I have heard how serious this rivalry is seemingly forever. It was hard to imagine the hatred that attends the hyperbole I have seen online. I always figured, "Well, just the worst fans, anonymous, from each team, spouting utter nonsense and putrid insults at one another." No big deal, move on and proceed with life.
Two weeks ago, I discovered that it is every bit as, err, "spirited", as it seems to an outsider.
I was camping down near the Everglades here in Florida. Our cabins all had satellite TV . . . which was not hooked up.
So, when game day for NU against Michigan arrived, I went into the nearest small suburban area and found a sports bar. They had all the major games and assured me the food was good, and that the NU game would be on. In fact, they tuned the biggest screen at the bar to that channel. I suggested other people might want to see some SEC games or ACC games on the largest screen in the place. He said, "No worries. They like to gather in small groups at smaller screens. They all know each other and like to chill together."
I sat on a barstool next to a lanky blonde man who was mumbling under his breath, a constant stream of barely audible syllables. After ten minutes I realized he was glued to the Iowa State game. I introduced myself and told him I was from Nebraska, originally. We chatted for a bit. He is a scientist fighting root disease in citrus crops here in Florida. Nice fellow. His team lost. He mumbled his way out of the bar, and I settled in for the Nebraska/Michigan game.
I don't recall how exactly it occurred, but I was cheering on a good play when I realized the bar was probably 60% full now, with over half of them also watching the Nebraska/Michigan game. And cheering for Nebraska. I saw TONS of red. Everywhere. I introduced myself to a few. There must have been 20-25 that were in this group that seemingly appeared from nowhere.
After a few more cheers, I started to inquire among them. "You from Nebraska?" A cute blonde lady answered first, "No. Ohio." She turned so I could see the rest of her red shirt and it had a giant OSU logo on it. I looked more closely at everyone around me. Of the 25 or so, about 20 were wearing OSU gear. The rest were Husker fans.
As halftime neared, I spoke a little more to some of them. It turned out that only 3 people actually knew each other and they all lived nearby. The rest came to root "AGAINST" Michigan. Just because they WERE Michigan. OSU was in bye week, I believe, but all these OSU fans turned out to cheer on Nebraska to beat OSU's hated rival. In chatting further, I discovered that two were OTR truckers, another was a lady who was in the middle of a drive from the Florida Keys to Atlanta for business. Others were travelers just passing through.
None of this, aside from the three locals, was planned, as near as I could tell. No one else made great efforts at finding out much about each other. Maybe some met through some message board or forum, or set it up that way. I have no idea. But it was amazing to sit in a small crowd like that and all cheer for Nebraska to win. Or Michigan to lose, I guess, for the OSU fans. Some of them knew very little about Nebraska. One even asked me if we had come to the B1G from the Big EAST.
But they all turned out in hopes of watching Michigan LOSE. No other reason that I could see. I spoke with the blonde again and she explained, "I have no clue whether Michigan losing helps The Buckeyes. I just like to watch Michigan lose."
That pretty much covers it. It was a great time!
Two weeks ago, I discovered that it is every bit as, err, "spirited", as it seems to an outsider.
I was camping down near the Everglades here in Florida. Our cabins all had satellite TV . . . which was not hooked up.
So, when game day for NU against Michigan arrived, I went into the nearest small suburban area and found a sports bar. They had all the major games and assured me the food was good, and that the NU game would be on. In fact, they tuned the biggest screen at the bar to that channel. I suggested other people might want to see some SEC games or ACC games on the largest screen in the place. He said, "No worries. They like to gather in small groups at smaller screens. They all know each other and like to chill together."
I sat on a barstool next to a lanky blonde man who was mumbling under his breath, a constant stream of barely audible syllables. After ten minutes I realized he was glued to the Iowa State game. I introduced myself and told him I was from Nebraska, originally. We chatted for a bit. He is a scientist fighting root disease in citrus crops here in Florida. Nice fellow. His team lost. He mumbled his way out of the bar, and I settled in for the Nebraska/Michigan game.
I don't recall how exactly it occurred, but I was cheering on a good play when I realized the bar was probably 60% full now, with over half of them also watching the Nebraska/Michigan game. And cheering for Nebraska. I saw TONS of red. Everywhere. I introduced myself to a few. There must have been 20-25 that were in this group that seemingly appeared from nowhere.
After a few more cheers, I started to inquire among them. "You from Nebraska?" A cute blonde lady answered first, "No. Ohio." She turned so I could see the rest of her red shirt and it had a giant OSU logo on it. I looked more closely at everyone around me. Of the 25 or so, about 20 were wearing OSU gear. The rest were Husker fans.
As halftime neared, I spoke a little more to some of them. It turned out that only 3 people actually knew each other and they all lived nearby. The rest came to root "AGAINST" Michigan. Just because they WERE Michigan. OSU was in bye week, I believe, but all these OSU fans turned out to cheer on Nebraska to beat OSU's hated rival. In chatting further, I discovered that two were OTR truckers, another was a lady who was in the middle of a drive from the Florida Keys to Atlanta for business. Others were travelers just passing through.
None of this, aside from the three locals, was planned, as near as I could tell. No one else made great efforts at finding out much about each other. Maybe some met through some message board or forum, or set it up that way. I have no idea. But it was amazing to sit in a small crowd like that and all cheer for Nebraska to win. Or Michigan to lose, I guess, for the OSU fans. Some of them knew very little about Nebraska. One even asked me if we had come to the B1G from the Big EAST.
But they all turned out in hopes of watching Michigan LOSE. No other reason that I could see. I spoke with the blonde again and she explained, "I have no clue whether Michigan losing helps The Buckeyes. I just like to watch Michigan lose."
That pretty much covers it. It was a great time!
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