He remembers that first call fondly at the Coliseum, a 78-65 win over Wichita State. He remembers the cigarette smoke at the top of the arena, the lights on the floor, the scene reminiscent of a heavyweight title match.
He loved that call.
And if he’s being honest, he’s loved every one in between, too. Even during the tough years. Being a Nebraska basketball fan sometimes feels like a curse, he’s said, but each game has still been a dream. He doesn’t have a favorite Husker team, or a favorite play or a favorite call. If you twist his arm, he’d say the 2014 Wisconsin win. No Sit Sunday.
But Nebraska’s win over Clemson on Monday, that was as much fun on the mic as Pavelka's ever had, he said. Which wasn’t a surprise if you listened. His call of Marquise Reed’s key travel in the final seconds was shared in Twitter all week, and his yell of “Dagger!” after Thomas Allen’s 3 was repeated on radio shows.
He’s gone from a boy in the rafters to the man in the headset boys aspire to be. Part of the fabric of Nebraska basketball.
