I grew up in Nebraska. My dad and my gradpas were big fans, and I was too when I was really little. As I grew up I wasn’t into sports, and I didn’t pay attention. I remember in January of ’94, it must’ve been, I was working as a telemarketer around the time of the NC game and someone on the phone asked me where I was. I said, “Nebraska” and the reply was “oh man, you guys got ripped off!”
The next year I was living abroad as an exchange student. I had a teacher who was from Nebraska, but hadn’t been home in like 20 years. I was kept informed about what was going on with Tommie and Brook until I started following the team myself as much as I could. It was exciting, we were winning every week and it was a connection to home. When we finally played for the NC that year it was broadcast live on armed forces radio and I listened intently to a game for the first time. I was so hooked after we won that it wasn’t even funny. In the middle of the night I happened to turn on the TV and found the game being broadcast, and I watched what was left of it, getting to see the plays for the first time. I haven’t missed a game since.