Why am I a Husker fan?

[get huskin!]

Genetics....My Dad was a passionate husker fan thru the 50's on...  It was just part of fall Saturdays as long as I can remember!  GOBIGRED!

 

[Stone Cold]

Living in iowa i guess my family were diehard hawkeye fans but i was to young to understand.  When one year my mom remaired and my step dad was from Grand Island.  That was 1985...went to my step grandparents house over the  years and wondered what the yelling was all about at the tvs during football games.  We all had cornhusker gear at some time or another but i specifically remembering my brother getting a huricanes coat on year.  Around highschool i kinda fell off even though those were right after the National Champ years.  I still followed but  never really watched...then i meet my wife.  She was a great girl and wanted me to meet her parents after a few dates so i agreed.  Over there house on a sunday just sitting around and talking when it came up about college football.  Low and behold her family were diehard cyclone fans and he promptly asked me what team i root for.  Well i just simply said i was a nebraska fan to which he replied...........GET OUT.  He was kidding of course but it was at that moment 15 years ago that i became a fan again.  I have loved nebraska football and i have loved what it stood for because i know that the people of nebraska are hard working blue collar people.  I remember reading about the pillars on the stadium and how much that reminded me on how i look at my life.  It was during the time after the championships while watching football with my father in law that rekindled on what it ment to be apart of something bigger than myself.   We would watch the games together on saturdays, he even took me to my first College football game in ames.  Nebraska Vs Ia State in which Ia State promptly beat us and i was made fun of the whole way back to the car.  We would talk about college ball all the time, what was going on what prospects looked good he truly brought the passion for college football back to me.  Sadly he passed away from cancer two years ago.  It breaks my heart that he didnt get to see the cyclones do what there doing this year.  I root for them on saturdays in  his honor.  I mostly miss just having some one to banter with about college ball with, I wonder how he would think about our coaching changes.  He would call me sometimes during a nebraska game and my mother in law said he would sometimes even watch them play switching back and forth from ISU to Nebrask.  And you can bet me and my daughters were rooting our butts off last saturday in his honor.  I took my wife and kids to the nebraska spring game this year in which they were in awe of the stadium and the chants.  I had to explain to them the go big red chant, the tunnel walk, the baloons, they just loved it.  Its times like this as i write this that i get mad that i get so wrapped up in winning when sometimes the experience is special enough.  My kids didnt care who won that game, they were with there dad and mom in this larger than life place full of red and people cheering and clapping.  Thats what it means and im sorry i forget that sometimes.

[4skers89]

1 hour ago, jsneb83 said:

Because I'm a glutton for punishment.

 

Or because I've live in Nebraska my whole life, my whole family are Husker fans, and I went to UNL.

 

It's one or the other

Same for me. 

[NoLongerN]

I lived in Omaha from 1964-1976, up to the age of 12.  Grew up wearing that  on my shirt and helmet and either watched the Huskers on TV or the radio via Lyell Bremser.  Thanksgiving was always special playing OU.  

Sadly, my boys are 24, 22 and 18.  None of them are Husker fans.  You know why?  Ya, they don't associate winning with  !  

[ladyhawke]

12 minutes ago, MacNCheeze said:

Living in iowa i guess my family were diehard hawkeye fans but i was to young to understand.  When one year my mom remaired and my step dad was from Grand Island.  That was 1985...went to my step grandparents house over the  years and wondered what the yelling was all about at the tvs during football games.  We all had cornhusker gear at some time or another but i specifically remembering my brother getting a huricanes coat on year.  Around highschool i kinda fell off even though those were right after the National Champ years.  I still followed but  never really watched...then i meet my wife.  She was a great girl and wanted me to meet her parents after a few dates so i agreed.  Over there house on a sunday just sitting around and talking when it came up about college football.  Low and behold her family were diehard cyclone fans and he promptly asked me what team i root for.  Well i just simply said i was a nebraska fan to which he replied...........GET OUT.  He was kidding of course but it was at that moment 15 years ago that i became a fan again.  I have loved nebraska football and i have loved what it stood for because i know that the people of nebraska are hard working blue collar people.  I remember reading about the pillars on the stadium and how much that reminded me on how i look at my life.  It was during the time after the championships while watching football with my father in law that rekindled on what it ment to be apart of something bigger than myself.   We would watch the games together on saturdays, he even took me to my first College football game in ames.  Nebraska Vs Ia State in which Ia State promptly beat us and i was made fun of the whole way back to the car.  We would talk about college ball all the time, what was going on what prospects looked good he truly brought the passion for college football back to me.  Sadly he passed away from cancer two years ago.  It breaks my heart that he didnt get to see the cyclones do what there doing this year.  I root for them on saturdays in  his honor.  I mostly miss just having some one to banter with about college ball with, I wonder how he would think about our coaching changes.  He would call me sometimes during a nebraska game and my mother in law said he would sometimes even watch them play switching back and forth from ISU to Nebrask.  And you can bet me and my daughters were rooting our butts off last saturday in his honor.  I took my wife and kids to the nebraska spring game this year in which they were in awe of the stadium and the chants.  I had to explain to them the go big red chant, the tunnel walk, the baloons, they just loved it.  Its times like this as i write this that i get mad that i get so wrapped up in winning when sometimes the experience is special enough.  My kids didnt care who won that game, they were with there dad and mom in this larger than life place full of red and people cheering and clapping.  Thats what it means and im sorry i forget that sometimes.

I'm sorry for your loss. My stepdad passed away last year and my Dad this year. Besides my husband they were my outlets for talking about the Huskers. Miss them. 

[timmytbro]

I am a husker fan because I was born in 1990, my mom and dad went to UNL law school, and my grandparents had season tickets. 

 

From 5 to 12 years old I watched option quarterbacks and I backs completely impose their will on defenses. I saw a Blackshirt defense with names like Kyle Vanden Bosch and Carlos Polk destroy people. I certainly didn't sign up to be a fan of the crap show that has been going on since November 29, 2003.

[southernoregonhusker]

I started getting into sports in the early 80's.  I found myself rooting for the Huskers in the 1982 Orange  Bowl and continued rooting for the Big Red.  

[Ric Flair]

I was born in Omaha and had a few red t-shirts. So I figured...whatever.

[FearAmeer]

I am 18 years old so I'd consider myself to be a younger fan who didn't experience the glory. I became a Husker fan because I was born in Omaha and my dad and mom are huge fans. I one day got drawn into football while playing it in recess in the 4th grade (while i lived in Florida after moving) and decided to start watching the Huskers. Ever since I've been a huge fan but it's damn frustrating listening to the memories of the glory days that I never got to experience and don't see an ounce of those days left in today's huskers.

[FearAmeer]

1 hour ago, FearAmeer said:

I am 18 years old so I'd consider myself to be a younger fan who didn't experience the glory. I became a Husker fan because I was born in Omaha and my dad and mom are huge fans. I one day got drawn into football while playing it in recess in the 4th grade (while i lived in Florida after moving) and decided to start watching the Huskers. Ever since I've been a huge fan but it's damn frustrating listening to the memories of the glory days that I never got to experience and don't see an ounce of those days left in today's huskers.

Btw while living in Florida I also grew a huge hatred toward Florida Gators and FSU Seminoles and always talked "friendly trash" to fans of those teams at my school/church. Everyone knew I was a big nebraska fan at my church haha. So yeah if scott frost ends up with the Gators I dont know how I'll feel. Probably in so much pain my body will go full numb. I already know if I read "Scott Frost to Florida as new HC" I'll have the biggest adrenaline rush of anger and sadness I've ever experienced. 

[Red_Payne]

I'm a fan because my father is a fan, and is from the state of Nebraska. I spent most of my summers as a child in Nebraska, and can remember watching many Neb. games throughout my childhood. I was just a child, during the glory daze; but I, at the very least got to witness it; even if I wasn't comprehending what was going on. I didn't start understanding the game and truly start becoming a fan until the Eric Crouch days. I've been a dedicated fan since. Fell in love with the team during the '09 season through the Martinez days.

[Big Red 40]

I grew up in Fremont in the 70s . Every game day Saturday,  the neighborhood was alive with the sounds of Husker football . We all played catch, or pickup games, and dreamed  of one day playing for the Huskers  . Our fathers all listened to their transistor radios and cheered,  or griped depending on the game . The goal was always to to win  our games against lesser teams (we usually did ),  beat the stinking Sooners, win the big 8 , and make it to the Orange bowl . When we didn’t accomplish those goals there was much complaining that Osborne couldn’t win the big game, but we were always on the verge,  and we always had hope that next year would be the year . We usually finished top ten no matter what . That hope has been dashed many times over the years,  but I don’t think ever as much as this year  . I want changes made to restore my faith that my Huskers will be in the mix again, every year. I’ll always watch and cheer though Saturday’s in fall just wouldnt be the same without it . 

Edited November 1, 2017 by Big Red 40

[CheeseHusker]

Dad was an Air Force brat and ended up at Offutt, went to Bellevue (now East). Mom was born in Iowa but lived on the east coast during childhood; she moved to Lincoln in junior high when her step-dad took a professor job at UNL. They met as UNL as freshmen and were there during the first championship years.

 

I was born in Lincoln and while I didn't live there all that long, I was there long enough to go to my first games as a grade schooler... this was the era of Turner Gill and Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar so it was pretty damn special. I can't think of a better time to have come into my own childhood.

 

Although I spent all my teen and early adult years in Wisconsin, I never lost the passion, especially since I had enough close extended family on both sides that I went back multiple times a year. I started going to games on those trips, whether they be Thanksgiving trips or otherwise. My college years lined up with the Osborne dynasty and I actually gave UNL a shot for three semesters, but it didn't really work out. It was nice to have 1995 season tickets though and see guys like Ahman Green in the dorms.

 

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that this year has just about been my lowest ebb as a fan....  I've missed significant portions of games this year due to conflicts and have been strangely unaffected a lot of the time.

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by CheeseHusker

[huskered17]

I started going to Husker games in the 4th grade, with my best friend. Had to endure the last two years of Bill Jennings. Lucky to have been there to see the start of the 40 year run of excellence. Our seats were always in the knot hole section, but once the games got going, we were down there among the players, yelling our heads off. Remember running down the sidelines yelling somebody tackle him, during the Air Force game we lost, when everyone thought that a whistle had blown. Remember watching the town turn red and all the stores with the radios tuned into the games. Seeing the over pass on Ost turn into a one way, to get the traffic in. I never met anyone who wasn't a Neb fan in Lincoln as a kid. When we couldn't get into the games,  we just had a bunch of us around the radio. My friends and I have taken the good with the bad through the years, but wouldn't trade those years for anything.

 

GO BIG RED !!!

[TGHusker]

I wanted to add.  Living in Tulsa since 1979, I was glad to find out that there was an Okla Cornhusker Club that met to watch games.  We all yelled and high five when things are going good and cry and moan when things don't go as well - too much of that this past 15 years.  We've had as many as 260 or so at a watch party in Tulsa that I recall (before watch parties were developed in OKC and Bartlesville).  We all stood up and applauded and yell when at N Dame in 2000 or 2001 - the TV came on to a sea of RED in the Norte Dame stadium.

We all knew OU stats and players about as well as OU fans did.  I once won a radio contest on OU trivia. When the radio guy found out I was a NU fan he publicly shamed the OU fans for not knowing what I knew.  We then discussed the great rivalry games during the Big 8 years.