Doc Sadler was an emotional guy. The first time I heard him speak, he told the crowd that one of his father's last wishes was to see a Nebraska football game. His dad lived in Arkansas but he always loved Nebraska football. So Doc and his dad went to Lincoln to watch Nebraska football. When Doc told the story he broke down. He loved him reight away.
Yesterday Doc Sadler was let go by Nebraska. Again you had to love Doc Sadler and feel for him when he spoke at the press conference. He is a genuine person with lots of integrity. He cared about academics. He just didn't win enough.
Doc Sadler, after five seasons, was the winniest coach in Nebraska basketball history for their first five years. Then year six hit and the Huskers went 12-16. Injuries to Brian Diaz and Eric Almeida was costly to Nebraska as they had no answer to the big men in the Big 10. Who knows how good they would have been if only they would have been playing. Instead Doc had to give walkons a lot of minutes.
Doc ended up 101-89 compared to Danny Nee's 105-81 after his first six seasons.
Ray Gallegos took a redshirt and had improved enough that he may have taken over as point guard next year. It was still unknown as the availability of Diaz and Almeida for the 2012-13 season. Doc had five recruits coming in next year. He had a point guard, two shooting guards, and two power forwards coming to Nebraska. Also he had a really good point guard signed for 2013 by the name of Imara Ready.
Doc was never ever able to recruit the big star or two to take Nebraska to a new level. Roburt Sallie was good but never was allowed to play because of a mess-up in the paper work. Injuries were always a problem.
Doc was always funny. At one of the early compliance meetings with the athletic departments Doc wore a Hawaiian shirt. Steve Pedersen told him to at least dress business casual and come looking more professional. The next meeting Doc came in his best suit. He winked at one of the other staff and said "Do you think he will think this is professional enough?" Funny guy. Always joking.
We'll miss him.
The next coach will need to work on Akoy Agau of Omaha Central. He may be Nebraska high school's best big man in quite a few years. He had a triple double in the championship game against Omaha South Saturday.
The championship D-2 game last night will be talked about for a long time. Gilter was behind by four points to Howells with 1.9 seconds left. Gilter guard Dustin Hastings was fouled on a three point attempt. He missed the first free throw and then made the second. Gilter then set up a play where Hastings was to miss the free throw and then Drew Ott was to tip it out to Jake Findley for a three pointer and it worked as designed. It then became a question whether Findley got the shot off before the clock expired. The television replay showed that maybe he didn't but it was close and the officials gave it to him. Overtime.
Gilter ended up winning in two overtimes 52-41 as they outscored Howells 11-0 in the final OT.
In football, secondary coach Terry Joseph will be a plus for the Huskers.
The Husker women find out tomorrow night who they will play in the NCAA tournament. What a year they have had. Well beyond what many expected before the season began.
Even though the Nebraska baseball team lost today, there is enthusiasm from the fans. The Huskers are executing the small ball approach when needed. It seems in the past when we needed to move over a runner into scoring position we had a hard time of getting the bunt down. The pitching is starting to take shape and improving.
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