STARTING FIVE

1. Omaha Stakes…Its Claim

It’s not just Warren Buffett’s home any more. This fine Nebraska city, located on the banks of the Missouri River, has recently become the nexus of pop culture. First, thanks to mic’ed up QBs, we heard Denver Bronco QB Peyton Manning yelling “Omaha!” all game (44 times, according to NFL.com) against the Chargers on Sunday.

Then there’s the film “Nebraska”, which makes Omaha its version of Oz. Our protagonist, Woody Grant (Bruce Dern), spends most of the film in an attempt to reach that destination and “collect my million dollars.”

Of course, when Woody arrives, if he arrived, he could eat at a Cinnabon managed by Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk, who actually plays one of Woody’s sons in “Nebraska”).

Finally, Woody might want to head over to watch the a Creighton basketball game, as the Bluejays boast perhaps the leading candidate for this year’s Naismith and Wooden Awards, Doug McDermott (25.0 ppg, 2nd in the nation).

Three more thoughts on Nebraska’s crown jewel, its largest city: 1) If you ever get the chance, read R.A. Dickey’s Wherever I Wind Up. It’s a thoughtful sports book but he also relates a hilarious story about how he almost drowned in the Missouri River in Omaha. 2) “Omaha” was a code nae for one of the landing points at Normandy, and 3) More than 20 years later, we can at last salute Adam Duritz’s prescience: “Omaha/Somewhere in middle America/Get right to the heart of matters/It’s the heart that matters more….”

2. Repeat After Me…

New York, New York. Sirhan Sirhan. And now, one of the nation’s leading rebounders: Majok Majok. The six-foot-nine senior at Ball State, who is 10th in the nation with 10.5 boards per game, was born in South Sudan (which now happens to be one of the world’s most dangerous places) and has lived in Perth, Australia, before arriving in the States.

Majok (“Ma-zhuk”) also had this game-winnin’, buzzer-beatin’ dunk 11 days ago.

Because this would never come up again: One summer when I was at SI I was assigned to write the overview for the college football preview. And I noticed that the Cardinals had a pair of twin brothers, Raphael Ball and Raphaol Ball (seriously). So I wrangled a phoner (interview) with them, which led to the following line, in which one Ball brother informs me that it will be business as usual in Muncie: “Same ol’ same ol’,” Ball State’s Ball states.”

Thank you. Thank you.

3. Where There’s A Will…

HBO announces that Will McAvoy, Mckenzie McHale, Jim Harper, Maggie Jordan, Sloan Sabbith and Slumdog have been renewed for a third and final season. Spoiler Alert: Sorority Girl may finally receive a name.

Some will lament that “The Newsroom” will end its run, but just how much hate-watching can you do? I’ve always loved the show –and, yes, it gets on my nerves, too, at times –but also recognize the value of show’s having finite and relatively short arcs. Two of the best shows of this millennium, both created by Ricky Gervais, ended after two-season, 12-episode runs: “The Office” and the criminally under-watched “Extras.”

Anyway, I’ll enjoy the final season of “The Newsroom” and can only hope that it ends with McAvoy alone in a vehicle in New Hampshire listening to a Marty Robbins tune. Meanwhile, here’s the first and still best scene in the show’s two-year run.

4. Another Step Back For Women’s Hoops?

UConn 66, Baylor 55, in Waco.

The Huskies end the Bears’ 69-game home win streak in what will be the showcase game in women’s basketball this season, at least until the Final Four. Why?

Because Tennessee won’t play the Huskies any more (and, in truth, the Lady Vols are shadows of their former selves) and Notre Dame, which is ranked No. 2 at 15-0, no longer has to. And doesn’t want to.

Kudos to Kim Mulkey, a coach cut from the same cloth as Geno Auriemma and probably the closest thing he’s ever had to a soul mate among female coaches in his profession, for continuing this non-conference series. Listen, I love “The Mulkey”. True confession: My friend Moose and I have our own unofficial “Hall of Fame” in which there are only five members: Charles Davis, The Mulkey, J.R. Moehringer, my cat and my Speedo (it’s a long story).

So I love The Mulkey.

But Baylor is not currently in Connecticut’s class. Nobody is. As much praise that is heaped upon Auriemma for the job that he has done the past two decades, it’s not enough. He has to recruit against the weather and against his school’s location (have you been to Storrs? It’s located right next to grandmother’s house in that “Over the river and through the woods…” tune) and now that the Huskies are in the American Athletic Conference, he must recruit against that, too.

And still no one has come closer than Baylor did last night, 11 points. Yes, Stefanie Dolson and particularly Breanna Stewart are great players. But just watch a Huskies game –and this has been the story for nearly two decades now –and pay attention to how much higher a basketball IQ Geno’s team has. It’s beautiful to watch. And it gets there because Geno is one tough SOB at practice. Trust me.

Meanwhile, and I normally really enjoy Doris Burke, but it’s 2014. Can we stop heaping praise on the losing side for how hard they tried? It’s patronizing. These are scholarship Division I athletes, not T-ball players. Yes, Baylor tried hard. Almost everyone does at that level. One mention? Fine. Beyond that, it becomes annoying. Doris knows that Geno would never want to hear someone “praise” his team for trying hard during a loss. He’d just be pissed that they lost.

5. Jerry and George Enter a Diner

 

I do hope Elaine asked them to pick up a Big Salad for her.

Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander were spotted entering Tom’s Diner yesterday. The famous spot, located just south of the Columbia University campus on Broadway and 112th Street (and also the inspiration for a Suzanne Vega tune), was the show’s most popular setting after Jerry’s apartment. You’d always see the exterior, but they would always excise “Tom’s” from the shot.

No word on exactly why they were there, but notice how Alexander, a very wealthy man, is festooned in Costanzan garb. Still,  if there were ever a spot where comedians in cars should stop for coffee, this is it. Especially if they still hire busty waitresses.

Reserves

The Hall

Last week I had the bright idea that the Baseball Hall of Fame should allow no more than two players per year, the idea being that Cooperstown would be a more special place if it were more exclusive, not less exclusive. Hence, I thought it would be fun to pull a Doc Brown and travel back in time, to retroactively vote in members of the Hall.

So here’s how it will work (and I’m attempting to enlist a colleague or two to help going forward). We’ll admit the inaugural class of five –Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson –and then work from there, beginning in 1939. As with the actual HoF, a player (and we’ll only vote on players) is not eligible until he’s been retired for five seasons. Today’s ballot:

Cy Young, 1890-1911, 5 teams, among them the St. Louis Perfectos

Most wins (yes, and losses) all-time with a record of 511-316. Cy was short for “Cyclone”, the original nickname of Denton True Young.

Tris Speaker, 1907-1928; four teams, among them the Boston Red Sox

“The Grey Eagle” is still baseball’s all-time leader in doubles (792) and outfield assists, and has the sixth-highest batting average (.345) of all time.

The Bank

Balance: $1,004

Last Night: Took Toronto minus 12.5 versus Milwaukee. Raptors won by 22.

Record: 5-4

Tonight: Let’s go with Wisconsin minus-3.5 at Indiana. The Badgers have beaten five of their last six opponents by at least 15 points. We’ll put $20 on Bucky.

Remote Patrol

Lee Daniels’ The Butler at No. 20 Creighton

Fox Sports 1 9 p.m.

Let’s end the post as we began it: Omaha! The Bluejays lead the nation in three-point shooting and you takes your moments of Doug McDermott’s senior season whens you can get them. Butler has fallen from its Brad Stevens’ Final Four days, but we’re here to see McDermott, who put up 35 on Xavier over the weekend.