Howdy, Omaha — it’s Jeremy.
As you read this, you might be thinking of tonight’s Huskers vs. Hawkeyes basketball game and where you’ll claim a barstool to watch it.
For fans of both teams, it’s a dream Sweet Sixteen matchup — a chance to advance against a dreaded rival. But the history between Nebraska and Iowa didn’t start on hardcourt (or the gridiron, for that matter).
The fact is that many early settlers in the Nebraska Territory were opportunistic Iowans. As I recently learned, the Council Bluffs businessmen who founded Omaha in 1854 hoped that starting a town across the river would boost their city’s chances of landing a coveted railroad stop.
But they didn’t call their creation Omaha. They dubbed it “Omaha City.”
Attaching “city” to the name was a simple marketing ploy to make prospective settlers think Omaha was a substantially sized community, historian David Bristow told me. In reality, it was little more than “a few shacks and dugouts,” he said.
Ironically, “Omaha City” became just “Omaha” as it grew into a bona fide city. Then, it left Council Bluffs in the dust.
Huskers 1, Hawkeyes 0.
You can read my historical explainer on Omaha’s name here (or click the photo above).
— Jeremy Turley, Flatwater Free Press
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Here at Flatwater, we’re all about fairness. Even though we’re a Nebraska news outlet, we wanted to give you both sides of the basketball rivalry dividing our region.
We’ll start with FFP Omaha co-author and a Big Red diehard Chris Bowling.
As Tyler Tanner’s half-court heave bobbled around the rim last Saturday night, I got flashbacks.
Since my mom dropped me off at Sandoz Hall in August 2014, I have seen coaches fired and games lost in mind-boggling fashion. As the buzzer sounded in Oklahoma City, it felt like another plunge on the rollercoaster of Husker fandom.
Then somehow, the ball didn’t go in. Was it a miracle? Karmic dividends? I don’t know. What I do know is Fred Hoiberg and crew pulled off something special. In some ways, it doesn’t matter what happens tonight. We’re winners. But then again … I really, really, really, REALLY want to watch them beat the snot out of Iowa. Go Big Red.
For the Hawkeye perspective, we’ve got new FFP photojournalist and Iowa native Lily Smith.
As a homegrown Hawkeye fan and Iowa alum, I’m really excited about first-year coach Ben McCollum, who is leading a team of scrappy underdogs against our favorite rival, those darn Cornhuskers.
The real treat, if the Hawks win, will not be an Elite Eight appearance but the satisfaction of tainting what has otherwise been an amazing basketball season for Husker fans. Neither of us thought we would be here, so let’s have a little fun while we are! Let’s go, Hawks!
In more basketball news, Greg McDermott announced he will retire after 16 years coaching Creighton men’s team, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported. Since 2010, McDermott has led the Bluejays to 10 NCAA tournament appearances, including three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight. His first head coaching job came in Nebraska at Wayne State.
Pope Leo XIV declared the Rev. Edward J. Flanagan, better known as Father Flanagan, “venerable.” The distinction is an important step toward sainthood for the founder of Boys Town who advocated for homeless and impoverished kids, writes Hannah Brockhaus at EWTN News.
A bill to allow people who live just outside Lincoln and Omaha to vote in city elections is headed to floor debate in the Nebraska Legislature, the Examiner’s Zach Wendling writes. The bill’s sponsor says it would fix “taxation without representation,” while opponents say it would give “representation without taxation.”
The Omaha City Council passed a resolution aimed at promoting affordable housing in residential properties that rely on tax increment financing, The World-Herald’s Julie Anderson reported. The resolution calls on city planners to present a policy to “incentivize or require” developers to create affordable housing by Sept. 1. (You may need a subscription to read this story.)
Neighbors lined the streets of Bellevue to pay respects to Army Master Sgt. Noah Tietjens, who was killed by a drone strike while serving in Kuwait, WOWT’s Philip Catalfamo and Ron Johnson reported. Tietjens, who taught martial arts in his native Bellevue, was one of the first American casualties in the war with Iran.
Undisclosed Omaha philanthropists will contribute $5 million to boost the city’s public parks, Mayor John Ewing announced in his first State of the City address. Ewing said the public-private partnership has “transformational potential,” The Reader’s Jessica Wade reported.
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