The Omaha World-Herald reported today that Trev Alberts is the only athletic director candidate that has been invited to interview on campus and meet publicly with staff, students, and fans. He'll be on campus tomorrow afternoon for a public forum at 4 pm in the student center.
Some UNO fans are concerned that Alberts has no experience in administration. That's a concern, though UNO's previous athletic directors had administrative experience...and couldn't pull UNO out of the ditch. Some folks are concerned that Alberts has no understanding of hockey, and that Alberts will ignore or disband the hockey program.
There are no assurances that Alberts won't be a failure, or that he isn't being brought in to sabotage or eliminate hockey. But I consider that talk baseless paranoia, as I can't imagine why Alberts would do that to UNO's flagship sport. If he wanted to make sports administration his career, intentionally destroying a sport won't look good on his resume.
If anything, I expect Alberts to bring a "Nebraska Way" to UNO athletics. Is that a "football only" mentality, or "hockey be-dammed"? Hardly. Look at the relationship between Bo Pelini, wrestling coach Mark Manning, and basketball coach Doc Sadler. Each supports the other; it's an expansion of the Husker family beyond just football. Want more proof? Check out the entire athletic department gathering around the "Tussle on the Turf" between former Husker walk-on Brandon Rigoni and Manning last fall.
It's a mentality fostered by Osborne himself, as you can see when he presents the trophy to Manning.
Whether Alberts is the right individual to lead UNO athletics is a valid question. We don't know how he'd raise funds and chart a vision for the future. But to assume that he's being brought in to eliminate or sabotage hockey is purely paranoia.
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