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2009 Oct 17
Husker Locker Live Pre-Game Chat...Today!
75 views
Join Samuel McKewon as he breaks down the game and provides live updates from Memorial Stadium prior to Nebraska's big tilt with Texas Tech!
He'll give the skinny on how Tech's QBs look, who will replace Rex Burkhead, and whether or not the game will be high-scoring or low-scoring!
Ask the tough questions...get honest answers!
Click here!
The show begins at 1:30 p.m!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: chat, texas tech game
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2009 Oct 09
Husker Locker Picks, Week Six
48 views
We're 86-28 going into this week...actually 87-28, since, in our prediction podcast, we picked Nebraska to win.
So we're at a 75% winning clip right now.
Here's our picks for this week!
LSU 23 Florida 21
Texas 35 Colorado 3
Alabama 20 Mississippi 7
Virginia Tech 16 Boston College 14
Ohio State 28 Wisconsin 6
TCU 34 Air Force 17
Miami 45 Florida A&M 13
Michigan 19 Iowa 14
Oregon 41 UCLA 10
Penn State 37 Eastern Illinois 14
Oklahoma State 27 Texas A&M 13
Kansas 52 Iowa State 23
Arkansas 31 Auburn 24
BYU 23 UNLV 20
Oklahoma 35 Baylor 10
Florida State 17 Georgia Tech 16
Purdue 20 Minnesota 17
South Carolina 24 Kentucky 3
West Virginia 55 Syracuse 24
Georgia 20 Tennessee 16
Ohio 27 Akron 14
Oregon State 28 Stanford 24
Arizona 24 Washington 20
Pittsburgh 23 Connecticut 14
Buffalo 35 Gardner-Webb 21
Texas Tech 28 Kansas State 10Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: picks
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2009 Oct 07
Watch The Big Game on the Joyo's Big Screen!
132 views
It'll be like attending the game at Faurot Field...without the rain. Yah!
We've got five free passes to the Joyo Theater's Husker party for this Thursday's game vs. Missouri! Just show your pass at the door and head right in. It's a fun, family friendly way to enjoy the game. And the game isn't just on a big screen...it's on a HUGE screen. You might as well be inside the action, it's so lifelike.
And...if you're a Husker Locker Pass member...you can get $5 in free concessions, too. And trust us...$5 at the Joyo goes a lot farther than $5 downtown.
The Joyo is a bonafide Lincoln landmark located in the city's historic Havelock district. It's the kind of place you used to see in all kinds of small towns in Nebraska, and it has that easygoing, country feel to it. A place where the kids could enjoy a Saturday matinee while mom and dad went shopping in town.
In order to receive one of these five passes, it's simple: Tell us your favorite Nebraska-Missouri memory in the comment section below. It's so easy!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: joyo, ten days of tiger
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2009 Oct 07
Podcast 10/7: Rain for Columbia, and Duensing's Big Moment
100 views
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Join Husker Locker today - it's free!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: football, podcasts, brian duensin
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2009 Oct 06
Podcast 10/6: Not About Vengeance
58 views
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Join Husker Locker today - it's free!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: ten days of tiger, bo pelini
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2009 Oct 05
Turner Gill Feature on ESPN...
64 views
Excellent piece on Nebraska's former quarterback, now coach at Buffalo, and his response to not being hired at Auburn.
Well worth the watch...Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: turner gill, espn
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2009 Sep 30
Husker Locker's Latest Top 25!
558 views
After a week off...we're back! Here's our top 25 with a few less voters...that doesn't mean we don't want more!
If you're a Locker Pass member, be sure to join our Top 25 Voters group.
If not...become a Locker Pass member today!
Here's the top 25...analysis to follow!
1. Florida (4) 147
2. Alabama (2) 145
3. Texas 140
4. Boise State 125
5. Virginia Tech 121
6. LSU 120
7. Oklahoma 110
8. USC 96
9. TCU 94
10. Houston 81
T11. Cincinnati 76
T11. Ohio State 76
13. Iowa 74
14. Oklahoma State 73
15. Nebraska 71
16. Kansas 64
17. Penn St. 42
18. Missouri 41
19. Oregon 38
20. Georgia 36
21. Michigan 28
22. Miami 22
23. BYU 23
24. Cal 18
25. South Florida 16
Others getting points: Ole Miss 15, UCLA 14, Georgia Tech 10, Auburn 9, Texas Tech 9, South Carolina 7
ANALYSIS
*Alabama continues to inch up on Florida.
*Our poll remains quite high on the Big 12, with six teams inside the top 20. We'll see how that changes over the next month when conference play begins.
*Three non-automatic qualifiers in the top ten (Boise, TCU, Houston) but the voters aren't buying BYU.
*Much respect for Virginia Tech and its vanquished foe last week, Miami.Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: top 25 poll
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2009 Sep 25
Podcast 9/25: The new "Football Experience" room
125 views
Please enable Javascript, or download the podcast here.
Join Husker Locker today - it's free!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: podcasts, tom osborne, ull week, volleyball, soccer
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2009 Sep 25
Husker Locker Picks, Week Four
91 views
We're 62-20 after 25-8 performance last week...here we go again!
National
Florida 42 Kentucky 10
Texas 50 UTEP 16
Alabama 34 Arkansas 20
Penn State 20 Iowa 5
California 38 Oregon 35
LSU 23 Mississippi State 6
Boise State 31 Bowling Green 22
Miami 20 Virginia Tech 17
USC 56 Washington State 14
Ohio State 33 Illinois 10
Cincinnati 24 Fresno State 23
TCU 14 Clemson 9
Oklahoma State 49 Grambling 7
Houston 30 Texas Tech 27
Florida State 17 South Florida 7
BYU 45 Colorado State 7
Southern Miss 24 Kansas 21
Georgia 23 Arizona State 17
Georgia Tech 27 North Carolina 23
Michigan 38 Indiana 21
Stanford 27 Washington 17
Michigan State 31 Wisconsin 17
Boston College 14 Wake Forest 10
Pittsburgh 17 North Carolina St 7
Tennessee 19 Ohio 10
Buffalo 21 Temple 17
Big 12
Missouri 28 Nevada 14
Iowa State 27 Army 24
Kansas State 28 Tennessee Tech 6
Baylor 41 Northwestern 10
Texas A&M 42 UAB 14Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: picks
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2009 Sep 25
Guess The Score! NU-ULL!
90 views
It's that time again!
Guess the exact score of the Nebraska-Louisiana-Lafayette game and win a throwback poster. Your choice - offense or defense!
Last week, Smokin was the only one of 17 commenters to predict a Virginia Tech win, so he was closest. Roy Helu was easily the offensive MVP, while Ndamukong Suh pretty much stole the defensive MVP honors.
Who will it be this week? Remember to give us your:
1. Score
2. Offensive MVP
3. Defensive MVP
We'll post our prediction in this spot on Saturday!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: guess the score, ull week
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2009 Sep 24
Podcast 9/24: VB team stumbles in College Station
41 views
Please enable Javascript, or download the podcast here.
Join Husker Locker today - it's free!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: volleyball, john cook, shawn watson, carl pelini
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2009 Sep 23
Big 12 Rankings Week Three
1,289 views
A little late, but better than never:
1. Texas (3-0, Beat Texas Tech 35-21) The Longhorns are trying to commit to a running game, averaging a little more than 30 attempts per game so far. But that 4.2 yards per carry average – against some fairly average defenses – should raise flags for UT fans. Colt McCoy, meanwhile, is a little more 2007, and a little less 2008.
No. 2 Oklahoma (2-1, Beat Tulsa 45-0) Excellent defensive effort from OU, which shut down a Tulsa team that can score on virtually any opponent. Landry Jones certainly looked the part for one week. The Sooners seemed to have picked a bad to travel to Miami, though. Oh well. Two weeks to prepare, right?
No. 3 Missouri (3-0, Beat Furman 52-12) The Tigers are certainly better than their Friday opponent, Nevada. But Colorado was better than Toledo. And Oklahoma State was better than Troy a few years ago. In other words, with ESPN and a full house in Reno watching, Mizzou can’t afford to futz around for a half like it did vs. Bowling Green.
TNo. 4 Nebraska (2-1, Lost to Virginia Tech 16-15) If NU doesn’t have a major meltdown on Tech’s last drive, it’s the No. 2 team this week. As it is, the Huskers deserve this slot, with a strong eye toward what happens on Saturday. NU can’t sleep on Louisiana-Lafayette.
TNo. 4 Oklahoma State (2-1, Beat Rice 41-24) Looking more and more like 2008 Missouri, not2008 Texa Tech. Without Dez Bryant, heck, OSU might be 0-3.
TNo.4 Kansas (3-0, Beat Duke 44-16) The Jayhawks get a pretty fair test this weekend Southern Mississippi. Just how many players, post-brawl, will be missing? That may determine whether KU wins or loses. You know Southern Miss isn’t afraid.
Now, to us: here’s the question. It’s going to be easy – really easy – for coach Mark Mangino to figure out what went down here. Bill Self, too. Even if no charges are filed after the KU football and basketball teams fought each other three different times over 24 hours, don’t you think the coaches need to impose some aspect of discipline? Isn’t brawling a major violation of team rules?
And yet, here’s Mangino’s take on the matter after practice: "Based on what I have right now, I don't see anything that would have me discipline any particular player. If there is some reliable information that comes forward then I will deal with it. My track record speaks for itself on discipline here. I don't have to defend that."
If Mangino can’t find one single, solitary KU football player to discipline based on three separate brawls then, yes, he does to defend his record. Because his “record,” as it were, just got a lot worse.
7. Texas Tech (2-1, Lost to Texas 34-24) The Red Raiders had their chances in Austin, but the closeness of the game was more about UT’s sloppy play than it was Tech’s stellar play. Mike Leach seems wholly disinterested in running the football. Again. Too bad. He has some good running backs.
8. Baylor (1-1, Lost to Connecticut 30-22) UConn possesses a slightly better defense than I expected, and that accounted for a nice win in Waco. BU’s still a big-play offense, though. Running back Jay Finley is averaging 9.6 yards per carry.
9. Texas A&M (2-0, Beat Utah State 38-30) Offense is clicking thus far against some putrid defenses, but the Aggies gave up 30 points to a fairly average Utah State bunch. Shade of Callahan-era football? Oh, you betcha.
10. Iowa State (2-1, Beat Kent State 34-14) ISU faces an interesting test this weekend with Army. But if the Cyclones are able to top the Golden Knights, they can look forward to the rest of season, which holds total futility. Oh, well – running back Alexander Robinson looks pretty good!
11. Colorado (1-2, Beat Wyoming 24-0) The Buffs simplified their defense and benefited as a result. Now the offense needs to work out all of the kinks. Getting Rodney Stewart back certainly helps. The Buffs badly needed a week off, playing three games with a difficult time and travel schedule.
12. Kansas State (1-2, Lost to UCLA 23-9) The Wildcats are really going to struggle scoring points until quarterback Carson Coffman comes around a little. KSU actually has one of the league’s most interesting players – and best running backs – in Daniel Thomas, who runs like a shorter, fatter Lawrence Phillips. But the Cats can’t put the ball down the field.Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: big 12 rankings
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2009 Sep 23
Turf Wars at KU!
115 views
Jayhawk-on-Jayhawk violence!
Man, is this rich. Two giant fights Tuesday night. And a little Wednesday morning rumble for good measure.
Nebraska's football and baseball players got into about a decade ago. But nothing like this.
Ballroom blitz, soon to come.
What do you want to bet this is over a girl?Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: kansas
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2009 Sep 21
Why Bo Didn't Challenge Holt's Non-Catch
872 views
Field officials during Nebraska’s 16-15 loss to Virginia told head coach Bo Pelini that Menelik Holt “clearly bobbled” a pass from Zac Lee that would have given NU a 19-10 lead, Pelini said during Monday’s Big 12 Teleconference.
Replays showed Holt caught the ball in the corner of the end zone, got a foot in bounds, then lost the ball when on the ground. Officials ruled the pass incomplete, and Pelini declined to challenge it.
“We didn’t have a good look at it,” Pelini said. “I asked the guy ‘Are you reviewing it?’ I’m under the assumption they’re gonna review scoring plays. I didn’t have a good look at it so I asked the guy and he said (Holt) was bobbling it. He said (Holt) was ‘clearly bobbling’ it going out of bounds.
“…We didn’t have a good view upstairs. I was blind. I had no idea. What are you going to do? I didn’t want to use a timeout at that point.”
After Pelini saw the video, he said it was “pretty obvious” that Holt caught the ball. Pelini wanted to be cautious in discussing referee calls.
“It looks like he did,” Pelini said.
According to NCAA interpretations added in 2007, Holt’s catch may best fit the following description, listed as Interpretation XI to rule 7-3-6 in the NCAA rule book:
“Airborne receiver A85 possesses the ball and in the process of going to the ground, first contacts the ground with his left foot as he falls to the ground inbounds. Immediately upon hitting the ground, the ball comes loose and touches the ground. Ruling: Incomplete pass. An airborne receiver must maintain control of the ball if going to the ground in the process of completing a catch.
The question becomes: Did Holt immediately lose the ball upon contact? Or was the rule interpreted incorrectly as a continuation?
Pelini also said Nebraska quarterback Zac Lee is “fine” after Saturday’s loss. Lee was not made available to the media afterward.
Want to comment but not a member...join here for free!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: menelik holt, bo pelini, vt week
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2009 Sep 19
College football chat...NOW!
82 views
Check out all the day's games and scores with Husker Locker moderators Samuel McKewon and MrGoodLife! The two snarkiest guys on the plains proper!
Click here for all the fun!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
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2009 Sep 15
Lane Stadium...at Ground Level
469 views
Not the best video quality. But the audio is all you really need to hear.
This is what Nebraska will hear and see as it runs out for Saturday's game at Virginia Tech.Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: vt week, lane stadium
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2009 Sep 14
Start Spreadin the News...
125 views
Not every game is a good bowl game.
The Big 12 seems ready to ink a deal to play in the 2010 Yankee Bowl - that's in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium - against a Big East opponent.
What stands out about a potental Yankee Bowl berth? Let us count the attributes:
*Played in frigid weather
*With implanted sod in the infield
*Against an irrelevant conference
*That probably would invite Rutgers, Cuse and UConn anyway
*In a stadium not outfitted for football
*With insanely expensive seats
*In one of the world's most expensive cities.
*That doesn't like college football
Oh well. Carl Pelini could take the Huskers a tour of his old stomping grounds at Columbia. And there's usually a show of "Cats" playing, isn't there?Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: yankee bowl, football, carl pelini
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2009 Sep 12
CFB chat is up and running!
105 views
Talk about the day's games - including Huskers v. Red Wolves with two snarky college football fans...and add your own comments!
Click here for the chat!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
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2009 Sep 06
2009 Tunnel Walk Video
157 views
For those who weren't there...enjoy by clicking on the video to the side. >>>>>Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: tunnel walk
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2009 Sep 03
Huskers Release Depth Chart
375 views
And we have…a depth chart.
Nebraska’s football team released a depth chart Thursday afternoon, pretty much as Bo Pelini had promised he would. Littered with “ORs” – also a Pelini promise – you can read it all here.
Quick impressions:
*Only two running backs – Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead – are listed.
*At WR, it would appear Niles Paul, Menelik Holt and Curenski Gilleylen are the three starters – Gilleylen and Holt are listed at the same position – with Antonio Bell and Khiry Cooper, both freshmen, listed as backups. Brandon Kinnie, Chris Brooks and Will Henry are also in the mix.
*Marcel Jones and D.J. Jones are listed as co-starters at right tackle.
*Mathew May and Blake Lawrence are, as expected, listed as co-starters at WILL linebacker.
*Matt O’Hanlon and Rickey Thenarse are listed as co-starters a free safety.
*Anthony West and Alfonzo Dennard are listed as co-starters at cornerback.
*Paul will handle kickoff and punt return duties. Burkhead is Paul’s backup on punts and Dennard will line up with Paul on kickoffs.
Talk About It Here!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
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2009 Sep 03
50 Husker Fans, 50 States: Big Red in the Big Sky
186 views
Our next fan story comes to us from the incredible state of Montana, where John Ilgenfritz has been living in Helena for many years. There are some terrific memories from this Fremont native that we suspect you’ll identify with quite a bit. Gameday memories that make us wish that it was the old days again.
We also think you’ll really like the comparisons John makes of Nebraska and Montana, which is NU…on a smaller scale.
And read until the end, Husker fans. There is a story about commitment, passion and the enduring ties of Nebraska football that you’ll want to share with your friends and family.
Enjoy, and remember: If you want to be a part of this series…you can! Just email us at sam@ne.statepaper.com. We’ve got quite few stories to tell yet, but we want yours, too!
Q: Tell us a little of your personal history as a Husker fan. Were you born into the Big Red Nation? Did you attend school there? Just decided to follow the program from afar? Did you grow up in Nebraska? How did you get to living where you are today?
A: I was born in Fremont in 1946, graduated from Fremont High in 1964 and Midland Lutheran College in 1968. I met my future wife, Sheena in May, 1976 when we were both in Glasgow, MT. visiting students we recruited for Mountain Plains Education Program, a program to teach low-income families job skills and help them find jobs upon completion. Sheena was working out of the Idaho office and I the Nebraska office. In September I moved to Idaho, we were married on Jan. 1, 1977. Two years later we moved to Montana to be close to her mom after the death of Sheena's dad.
How hard, or easy, is it to follow the Huskers from where you live? Do you watch the games at home? Listen on the radio? Use the internet? Is there a “watch site” in town you like to frequent? Also: How many Husker fans are there in your area?
It is difficult to watch the games. Most games are only cast regionally, so we receive the Pac 10 games. If it is a national telecast only available on cable I locate a tavern that carries it. Sometimes I have to drive to 2 or 3 before I find a bar that carries it. Even if it is on network TV sometimes it is preempted by a Montana Grizzlies game.
If I cannot watch it, I listen to the game on the computer. No watch site that I am aware of, most folks watch in their own homes. Whenever I see someone with a Big Red hat or T-shirt I will talk with them, inquire where they are from and talk about the team.
How often do you get back for games? What’s the last game you’ve been to? How has the Husker experience changed over the years? Will Nebraska be playing a game in your area any time soon? What’s the predominant college or pro team in your area? How is that fan base similar or different to Nebraska’s fan base? Hear a lot of trash talk about the Big 12, or anything like that? Give us an example of how Nebraska fans might be the same or different from some of the fans in your area.
Montana is like Nebraska in that there is no predominant pro team. As for college, Carroll College at the NAIA level and Montana and Montana State at the higher level.
I get back to Nebraska every couple of years, over the past 10 years, primarily for funerals. I haven't been to a game since the 1980s. When my dad and mom moved to Arizona in 1982 they gave up their football tickets.
The Nebraska experience, for me, was all about family and tradition. I loved the Devaney-Osborne-Solich link. I was very disappointed by the decision to replace Frank with Bill Callahan. No offense to Callahan. It felt like a messy divorce.
The closest Nebraska gets to Montana is probably Colorado.
Living in Helena, the home of the Carroll College Fighting Saints (NAIA), we have grown accustomed to national championships. I believe they have won 5 or 6, were runner-ups last year and are rated 2nd in the polls this year.
The Montana State/Montana game is always a big deal . . . it feels like Oklahoma/Nebraska on a smaller scale. My wife is an alum of U of M and we go to the games when she can get a ticket. It’s about a 100-mile drive to Missoula on game day. You will see a stream of cars all with bumper stickers or special license plates. At the stadium there is quite a tailgate, with big RVs parked close to the stadium. I believe the stadium seats around 20,000 and it always seems full. The U of M has won a national championship and they played in the title game last year. They often win the Big Sky Conference Title .
Nothing compares to Nebraska fans . . . they are the best bar none. However, I do enjoy going to the U of M games as the electricity in the stadium gives me a small reminder of Nebraska. We only go once or twice a year and sit with friends of my wife that she has known since college.
What’s one or two unique things about where you live? What makes it stand apart from other places?
We have lived in Helena for close to 30 years. It is the capitol city and about 28,000 in population. Most any place we want to go we can walk to. Within a mile of where we live are Carroll College, the Myrna Loy theatre (musical presentations and special movies in the former jail - beautiful building), GrandStreet Theater (local plays and musicals held in a beautiful old building that formerly was a Unitarian Church), the Holter Art Museum, beautiful Helena Cathedral, movie theaters, children museum and more. It is a beautiful community in the mountains.
The people are friendly like Nebraska.
Give us one or two of your favorite Husker memories. They can be from any time period.
My dad and mom had 4 tickets and I would go to games with them. I can remember times when it was so cold that we wrapped our legs in plastic garbage bags to keep warm.
The game day ritual was to stop at Irv's Market on Highway 77 in downtown Fremont to pick up ham and cheese sandwiches on rye. We would take 77 to just past Ceresco, I believe, and, then turn east on a dirt road for 3 or 4 miles so we would enter Lincoln on a road that went under the interstate near the stadium.
I lived in Kansas and Utah from 1968 to 1973, moving to Lincoln in 1973 and which time I met Mike and Sue, neighbors in the apartment next to mine.
I kept in touch with Mike after moving away in 1976. If the game was on TV, we would talk before the game and at the end of each quarter.
If the game was not on TV, mike and I would still talk between quarters and, if it was a barnburner, Mike would place the radio next to the receiver so I could listen to it. Course, this was before computers. We carried out this routine for 25 plus years.
About three years ago I was back in Lincoln to visit Mike, he had MS and had been in Lancaster Manor for a few years, and he passed away while we were watching a game. Mike passed away in the first quarter, but I like to think that Mike saw the last 3 quarter and the Nebraska victory from his own skybox. I miss talking with Mike during the game. That was probably the best part of "Big Red" - the people it brought together.
Since my wife and I married on January 1st, our anniversary often included a 3 or 4 hour window which was reserved for watching the game.
We have been married 32 plus years and this Cornhusker obsession has not adversely affected our relationship.
I am old enough to consider myself a Cornhusker fan, not a Husker fan.
Feel free to add anything you like. It can be a story, an anecdote, a saying, or a simple “Go Big Red!”
I was always a Bo Pelini fan...his hiring as coach feels like a return to "family"...a restoration of the Devaney-Osborne-Solich tradition.
This year I have corn growing in my back yard . . . there are only 6 plants and they only have 5 ears, but it makes me smile. Go Big Red!Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: 50 husker fans 50 states
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2009 Aug 26
50 Husker Fans, 50 States: A Music City Husker
317 views
Our next featured Husker fan in the awesome 50 Husker Fans, 50 States series comes from the great state of Tennessee. Scott Norman, known as TheStache on the site, has a great story about falling in love with the Huskers in a short amount of time, and the hospitality of his fellow brothers and sisters in Husker family. Enjoy!
And remember – if you’d like to be a part of the series, or know someone who would, email us at sam@ne.statepaper.com. We’ll get the questions out to you. We’re getting terrific response!
Q: Tell us a little of your personal history as a Husker fan. Were you born into the Big Red Nation? Did you attend school there? Just decided to follow the program from afar? Did you grow up in Nebraska? How did you get to living where you are today?
A: I was not born into it, and did not attend the university. In 1978 I lived in Gothenburg for part of my freshman year in high school. It was here I had my first experiences watching Nebraska. Back then the only team I followed was Kentucky, because my family lives there. But in 1978, my friend invited me over to watch the NU game at his house. I spent every Saturday at his house watching every NU game I could from then on.
It amazed me that the entire town was a ghost town on game days. The passion, knowledge and sportsmanship the fans showed drew me in like a moth to a flame.
How hard, or easy, is it to follow the Huskers from where you live? Do you watch the games at home? Listen on the radio? Use the internet? Is there a “watch site” in town you like to frequent? Also: How many Husker fans are there in your area?
Currently living in Nashville I know a few Husker fans, some from Nebraska, some not. But we are a tight-knit bunch and are always surfing, reading, and finding out anything else we can about our beloved Huskers.
If the game is on in any form, I am there. There was an unofficial watch site, but none currently. If the game is on PPV, don’t call me…I won’t answer! There are actually quite a few Husker fans in Nashville. My favorite story is a guy and his wife I ran into at Publix. As they came into my aisle and he saw my hat, at the same time I saw his. We started talking and his wife exclaimed, “I will leave you two alone.” She went and finished grocery shopping and came back…we were still talking. Nebraska fans are the only fans I ever see do things like that.
How often do you get back for games? What’s the last game you’ve been to? How has the Husker experience changed over the years? Will Nebraska be playing a game in your area any time soon?
Because I have always been so far away from Lincoln, I have only made it to 1 game. The game vs. Iowa State in 2005. I had tickets 2nd row, 15 yard line and saw the entire OT played right in front of me. I love to talk so people at work were probably happy I was hoarse for 2-3 days!
No games scheduled to be played in my area anytime soon…so not sure when I will make it back, but on gamedays, like other fans, I am decked out in my jersey, hat, and waiving my Blackshirts towel at the TV…my neighbors think I am crazy; I tell them it’s passion, passion baby.
What’s the predominant college or pro team in your area? How is that fan base similar or different to Nebraska’s fan base? Hear a lot of trash talk about the Big 12, or anything like that? Give us an example of how Nebraska fans might be the same or different from some of the fans in your area.
The Tennessee Titans, which seems to be everyone’s NFL team. Oddly, though, the college fans are mixed, predominately Tennessee Vols fans, but also Bama, and Kentucky (I like UK also) fans. The Titans fans lack the passion that college fans have and the pro game is like a completely different animal.
A lot of times I have to listen to the, “SEC is the toughest conference conversations.” Even from Mississippi State fans. Vols fans for the most part seem to think that no one not wearing that weird creamsicle orange color knows anything about football. Bama fans seem for the most part pretty knowledgeable about their team…just do not mention Auburn. Kentucky fans remind me a lot of Nebraska fans, and the football team at UK is starting to actually be a decent team. But, for the most part, UK is a basketball school with a football team; like NU is a football school with a basketball team.
What’s one or two unique things about where you live? What makes it stand apart from other places?
Music City, but it’s not only country; Nashville is also the Christian music capital. It also seems like every other person plays or sings…except me, no musical talent here at all.
Give us one or two of your favorite Husker memories. They can be from any time period.
Jan 1 1995, I lived in Pompano Beach, Fl. Although I could not go to the game I was glued to the TV. Like quite a few people when Miami went up 17-7, my heart sank and I thought…I have been here before. BUT, then things changed and who better than on the strength of a local boy…TD CORY SCHLESINGER TD CORY SCHLESINGER TD CORY SCHLESINGER…that’s what I was yelling as he scored and as the final gun sounded I proceeded to run thru the apartment like a maniac yelling, screaming, and even crying as I saw TO (the REAL TO) hoisted on the players shoulders.
Sept 9, 1990. SOUTH BEND TURNS RED BABY. The shock that the TV crew had when a large portion of Notre Dame Stadium was clad in red was priceless. That was followed up by an awesome game made even better by the fact that we beat ND in South Bend. Although I wasn’t as vocal or running around like a madman as I was in the last game I mentioned, I was nonetheless ecstatic at the fact that we had beaten Notre Dame in South Bend. After all, ND is like the Yankees, you either love em or hate em…guess where I stand!
Besides Husker football, what other Husker sports do you like to follow? How do you follow them?
Wrestling and Volleyball, internet and sometimes on TV when I can.
Feel free to add anything you like. It can be a story, an anecdote, a saying, or a simple “Go Big Red!”
They say Nebraska fans are the best. I can tell you they are the friendliest. The only game I made it to, I drove from Nashville. When I parked my truck at the game, as soon as my foot hit the ground a gentleman and his friends tailgating next to me exclaimed, “TENNESSEE…u drove from TENNESSEE.” Well of course I did. Those guys treated me to steaks, seafood, and a few cold ones and made sure after the game was over that I had some food for the hotel stay later. Also, one of them gave me his e-mail address and made sure I know to e-mail him if I ever need tickets. One day I will take him up on that offer. Even though I love the South, my soul food, my fried food…THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE NEBRASKA.
Check out these great Husker fan stories, too!
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Tags: 50 husker fans 50 states
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2009 Aug 20
Ranking the Big 12 DCs
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T1. Brent Venables/Oklahoma: The Sooners might have had a down year on defense in 2008, but Venables consistently translates head coach Bob Stoops’ overall vision into on-field success. Encourages his players to take chances, and usually knows when to bring the heat. Additionally, he’s a superior linebackers coach.
T1. Bo and Carl Pelini/Nebraska: Carl has the title, but head coach Bo is still dialing up the blitzes on Saturday. More creative, and arguably more daring, than any defensive guy in the Big 12, Bo occasionally called blitzes at the wrong time in 2008, and the Huskers were burned because of it. Still – this is a braintrust that gets after the quarterback and consistently produces sacks. And Carl’s done an excellent job thus far of coaching the defensive line.
T1. Will Muschamp/Texas: There’s no question he’s fiery, and works his players into a fever pitch, as well. Muschamp gets a lot out of base sets and the work of his front four. His scheme does tend to leave cornerbacks in a bind, but they’ve seemed to hold up well over the years. He’ got a national title in his cap from his LSU days.
4. Bill Young/Oklahoma State: Young’s coached in a lot of places – including one Bo Pelini at Ohio State - and picked up his share of tricks along the way. His success has been so-so. Does anybody remember his time as Oklahoma’s defensive coordinator, in 1996 and 1997, fondly? We doubt it. He had his moments, or lack thereof, with the Buckeyes. But the guy knows his way around a scheme, and he turned around a pretty average Kansas unit.
5. Paul Rhoads and Wally Burnham/Iowa State: We like the foundation of defense first in Ames, and Rhoads, who’s spent most of the last 15 years of his career at ISU and Pittsburgh, runs a solid 4-3 Cover 2 scheme that’s helped a typically rancid offense at Pitt, and gave some respect to Iowa State. Burnham the DC who helped turn around South Florida’s program. Good minds here.
6. Joe Kines/Texas A&M: Another gentleman who’s been around, and prefers to use a slightly more exotic approach to scheme. He’ll use 3-4, 3-3-5, robbers and rovers, you name it. He worked for a stint at Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, and other locales. His first year at A&M was a disaster. He knows his stuff, but is, like Young, a bit of a gun for hire. He was also born on a train, if that kind of thing interests you.
7. Ruffin McNeill/Texas Tech: The defense remains maligned in Lubbock, but McNeill’s put a little shine on the shoes in the last 1 ½ seasons. He’ll have considerably less talent to work with this year, though.
8. Dave Steckel/Missouri: We think this is potentially a very good hire for Mizzou, as Steckel is promoted to replace the Cosgrove-like Matt Eberflus. Steckel’s style is more blunt and aggressive than his predecessor, something the Tigers need in 2009. This ranking could be higher in 2010.
9. Brian Norwood/Baylor: Good first year for the longtime Penn State coach, at least in terms of improving Baylor. Norwood favors a fairly conservative 4-3 that uses safety Jordan Lake as a eighth man against the run. If nothing else, it produced a more consistent, dependable defense in 2008, if not outstanding.
10. Chris Cosh and Vic Koenning/Kansas State: Spotty resumes for the both of these guys, coaching Maryland and Clemson, respectively. Both had defenses accused of being too soft against the run in big games, and both probably aren’t as aggressive as some of the other coordinator in the Big 12. We’ll see if they’re conservatism pays off in a wild Big 12.
11. Bill Miller and Clint Bowen/Kansas: KU’s defense was awful one year after Bill Young left, and so head Mark Mangino brought in Miller, previously the coordinator at Western Michigan, to help Bowen. Miller is known for being aggressive, putting eight men in the box to stop the run, and blitzing when called for. Still, on the basis of Bowen’s work last year, we’re not optimistic.
12. Ron Collins/Colorado: Brought over by head coach Dan Hawkins, Collins hasn’t been jaw-dropping in his time thus far. What’s more, CU’s linebackers coach, Brain Cabral, was a better DC than Collins was. This guy will be heading out the door when and if Hawkins does.
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Tags: big 12, carl pelini, bo pelini, brent venables, will muschamp
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2009 Aug 13
Mizzou Gets 'Knocked' Up
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So it's been a long day's journey into, oh, 1:25 in the morning here, and it seems like a perfect time to pop on my DVR and watch the first episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks" program.
Basically the best NFL show on TV for its combination of theater, false bravado, staged antics, canned heat and yet compelling storylines, it follows one professional team through training camp. This year it's the the WKRP Bengals, which have those gems of the Callahan era, Mo Purify and Marlon Lucky fighting for roster spots. (We kid because we love, guys).
So, while watching for them (Mo makes an appearance stuffing former Cowboys' safety Roy Williams in a toughness drill; somewhere in Lincoln, Ted Gilmore sets down his meal and wonders where that was for two years) we get another appreciable nugget regarding Missouri tight end Chase Coffman, an excellent pass-catcher who apparently needs to get a little more physical.
His position coach's words?
"They didn't have you doing any of this stuff at Missouri, but now you're gonna learn how to play man's football."
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Tags: missouri, chase coffman, hbo, nfl
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2009 Aug 07
8 Ways to Beat Fan Day Heat
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The temperatures may soar into the triple digits during Saturday’s Fan Day for the Nebraska football team at Memorial Stadium. And, if you throw high humidity on top of that, you get a risk of heat stroke. Be prepared and smart! Here’s how:
Arrive early: Get a parking spot close to the stadium so your kids aren’t walking a half-mile in the stuff afterward. This will also allow you to get in line early, too, so you’re not standing around waiting for a single autograph.
Fan Out: Bring a couple pieces of printing paper you don’t need and fashion a makeshift fan. It can help you sweat when your pores don’t want to cooperate. If you’ve got one, bring the cheap, motorized fan with spray bottle. Excellent!
Fluids, fluids, fluids: NU should have some water stations set up, but they won’t be near the autograph lines, so plan ahead. A little bit of water goes a long way.
Plan an autograph strategy: Do not have the whole family wait in the long line for Bo Pelini, which can leave fans standing for nearly all of the Fan Day time. The Bo line will involve a lot of standing and very little sweating, so know what you’re getting into. Many other lines move pretty swiftly, so assigning one person to Bo and the assistants might be the smartest play.
Take some shade: Memorial Stadium has standing areas under North and South Stadium. Use them.
Leave the Blackshirts at home: Select your scarlet or cream outfit instead.
Tip the Lid: Every so often, take off your favorite Husker cap and let your skull breathe a little. Don’t turn your scalp into the victim of a human oven.
Maybe No Baby: We know Husker fans love to bring the infants for the players and coaches to take pictures with. On a 100-degree day, just consider a babysitter or the grandparents.Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: fan day
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2009 Aug 05
Podcast 8/5: Helu Goes on Doak List
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Tags: roy helu, fan day, trivia of the day, podcasts
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2009 Aug 04
A Quick Look at the New Ribbon Boards...
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Check out this video of the new ribbon boards inside Memorial Stadium...gives you a sense of how they may work after big plays.
We'll know for sure on Sept. 5, right?
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Tags: memorial stadium
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2009 Aug 04
FANS: The Nebraskans...Who Aren't Husker Fans
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Being the best fans in college football might be a source of pride for most Nebraskans, but there are still black sheep among us.
These anomalies are hard to find in the dog days of summer when there isn’t much worth cheering for, but come fall, Husker fans will realize that not everyone in this state is like them.
Sometimes the odd ducks are just born that way. Reid Christensen, a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was born into a family of dedicated Big Red fans, but Christensen has never been interested in sports.
“The only reason I go to the game is the band,” said Christensen, a baritone player in the Cornhusker Marching Band.
Growing up, Christensen would go to his family’s Husker parties and try to slip out to do his own thing before halftime.
“I find it funny to watch sometimes,” Christensen said. “My family will get hyped up and I’ll just sit there and leave halfway through the game.”
Other black sheep migrate to Nebraska and never join the celebratory rituals.
John Spooner moved to Omaha six years ago and walked off the plane on a game day. Coming from Manhattan, N.Y., where it’s hard to stand out no matter what you’re wearing, Spooner wondered why every person had on the same color of clothes. Even the retail store employees were wearing Husker shirts instead of uniforms.
Six years later, Spooner is getting a degree from UNL in secondary education and English and he describes Nebraska football as “hard to avoid.”
“I understand why,” Spooner said. “Because you really don’t have a professional team. You hold on to what you got.”
Spooner, a Buckeye fan, gets under his Husker friends’ collective skin at watch parties.
“I’ll sort-of root against Nebraska just to be the opposition,” he said. “They get mad…especially if Nebraska is losing.
A mixed-alumni marriage can also divide families down the aisle and spawn children with no allegiance to any particular team. That’s what happened to Stan Schleifer, an administrator at UNO, when his son married a woman with a degree from Kansas State University.
Not only that, but his daughter-in-law’s brother played for the Wildcats and Schleifer said she’s “always putting purple stuff” on his grandkids.
“We have our battles,” Schleifer said of the two families.
But more often than not, he said, it’s cordial when both sides of the family get together. But they don’t watch the NU-KSU game with each other to avoid animosity. Schleifer said he takes the high road and shares his season tickets.
“I’m nice,” he said. “I usually give her tickets to the K-State game.”Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: fans, football band
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2009 Aug 03
FANS: What's Your Favorite Husker Item?
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Derek Rau got his favorite Husker item the night before the Nebraska Cornhuskers won their most recent national championship.
Rau, then 17, was in Miami for the 1998 Orange Bowl and staying at the same hotel as the NU football team. While their parents were partying in the lobby with other Husker fans, Rau and his brothers were peeking through the window of the hotel’s game room watching players like Ahman Green shoot pool when one of them motioned for the brothers to come in.
“We were just admiring the players,” said Rau, a former Marine and currently a security guard from Omaha. “They said we could come in and I was like huh-uh, no way.”
When Rau and his brothers got inside, everyone in the room came up and signed the Husker jersey Rau’s brother was wearing. That jersey would become Rau’s favorite Husker item, not just because he cared about the autographs, which he did, but also because of the story behind the signatures.
That’s the same way with most Husker fans and their favorite piece of Big Red memorabilia. The item isn’t just cherished for what it is, it’s cherished because it reminds them of the story when their favorite NU icons became real humans before their eyes.
That’s why Stan Schleifer, a administrator at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a Husker fan from Bennington, and several members of his family have a picture of a sweaty Tom Osborne with Schleifer’s son hanging from their fire place mantles.
It was 1987 and Schleifer and his son were visiting Nebraska and they went up to the practice field to watch the Huskers run through plays. Afterward, Osborne was running around the track and eventually, he stopped and walked over to Schleifer and asked if he could do anything for them.
“How about a picture with you and my son?” Schleifer asked him.
“Not too many people would have stopped,” Schleifer said more than twenty years later.
Why is the sweaty picture of the former coach so cherished?
“It wasn’t the idea of having it as much as it was the story of how we got it,” Schleifer said.
Blake Jackson, an 8-year-old from Omaha, got his favorite Husker item at the end of last year’s Virginia Tech game. He and brothers were looking at the players near the end of the game with another group of kids, all of whom were asking the players to throw them their gloves.
Jackson said his brothers weren’t saying anything, which is why, he thinks, Marlon Lucky made sure the group left with a pair of gloves. He said they saw Lucky look at them and then walk over to Lester Ward and tell him something before Ward walked over and handed the brothers his gloves.
The used gloves are now sitting on Jackson’s dresser and remind him it takes more than a loss for Husker players to avoid recognizing their fans.
So what's your favorite Husker Item? BLCleveland from Husker Locker said he has n old Nebraska T-Shirt that he cherishes, let us know what your favorite item is, and be sure to describe how you got because, more often than not, that’s the whole story.
Leave us a comment down below!
And don't forget to visit Best of Big Red for more cool gifts and great Husker items!
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Tags: fans, husker item, ahman green, tom osborne, marlon lucky, lester ward
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2009 Jul 29
FOOD: 5 Ways to Top Your Husker Hot Dog
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Tired of the same old ketchup/mustard combo on your tailgate bratwurst?
Here’s five great, unique ways to dress your Husker hot dog. Try them at this year’s opening game against Florida Atlantic – or keep them for later in the season, when it gets colder!
We’ll have more as the season goes on.
The St. Paul special: Call this one “The Dorothy” if you want. Instead of the same old pickle relish, take two tablespoons of Dorothy Lynch salad dressing, a half-cup of pickle relish, a half-cup of cut white onions, a dash of celery salt and grind up in a food processor. The resulting relish is bright, tangy and tinged with just a bit of kick from the white onions. Store it in a bag and take it to the game! You don’t need much!
The Coney Islander: If you’ve ever had the hot dogs from the Coney Island Lunch Room in Grand Island, then you know of what we speak! While we can’t duplicate that wondrous meat concoction they heap onto their steamed dogs, we can recommend an alternate version!
Take a pound of ground beef, brown it, and drain it. Then begin to experiment!
We find a half-cup of cheap tomato sauce, half cup of chopped white onions, two tablespoons of mustard, the same with ketchup, two cups of water, celery salt and a tablespoon of ground cumin gets close. Mix that together, pour into the beef, and simmer for as long as you can, until all the moisture is gone – and then some. The result should be a thick, delicious, meat-only chili. Grind it in a food processor to make it easier to scoop onto a hot dog. Note: Best when hot dog buns are warm and a little moist.
If you want to spice it up – add a tablespoon of cayenne pepper to the mixture before simmering. Does the trick.
The Husker Garden: Our own little variation of the Chicago style! Load up your beef dog with roughly chopped onions, two tomato wedges, and two slices each of farmstand green and red peppers. Instead of pickles, substitute four slices of cucumber, two stuffed into each side. Then the Nebraska touch: Instead of a celery salt and mustard, dallop just a little of your favorite ranch dressing. Not too much! Just the right amount for the desired garden taste.
Pig in a Corn Blanket: Another simple trick. When making pigs in a blanket, buy canned crescent dough for the blanket. Then take a can of corn, drain it, and embed individual kernels into the dough before wrapping it around the dog. It’s a nice touch of texture and sweetness to the overall package. Top with a little cheese, and you don’t even need any condiments on it!
Bohemian: Neat variation we had once. Our more homestyle Nebraska fans may enjoy it To the typical sauerkraut and brown mustard, add just one, key ingredient: Cook potatoes with the sauerkraut and a half-pint of German lager until they get soft. The result is a very different, and very good kind of chili. Rich and tangy. Perfect for really cold games.Permanent Link to this Blog Post
Tags: food, hot dogs, dorothy lynch
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