A belated happy Christmas and merry New Year!
Yeah, I phrased that on purpose.
The purpose of this column is to share my personal highs and lows — peaks and valleys — if you will, of sports in 2025.
Let’s start with the valleys.
Nebraska Men’s Basketball: After winning its first game of 2025 at UCLA, the Husker men’s basketball team then lost six straight, severely damaging its chances to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. NU bounced back to win the next four, which revived hope. Then the Cornhuskers dropped six of its final seven games. NU did not win enough games to even qualify for the Big Ten Postseason Tournament. It was no surprise that the Big Red also fell short of receiving a coveted invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
Kansas City Chiefs: After finishing the 2024 regular season with 15 wins and two losses, the Chiefs were the top seed in the AFC Playoffs. KC beat Houston and Buffalo to earn a trip to its third consecutive Super Bowl. An opportunity awaited to become the first NFL team to win three consecutive championships. It wasn’t to be as Philadelphia manhandled the Chiefs, 40-22. KC would win only six games during the fall of 2025. To make matters worse, quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending knee injury vs. the LA Chargers on December 14 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Nebraska Cornhusker Baseball: Longtime Husker play-by-play announcer Greg Sharpe passed away on February 14 after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. His baseball (and football) announcing talent is greatly missed.
Nebraska Football: After winning its first three games, Nebraska finished the 2025 regular season losing five of the nine remaining games. Quarterback Dylan Riola suffered a season-ending knee injury vs. USC on November 1 in Lincoln. Assistant coaches’ heads rolled. The Cornhuskers enter today’s Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah as a 14-point underdog. It was also announced in August that the Nebraska athletic department will no longer print the Huskers sports media guides – including football. This ends my collection of every NU football guide from 1963 to 2024.
Nebraska Volleyball: Undefeated NU loses at home to Texas A8M in the Regional Finals. A bitter season-ending defeat for the second straight year.
Now, the peaks!
Nebraska Men’s Basketball: As the sun set on Lincoln, NE on March 9, the Cornhuskers sported a win-loss record of 17-14. But the season was not over. An invitation to the Crown Tournament in Las Vegas gave NU a second chance to end the season on a high note. The Big Red took full advantage, winning four consecutive contests. The tournament championship also vaulted NU’s season record to 21 wins against 14 losses.
Kansas City Chiefs: Thanks for the memories of 2016 to 2024. An incredible run. Nine consecutive AFC West titles, appearances in seven consecutive AFC championship games, five Super Bowls and three Super Bowl Championships. And Taylor Swift, too.
Nebraska Cornhusker Baseball: The Cornhuskers had a mediocre regular season, winning 28 games while losing 27. However, Nebraska caught fire in late May, winning four consecutive games in the Big 10 Tournament in Omaha. Nebraska qualified for the Chapel Hill, North Carolina Regional. The Huskers beat Holy Cross but lost twice to Oklahoma, finishing its season with 33 wins.
Nebraska Football: I attended my first game at Memorial Stadium since September 1, 2018. Although the Huskers lost to Michigan, 30-27, I enjoyed the experience. Nebraska fans, who have sold out Memorial Stadium for 410 consecutive contests, remain the most loyal college football fans in the United States.
Nebraska Volleyball: New head coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s Big Red won 33 straight matches. Every Big 10 Ten contest was a yawner with NU losing only one set at UCLA. The most demanding match of the season was NU’s reverse-sweep victory over seventh-ranked Kentucky in Nashville on August 31. The Huskers 3-2 victory over No. 18 Creighton in Omaha was, by far, the season’s most exciting.
There are several local sports highs, including Spartans baseball trips to the state tournaments, Hemingford winning two games in the Class D-1 football playoffs and Jacob Schrantz moving to Alliance to take over the role as sports play-by-play man for KCOW.
The highest peak for me is getting to write for the Alliance Times-Herald each week.
An even higher peak is you taking time to read my thoughts and offer feedback.
May you enjoy numerous peaks — of any variety — in 2026.