Tonight on Monday Night Therapy, Minnie and Greg will discuss all things Husker Hoops as Fred Hoiberg and his squad prepare for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. How will the Huskers respond after a disappointing exit Friday in the Big Ten Tournament to eventual champions Purdue? Nebraska faces Troy Thursday morning. What do the Sun Belt Champions bring to the court and how what are possible mismatches on both sides of the floor? The Huskers face the Trojans Thursday morning from Oklahoma City and chase history. A win will get the proverbial monkey off of the back of the men's basketball program. A loss, should it occur, will mean a singularly disappointing moment in the annals of Husker athletics. A lot is on the line Thursday morning (at least morning in the hearts of most Husker fans).

The Five Heart Podcast opened with playful banter before shifting into a lively discussion of Nebraska athletics, especially men’s basketball. The hosts celebrated Nebraska’s strong season, highlighted by the dramatic overtime win over Iowa, which they jokingly dubbed the “Cale Jacobson game.” They looked ahead to the Huskers’ Big Ten Tournament matchup with Purdue, expressing cautious optimism that a healthier Nebraska team could finally break through. Kent Pavelka also received heartfelt praise for his long career calling Husker basketball, with the hosts saying they want tournament success for him as much as for the program itself.

The show mixed sports talk with plenty of humor, including conversations about Batman voices, French phrases, drinks, and random side tangents that became part of the fun. Football eventually entered the discussion, with concerns raised about Matt Rhule’s demeanor, the pressure surrounding Nebraska football, coaching turnover, offensive line development, and whether the program is truly progressing. Even while frustrations were voiced, there was still hope that staff changes and new players could help Nebraska play more sound football next season.

A surprise appearance by Jon Johnston gave the show extra energy, as he passionately argued that Husker fans are tired of offseason hype and simply want results. The episode closed on a positive note: hope, renewal, and the eternal reminder, “F*ck Iowa.”

Greg opens a late-February Five Heart Podcast by hyping the “tripod” of hosts— Minnie, Fred, and Greg —while the chat rolls in with the usual mix of inside jokes, trash talk, and regional rival cameos (Indiana, Michigan, USC, Minnesota, Iowa). Early banter centers on who Minnie’s “new favorite coach” is (Roy Manning), plus a running gag about “gaps,” “holes,” and Nebraska fans being the kind of fan base that laughs through the pain.

The show’s main football talk focuses on spring practice starting early, fans feeling “checked out” after a rough finish, and spring game ticket sales looking soft. The hosts debate Matt Rhule’s “standard” messaging—how much slack he deserves, and whether his podcast helped recruiting/branding or was bad optics during losing. They pivot into staff changes, especially defensive concerns: Nebraska’s pass defense was solid, but run defense cratered, so “stop the run” becomes the repeated mantra. Roy Manning’s résumé and player profile preferences (size, twitchiness) get attention, along with optimism about improved edge pressure.

Special teams becomes a second theme: Ekeler raised the floor with fundamentals, while new coach Brett Maher may add schematic ceiling. They discuss long-snapping depth (and hope never to learn the long snapper’s name again). The episode closes with a chaotic “Five Heart Theater” bit featuring “Cornac the Magnificent,” more membership/Blue Chew jokes, and a wrap-up of other Husker sports before the final chorus: GBR.

Sorry for the late notice, but I wanted to get the show going a couple of weeks early this season and that meant overcoming tech glitches - it is what it is. 👍🏼

The first Husker Heat of 2026 debuts at 8pm CST Tuesday night! The young season has already seen two wins over #1 ranked teams & we’ll review those first three weekends.

In addition we’ll talk about what’s upcoming including this weekends trip to Stillwater & Tulsa including 3 games against red-hot Okie State.

Greg, Minnie, and Fred open the Five Heart Podcast in classic chaotic form—joking about missing Facebook, snow totals, and “guess what” banter—before diving into a big Husker news day: spring ball chatter and press conferences featuring Matt Rhule, new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich… (plus a heavy dose of defensive jargon), and Dana Holgorsen. Minnie is fully back on the February Kool-Aid, while Greg and Fred play the jaded counterbalance, especially when Holgorsen admits they didn’t know what the offense was best at until six games in last season.

They break down defensive philosophy (split safeties, quarters, big bodies for the Big Ten) and debate whether Nebraska’s issues have been preparation, staff, or development—cue a long Donovan Raiola roasting session. Running backs become a major topic: Holgerson praises the room (Nelson, Mozee, Ives, Ja Rule, others) and argues media/fans worry more than the coaches, while everyone agrees the offensive line is the real key.

The show detours into Penn State, schedule talk, and NIL jokes (a fake “Oregon offer” graphic), then returns to roster updates, spring injuries, and standout names like Luke Sorensen and Kwazi Gilmer. They wrap with quick hits on baseball/softball, Iowa-related misery, starred chat comments, and a USA hockey celebration—ending with “Go Big Red.”

Greg opens the show in classic chaotic fashion, introducing Minnie Hunt and newly “promoted from the group chat” co-host Fred Sacco while accidentally throwing random images on screen. The conversation immediately derails into a surprisingly gourmet debate about breakfast pizza: Fred’s version features bacon, egg, herb Havarti, dill, and green onion on a bakery sourdough crust from Omaha; Greg counters with a fully homemade crust (rolled out with a Louisville Slugger), smoked cheddar, bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs. Minnie is offended she wasn’t included in the earlier breakfast-pizza “cabal,” then tries to steer them toward “fruit pizza,” triggering friendly mockery and more donut-and-gas-station talk (including Casey’s breakfast pizza snobbery).

The show pivots to Bill Moos’ book The Crab Creek Chronicles, where Moos describes heavy meddling around the Scott Frost hire, claims Frost wasn’t eager for the job, and allegedly asked Moos to convince the team to play the 2020 bowl. They also touch on Moos exploring a return to the Big XII, and debate how fans, boosters, and administrators “run the zoo.”

Later, they cover Nebraska’s two NFL Combine invites, discuss Rhule being quieter lately, and worry about special teams continuity post-Ekeler. They recap strong Nebraska basketball despite an overtime loss to Purdue, joke that Minnie is “bad luck” when she watches, preview baseball’s Desert Classic, then close with a “blind rankings” game of iconic Husker moments, housekeeping, and playful Wisconsin “besmirching.”

Greg kicks off a Thursday-night Five Heart Podcast on Corn Nation’s platforms with Fred and Minnie, immediately devolving into the usual chaos: muted mics, jokes, and wardrobe policing. Minnie admits she’s still “in mourning” after a rough offseason of losing coaches and players, but the group circles back to the mantra: trust Matt Rhule—even if they wish he’d communicate more.

They correct a chat rumor: it’s not Dylan Raiola switching positions; it’s Dayton Raiola committing to Oregon as a tight end. That sparks banter about the Raiola family, recruiting ties to Polynesian communities, and a brief derail into religion and “what’s offensive,” which the crew quickly tries (and fails) to escape. Another running debate follows: can Husker fans “like” other teams? Greg insists you can watch other games, but you can’t cheer for anyone else; Minnie argues it’s fine to enjoy good football.

Eventually, they transition to real Husker news: special teams changes after staff departures, including discussion of former Husker kicker Brett Maher’s résumé and why special teams will face intense scrutiny. The conversation turns into a larger gripe about Rhule’s fourth-down “metrics” decisions versus taking guaranteed field goals. They briefly touch on Nebraska basketball’s recent loss to Illinois, upcoming games, and end by praising longtime broadcaster Kent Pavelka and hoping this season finally rewards him with March success.

Minnie Hunt kicks off the Five Heart Podcast without Greg (who’s late due to computer issues), joined by Fred Sacco. They joke about Greg’s basement setup, chat about the weather, and riff on Stranger Things. The conversation quickly turns to Nebraska men’s basketball and the Huskers’ close loss at Michigan. Fred blames himself for watching, while Minnie and Greg argue the refs tilted the game late, but they’re encouraged by how Nebraska competed despite missing key players. They agree it may be beneficial to get the first loss out of the way, and wonder how the AP poll will treat Nebraska after a “respectable” defeat.

The show detours into Nebraska adding women’s varsity flag football in 2028, including a notable early scholarship offer to McKenna Cook. They compare flag football’s rise to the case for adding women’s wrestling, crack jokes about WWE, and complain about the cost and culture of club soccer.

Eventually, they pivot to Nebraska football: the 2026 schedule is out. They go game-by-game, mixing optimism, realism, and humor—Greg refuses to predict losses, while Fred and Minnie debate likely swing games. They close with birthday cheers for a viewer, plugs for next week, and the usual sign-off: “Go Big Red.”

The Five Heart Podcast opens with Greg in Southern Illinois and Minnie reporting in from Pinetop, Arizona, as the crew jokes about time zones, “mountain girls,” and a brutal cold front hitting the Midwest. The chat piles on with weather reports, and the hosts briefly spiral into a funny-but-bleak discussion about rain, wildfires, and the realities of winter.

The big show news is that “Monday Night Therapy” is going on hiatus for the offseason, and Fred is joining the Five Heart Podcast as a regular panelist—turning the show into a new “tripod” dynamic. After some banter about streaming services replacing cable and costing just as much, the mood shifts: they’re “wearing black” because Nebraska has lost special teams coordinator Mike Eckler, who is headed to USC. Minnie is especially furious and disappointed, arguing Eckler was a major reason special teams improved so fast.

From there, the conversation expands into bigger concerns: staff turnover, Matt Rhule’s culture and talent evaluation, portal strategy, and whether Nebraska is building a real identity or constantly rebuilding mid-flight. They compare Nebraska’s instability to Indiana’s sudden rise, debate NIL and “brand-first” athletes, and land on a familiar Five Heart thesis—Nebraska needs players and coaches who genuinely want to be there, buy in, and play for each other.

The Five Heart Podcast opens with chaos as a CBS Sports report sparks rumors that Nebraska special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler is likely headed to USC. Greg and Minnie immediately caution against rumor-mongering—especially after past inaccurate reports—but the chat spirals into mourning anyway. They vent about the nonstop turnover in modern college football, where coaches and players chase bigger money and loyalty feels scarce. Even if Ekeler leaves, they argue Nebraska has to stay loyal to the program, not any single coach, while still acknowledging Ekeler’s “juice” and the dramatic turnaround he led on special teams.

The conversation bounces between frustration and humor: fitted-hat debates, tech issues with the live chat freezing, and a bizarre detour into Frito pie (including Minnie choking on a chip and swearing off the dish forever). Amid the noise, they hit other Nebraska updates: a new defensive line coach (Corey Brown), discussion of defensive schemes, portal recruiting strategy (older, experienced players), and the addition of a new 2026 QB commit from Las Vegas. They also celebrate Nebraska basketball’s surge—ranked in the top 10—while wrestling with how to stay realistic and sane as Husker fans. The show ends with a promise to balance optimism and realism, plus a teaser for a special announcement next week.