Honestly, what are these people smoking?

[HuskersGJ]

sorry to ask a moronic question...but....

 

I never understood the "Bugeater" name

How in the world did we get that one?

 

I mean, every other team's nickname seems to make sense...but Bugeater?

The Nebraska football teams of the 1890's were called the Bugeaters in honor of the insect eating bullbat, a wide mouthed nocturnal bird which fed off the grasshoppers infesting the Nebraska plains. Seriously.

 

Post Script: During the early years of the program, the team had a number of nicknames: "Bugeaters", "Tree Planters", "The Rattlesnake Boys", "Antelopes" and "Old Gold Knights"; "Cornhuskers" became the sole nickname used around 1900.

continuing the thread hijack

I've read different versions of exactly what Bugeaters referred to. sometimes its the bat/bird thing and sometimes its a reference to rough life of the plains. maybe it was a bit of both?

 

here's a detailed version (probably one of many) of the latter according to Mike Babcock:

The name had been applied to Nebraskans, in general, by an Eastern newspaper reporter who had been sent to Nebraska to write about the effects of a drought during the 1870s on the state's inhabitants. The reporter concluded, perhaps derisively, that because bugs had eaten a significant percentage of the crops on Nebraska's farms, there was little for the people to eat but the bugs. Though somewhat an exaggeration, the nickname did reflect the rugged persistence and will to survive that characterized the heary Nebraskans.

 

Bugeaters was one of the more popular names used at the turn of the century but Lincoln reporter/editor Cy Sherman ("Father of the 'Cornhuskers'") felt that the name was inappropriate (can't imagine why) and started using "Cornhuskers" in game recaps starting in 1899. long story short (too late ) that name became popular on campus by 1900 and was also pushed by the student paper.... the rest is history.

 

I feel so uncool right now!!! Seriously I have a bugeater sweatshirt and I love the damn thing!!!!

wear it with pride, man. its part Nebraska Football history. personally i think those shirts are funny! though i still wouldn't want our beloved Huskers to be known as the Bugeaters!

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Man I just feel like I sat through history 101!!!!

[HuskerJosh82]

before we were the corn huskers we were the buggeaters. Its a nickname that came from the olden days...has to do with the drought I believe........

 

 

I use to have a hat that had the Buggeaters on it. Everyone asked me who the bugeaters where? I said, " you mean the buggeaters?" They say "yeah." I said, " dont worry about it."

[ttheKid1*18]

sorry to ask a moronic question...but....

 

I never understood the "Bugeater" name

How in the world did we get that one?

 

I mean, every other team's nickname seems to make sense...but Bugeater?

The Nebraska football teams of the 1890's were called the Bugeaters in honor of the insect eating bullbat, a wide mouthed nocturnal bird which fed off the grasshoppers infesting the Nebraska plains. Seriously.

 

Post Script: During the early years of the program, the team had a number of nicknames: "Bugeaters", "Tree Planters", "The Rattlesnake Boys", "Antelopes" and "Old Gold Knights"; "Cornhuskers" became the sole nickname used around 1900.

continuing the thread hijack

I've read different versions of exactly what Bugeaters referred to. sometimes its the bat/bird thing and sometimes its a reference to rough life of the plains. maybe it was a bit of both?

 

here's a detailed version (probably one of many) of the latter according to Mike Babcock:

The name had been applied to Nebraskans, in general, by an Eastern newspaper reporter who had been sent to Nebraska to write about the effects of a drought during the 1870s on the state's inhabitants. The reporter concluded, perhaps derisively, that because bugs had eaten a significant percentage of the crops on Nebraska's farms, there was little for the people to eat but the bugs. Though somewhat an exaggeration, the nickname did reflect the rugged persistence and will to survive that characterized the heary Nebraskans.

 

Bugeaters was one of the more popular names used at the turn of the century but Lincoln reporter/editor Cy Sherman ("Father of the 'Cornhuskers'") felt that the name was inappropriate (can't imagine why) and started using "Cornhuskers" in game recaps starting in 1899. long story short (too late ) that name became popular on campus by 1900 and was also pushed by the student paper.... the rest is history.

 

I feel so uncool right now!!! Seriously I have a bugeater sweatshirt and I love the damn thing!!!!

wear it with pride, man. its part Nebraska Football history. personally i think those shirts are funny! though i still wouldn't want our beloved Huskers to be known as the Bugeaters!

I think it's funny that a reporter started calling them one thing, so everyone else did. Maybe I'll be a writer for Miami, and some day they can be the Thugs

[BIGREDIOWAN]

I'm going to start using that mentality with people when they ask me what are the Bugeaters!!!! I'm going to tell them we arent' accepting applications at this time............

[hskrdedhed]

I dont think Buff fans know too much about football. Growing pot , yes. Burning couches and overturning cars , yes. Raping drunk girls at parties , yes. Football , NO!