jon,
You, me, DT this is an all-Westerner conversation right now. I specifically recall watching Creighton-NU games on ESPN when I was growing up. I was amazed to learn there was another school in Nebraska.
Nebrasketball is sort of our white whale. There's no reason, with our facilities, funding, blah, blah, blah, that NU can't win at least one tournament game. I don't know why, but it seems as if talent just won't come to Lincoln to play hoops.
I used to listen to Perrault, but eventually tired of the Rome-style schtick. The final straw was his on-air meltdowns this spring when Creighton fans hoarded the 2008 NCAA basketball regional tickets, the Dana Altman-to-Arkansas-and-Back, and Huskers announced a basketball game at the Qwest Center.
The Omaha market agrees that the only thing "Big" about KXSP is the blather as the lowest rated radio station in Omaha. In fact, they are consolidating Perrault's show with Travis Justice next week to try and compete with the other afternoon sports talk show.
Matt Perrault is a sexist, chauvenist pig.
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