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LINCOLN, Neb. -- When it comes to football and politics, Nebraska is as red a state as there is. When it comes to basketball, its a deep shade of blue, as in Creighton blue.The 10th-ranked Bluejays (8-0) and Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-3) play their annual game Wednesday night at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, and Creightons dominance is expected to continue. The Jays have won 14 of the previous 17 meetings, including each of the last five by at least 10 points . Another win would even the all-time series 25-25.The matchups story lines provide a fun yet contentious backdrop.First, not much gets under the skin of Huskers fans more than the small Jesuit school in Omaha being better than the states flagship university at anything. On top of that, it bugs them that a lot of Creighton fans root for Nebraska in football -- the Bluejays dont have a team -- and even cheer for the Huskers in basketball outside the one game a year against the Jays.The `Jaysker thing, said Omaha radio host Nick Handley. That draws this weird, aggressive debate. The true Nebraska fans say you cant be a fan of both.Second, the Huskers have given scant attention to Omaha when looking for players. Creighton has two starters from the states largest city, guard Khyri Thomas and center Justin Patton, and each said he received no recruiting interest from Nebraska. Neither said his feelings was hurt.I wouldnt have chosen Nebraska anyway, Patton said. I look better in blue.And then theres the Greg McDermott-Tim Miles dynamic and their repartee. McDermott, the Creighton coach, is 12-0 all-time against his Nebraska counterpart going back to the late 1990s when they were Division II coaches at Wayne State and Southwest Minnesota State.McDermott pointed out that Miles never beats him on the golf course, either.I can only hope the game Wednesday would be as easy as the Ryder Cup match between our two staffs this summer, he said. I dont think they were mathematically eliminated after the first day, but it was close.Said a smiling Miles: They cheated. Typical Creighton. Heres a guy, 18-handicap, shoots 81. When Macs got sand coming out the bottom of his shorts and ears and hands, hes the biggest sandbagger you ever met in your life.This is one of the toughest nonconference weeks ever for the Huskers. The game against Creighton will be followed by a visit to No. 3 Kansas on Saturday.Creighton is fifth nationally in scoring at 90.8 points a game. Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster is scoring 19.4 points a game, Maurice Watson is second in the country in assists (9 per game) and Patton is second in field-goal shooting (78.9 percent).The Huskers top scorers are Tai Webster (16.9 ppg) and Glynn Watson Jr. (13.8). Their best win is over Dayton, 80-78 in the Wooden Legacy in Fullerton, California, two weeks ago. They stayed close with now-No. 2 UCLA until the closing minutes in an 82-71 loss at the same tournament.Were going into an arena thats full, a lot of energy in the building, McDermott said. When they come here, our building is the same way. Its what college basketball is about. When you have a rivalry like that in the state where you have two of the top 20 fan bases in the country and you get together, its a lot of fun.---More college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org Michael Gallup Youth Jersey . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. 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The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. DeAngelo Williams and Gary Barnidge have made a pact. When both retire, theyll score a Winnebago and travel the country to catch all the pay-per-view WWE events the NFL calendar kept them from attending all these years.First to retire buys the Winnie, which puts the 33-year-old Williams, a Pittsburgh Steelers running back, at a slight disadvantage. Barnidge, a?Cleveland Browns tight end, is 31. Williams kids might tag along too.My daughters a big John Cena fan, Williams said.For a select few NFL players, professional wrestling is not occasional TV viewing, but a way of life.Williams, Barnidge and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry are the leagues most visible converts, turning childhood memories into, well, more childhood memories.Wrestling brings out the giddy teen in guys like Barnidge, whos been hooked on the action ever since watching a family friend wrestle on a local circuit in north Florida.?Barnidge and Williams are former Carolina Panthers teammates who struck a friendship after Williams attended WrestleMania 28 without Barnidge. Theyve traveled to the subsequent four WrestleManias together and drive or fly to numerous other spots each year, such as Royal Rumble and SummerSlam.Barnidge always tries to take at least one Browns teammate to the Cleveland-area events. Sunday nights No Mercy event in Sacramento isnt close by, but that will be a no-brainer pay-per-view purchase at the Barnidge home after the Browns-Patriots game.People watch soap operas -- well, this is that, said Barnidge of the WWE. It has a storyline and action, yet its a physical sport. We know whos going to win, but it draws you in with the buildup and the tension.Williams is considered the most active WWE fan, but Curry has spent time with Williams and Barnidge on a few recent road trips. Next years WrestleMania in Orlando became a vacation for the threesome. Williams brought his family, and Barnidge -- known as Uncle Gary -- sometimes babysat when Williams and his wife step out.Our crew is pretty solid now, Williams said. Well be at Disney World the whole time, hanging out before the event. Tuesday and Wednesday you do the tourist stuff, then its all wrestling throughout the week. Its a family tthing.ddddddddddddA WWE spokesperson said the organization doesnt have an official relationship with the NFL, and the players dont get preferential treatment at the events. They buy tickets like everyone else. Curry said the players do get access to various WWE events and itineraries built around WrestleMania, which is like a mini-Super Bowl for that week.For Curry, wrestling is less about the perks and more about the attitude. Well before signing a five-year, $47.25 million contract extension with Philadelphia, Curry was a New Jersey kid who couldnt afford tickets to WWE events at nearby Asbury Park Convention Hall.So Curry got nostalgic, watching old clips of World Wrestling Federation action. Bam Bam Bigelow was a childhood hero through the television, Curry said.Hulk Hogan even reinforced Moms messages on occasion.As a kid, your parents try to get you to eat your vegetables. Well, Hulk Hogan could get me to eat my vegetables, Curry said. The body slams, the stories, the costumes, the face paint. I loved all that stuff.Many NFL players watch WWE casually, but only a few die-hards travel to the events. Former Browns Johnson Bademosi and Barkevious Mingo attended a few events with Barnidge and loved them, Barnidge said. Williams has taken several Steelers linemen to events on the Pittsburgh circuit.Barnidge said he most aligns with Undertaker -- calm and collected -- but when told Williams prefers the charismatic Enzo Amore, Barnidge switched his own answer to Big Cass, Amores partner.He talks a lot, but he backs up what he talks, Williams said of Amore. I kind of push myself through my words and how I carry myself. I dont talk until after its done, though.Barnidge wouldnt want to try wrestling post-football because he would get destroyed, he said. Just because football players slam bodies doesnt mean they could absorb clotheslines to the neck 100 nights a year. Wrestling requires specific training to take the bumps, and Barnidge wont be that motivated in his late 30s.But the 280-pound Curry is game for trying.All my goals would be set then, Curry said. ' ' '