One week before Game Week and some semblance of a depth chart: Here’s a sources-tell-me, no-access, best guess of how the Nebraska quarterback race will fall:
Zac Lee will be the starter. It’s almost impossible to win a starting quarterback job in three weeks of fall camp, especially for a newbie such as Taylor Martinez. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson will lean on the experience of Lee, who also is throwing well, looks confident and acts like a leader. But Martinez will play, and he has looked good enough that he’ll be nipping at Lee’s heels and keep the senior inspired to stay sharp — if necessary. The big game for Lee will be Sept. 18 at Washington. That will be sort of a hump game for Lee. Any slippage, and there will be enough time to get someone else ready by Oct. 7 at Kansas State.
• Former Ohio State star running back Maurice Clarett? Why not? The UFL seems to have two missions: development toward the National Football League and sell tickets, not necessarily in that order. Clarett to Omaha would certainly serve the latter, if not the former. Say this about the Nighthawks: They know how to keep things interesting. And I’m not even sure they need to sell tickets any more.
• So which will be the bigger draw, the final Omaha Royals baseball game at Rosenblatt on Sept. 2 or the first Nighthawks game at Rosenblatt on Sept. 24? Either way, the jewel on the hill is going to go out with a bang.
• Construction crews in Sarpy County now have an official deadline: April 15. That’s the day of the Omaha Royals’ 2011 home opener, against Nashville. That’s also tax day. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence, Sarpy County residents.
• Interestingly, the Royals are home for at least two games during next year’s College World Series — on June 27 and 28, the dates of the first two games of the CWS championship series. It’s possible that one or two CWS games could be played June 25, when the Royals will open their four-game home series with Memphis. After all of these years of the Royals’ frustrations for having to go out of town for two straight weeks, I somehow expected more.
• I like that Boise State is ranked No. 3 in the first Associated Press poll. The Broncos have earned the early love. The writers know a good team when they see one. They also know a good story. They have set up a pretty good one here, putting BSU in position for a possible national title run if the Broncs can get past Virginia Tech on Labor Day night. Even though Washington, D.C., will have a heavy Hokie crowd, that’s still technically a neutral field. Boise will have no complaints. But the Broncos won’t be the nothing-to-lose underdog this time. They’ll have the pressure of expectations. Can’t wait.
• Some people are wondering how NU gets ranked No. 8 with a quarterback question, but, again, it’s really beside the point if NU deserves the top 10 perch. There will be plenty of opportunities to prove it. The AP poll is a guess, but it’s also a barometer of what the national news media think of you. People think that Nebraska is on the way back.
• I’ll miss Lou Piniella, and so will baseball. He didn’t do what Cubs fans wanted, and it’s fair to point out that Cubs expectations climbed under Dusty Baker in 2003, not with Piniella. But Sweet Lou was never dull, he was fun to watch and he was good at his trade: He’s the 14th winningest manager all-time. Baseball needs its characters. There are too many robots now in sports.
• Speaking of Rex Ryan and the Jets, HBO should extend “Hard Knocks’’ for the entire season. Ryan became a reality TV star.
• There’s no truth to the rumor that the Nebraska news media corps has petitioned HBO to use Bo Pelini and Nebraska for the all-access “Hard Knocks’’ next year.
• I’m sorry, I dozed off for a few hours. Did Brett Favre report to Minnesota yet?
• Did Colorado football coach Dan Hawkins take a smart pill this summer? He already has named Tyler Hansen his starting quarterback. I’m not making any grandiose predictions for the Buffs, but if Hansen can get them out of the gate with some confidence — and somehow with a win over Georgia or Cal — this team could sneak up on a lot of people, including us experts.
• BYU is kidding itself if it thinks it can be the Notre Dame of the west. Here’s a hint: If the BCS isn’t going to give the Mountain West an automatic bid to the club, why would it give BYU an opportunity?
• What is pro baseball doing to convert kids into lifelong fans? The game should be scared based on what I saw on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium in K.C.
I love what they’ve done to the place. I took my 8-year-old daughter Sarah to her first major league game on Sunday. We sat with her grandpa, Art, who took me to my first game in 1965 at Candlestick Park. We saw Don Drysdale pitch to Willie Mays. I’m not sure Sarah saw a future Hall of Famer on Sunday, unless Zack Greinke signs with a winner after next season.
Anyway, the highlight, besides the buffet of junk food she ate (that’s all I’ll say; her mom is reading), was the amusement park they built behind the outfield. There’s a miniature golf course, a merry-go-round, a playground, fountains to splash in and a place where you can play ball. After the fifth inning, her attention was focused on the amusement park. What, I’m going to tell a little girl she can’t play?
The place was packed, including the right-field sports bar, and you didn’t see a lot of dads and kids holding cardboard scorecards and pencils. The K isn’t the only park to have all the rides. Next year, you will be able to ride the rides and have a Hoop-It-Up tournament at the Omaha Royals games. It’s all good fun. But are kids being taught to follow the game and fall in love with it?
I’ll let you know next year. Right now, Sarah and I have to work on our putting.
Contact the writer:
444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com
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