Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 8, 1993)
Nebraskan Ql)01) I C Wednesday, December 8,1993 ^ J|t II Broken finger upsets rhythm of NU senior By Derek Samson Staff Reporter Just when everything seemed to be going Jamar Johnson’s way, a broken finger turned his entire senior season around. Johnson broke the little finger of his right hand in the Ameritas Classic championship Johnson game Sunday. He discov ered Monday that his inju ry would keep him out four to six weeks, rather than four days as he was origi nally told. The 5-foot-11-inch point guard from Elkhart, Ind., said the injury was espe cially tough to take as a senior. “This is real frustrating, Johnson said. “I thought I was on a roll and getting a rhythm. I was shooting pretty well and I just thought everything was rolling my way. Then this had to happen. “It is a major, major setback for me, espe cially since I’m a senior. You especially don’t want to miss games your senior year.” Johnson had been averaging 13 points and five assists a game for the 3-2 Huskers, includ ing scoring 29 and 15 in his last two full games before the injury. Coach Danny Nee said Johnson’s presence would be missed. See INJURY on 8 Alberts’ spirits ride high while elbow rides low By Mitch Sherman Staff Reporter Trev Alberts stood outside the Nebraska locker room after a Husker practice late last week. As Alberts’ teammates walked past him toward the showers, he patted one Husker on the back — with his good hand — and shouted words of encouragement to another. Although his arm is injured—his bright red cast covers his entire arm — Alberts’ spirit is sky high. He said the cast, which was put on after he dislocated his elbow during the Okla homa game, was scheduled to be removed on Monday. But the injury hasn’t kept him down. The All-American from Cedar Falls, Iowa, who graduated with a degree in speech commu nications last spring, left for California Satur day to participate in the Bob Hope tribute to All-Americans. From there, he flew to New York City — See ALBERTS on 8 Shaun Sartin/DN Nebraska’s David Seizys leaps over Oklahoma’s Darius Johnson to recover a fumble that set up the Cornhuskers’ last touchdown. “To come up with a big play to help my team was a great way to finish my career here,” Seizys said. No small Seiz Even with limited role, Husker shows enthusiasm, thanks t*y jen uriescn Senior Reporter He doesn’t rush for 100 yards a game like Calvin Jones. Seizys He docsn t march Ne braska up and down the field like Tommie Frazier. And he doesn’t throw quarterbacks around 1 ike Trev Alberts. But David Seizys has faft his mark on this year’s Nebraska football team. Seizys, a 5-foot-9,19ft pound backup wingback, may not be a star on offense or defense, but he is one of the most important members of the Comhuskers ’ special teams. Seizys is most recognizable in his role as the holder on extra points and feld goals for Husker placckicker Byron Bennett. While most people would consider the job of holder as a minor role, Seizys plays it with the same enthusiasm as Alberts does outside linebacker. “When people sec me playing my role with pride and excitement, then it gets them excited,” Seizys said. “If I get the fans excited by jumping up and down and they get the players excited by making some noise, then I have done my job.” He has also been one of the big-play makers on Nebraska’s kick coverage team. His ability showed in the Huskers’ final regular season game when Seizys came up with the biggest fumble recovery of Nebras ka’s season. After Abdul Muhammad caught a touch down pass to give the Huskers a 14-7 lead in the fourth quarter, Seizys recovered a fum ble by Oklahoma returner Darrtus Johnson on the kickoff return. The first play after the fumble, which was caused by Mike Min ter, Calvin Jones scam pered 20 yards for a touchdown to give the Huskers a 21-7 lead. Seizys, a fifth-year senior from Seward, said he couldn’t have dreamed of a better ending for his last home game. “To come out onto the field in the last game of my senior season was a great feel ing,” Seizys said. “Then to come up with a big play to help my team was a great way to finish my career here.” Seizys came to Nebraska as a walk-on in 1989, but he had to wait three years before he could help the Huskers. He played junior varsity as a freshman and redshirted in 1990 before playing in three games in 1991. In 1992, Seizys played in all 11 games for the Huskers and caught his first career pass in Nebraska’s 48-7 win over Middle Tennes see State. He also had nine tackles on special teams and one fumble recovery. — While he has been relegated mainly to special-teams play, Seizys said, just playing for Nebraska has been special. “It is a great feel mg just to be able to walk out on that field and play for Nebraska,” Seizys said. “But football is not my whole , life. It’s just a part of it.” An elementary education major, Seizys ; said he hopes to bring his enthusiasm and motivation to the classroom. “You can actually approach the two the same way,” Seizys said. “I would like to be able to give them a strong set of values at an early age. I would like to be someone who could give them a role model.” While he is prepared for life after foot ball, Seizys said, he still has one goal to accomplish before completing his career— to help the Huskers win the Orange Bowl. “Naturally, everybody wants a victory to end their career but we have to do the job, and the job is to win,” Seizys said. “Every body’s role is important, no matter how small it seems.” Husker crowd seems to confuse game with nap time I got to watch a Nebraska athletic event from a different perspective Saturday — from the stands. For every home Nebraska football game, 1 sat in the press box instead of among the 75,000 rabid fans. Sure the press luncheon is nice, but remember the press box is a working press area so anyone participating in cheering, yelling, clapping or table pounding will be escorted to the press elevator. Despite the lack of excitement in the press box, I was glad to be there instead of in the crowd when Nebras ka played Oklahoma in temperatures, which would cause a frozen pizza to shiver. I also sat on press row for the first two basketball games of the season. When you sit on press row, you are right on the court, but even though I could reach out and touch Eric Piatkowski streaking down the side lines on the break if I wanted to, the game lacks some of the excitement the crowd brings. So I passed up the press pass and went to the Ameritas Classic. The consolation game between Navy and Ohio began at 1 p.m., so I went early to make sure to get a good scat for the 3 p.m. game between Nebraska and Portland. 1 fought my way through the 150 or 200 fans crowding together in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Despite the rush, I managed to get a seat about 50 feet away from the nearest person. I watched in awe as Navy and Ohio put on a spectacular first half display that ended with a 31-29 score and about one million turnovers and a couple thousand missed layups. I love basketball, but I was bored by that game. Midway through the second-half, the Husker faithful began filtering into Bob’s House. After people started asking me to move so they could squeeze in behind me, I began to wake up and the excite ment returned. I was ready for a big entrance. I Jeff Griesch wanted to hear all the fans screaming for the Huskers. The fans cheered, but many of them didn’t even know the Huskers were taking the floor because they were in some kind of trance from the first game. By tip-off though, Bob’s House was rockin’ and I was juiced for the game—college basketball at its best. All the fans were on their feet for the tip and the first eight points by the Huskers. Then the pace slowed down a little, and by the first timeout, the crowd had cheered itself out. Only the devoted but deranged Husker fans from the eighth floor of Harper were on their feet until the second timeout. After that, even these maniacs, who wear referee shirts, gigantic ties and basketballson their heads couldn ’ t muster the strength to stand up. By this time, Jamar Johnson had broken his little finger, but I think I was the only one in the crowd that was paying close enough attention to no tice. The rest of the first half sounded more like the gallery at the Dinah Shore Nabisco Open, without the cheers when a Nancy Lopez, putt trick les into the cup. The crowd was awakened from its collective slumber when Erick Strickland made a scintilating pass to Jaron Boone for a layup and again when Boone later returned the favor. But after the brief enthusiasm the fans returned to a state of half-con scious disinterest. Maybe it was because the Huskers weren’t playing a Big Eight team or a Top 20 team. It was only Portland, and maybe the Pilots’ purple uniforms entranced the Husker faithful. Maybe it’s because the Huskers lost to Appalachian State. Whatever the reason, there was no magic at Bob’s House. Each fan should go through the same type of mental preparation the players do. If they don’t, the fans come out flat, just like the players would. Unlike players, it should be easy for fans to get excited for every game. Fans only need to show up and whoop and holler until they’re hoarse. If the Husker crowd wants to be among the elite in the conference and the country, it should be a constant. Fans should be up for every game. Do you think the fans at Cameron Indoor at Duke have a bad night every once in awhile? Me neither. Nebraska didn’t need the crowd’s help to beat Portland, but home court advantage and a loud crowd is a must in the Big Eight. Grlescb li a Junior news-editorial major aad a Dally Nebraskan senior reporter and columnist.
