husker fan myth

[HuskerInLostWages]

Going with the previous 2 posters above me of course, though i'm sure Trucker is also correct as well. My wife is from OK, and our daughter is 3 years old. Until recently(and because I was sneaky), she never really wore anything of husker attire. The wife, since the daughter was born in OK while we were visiting her parents, she was to be a OU fan. I bit my tongue, and thought she'd make her own decision. Let's just say that first time she came out of her room with the husker cheerleader outfit I got her, the wife turned Husker red herself. Though I was yelled at, I told her she made her decision and she's daddy's girl, so live with it. Now every weekend she watches the game with me, she's curled up in the chair with me in her cheerleader outfit.

[I See Red People]

Going with the previous 2 posters above me of course, though i'm sure Trucker is also correct as well. My wife is from OK, and our daughter is 3 years old. Until recently(and because I was sneaky), she never really wore anything of husker attire. The wife, since the daughter was born in OK while we were visiting her parents, she was to be a OU fan. I bit my tongue, and thought she'd make her own decision. Let's just say that first time she came out of her room with the husker cheerleader outfit I got her, the wife turned Husker red herself. Though I was yelled at, I told her she made her decision and she's daddy's girl, so live with it. Now every weekend she watches the game with me, she's curled up in the chair with me in her cheerleader outfit.

 

You have a smart one there!

[HuskerTrucker]

i respectfully disagree with you Trucker.

 

I have two kids under the age of 3 and my two brothers have kids as well. None of us even live in NE anymore, but we attend games, go to Husker bars on gamedays, raise flags, etc....my son can even throw the bones!!

 

Husker fans make it important in their kids lives to watch and cheer for the team, and also explain why the tradition is important. Not just winning or being on tv, but In the Deed the Glory.

 

I would say that you and your brother are members of the order on this board. But it is not the common attitude anymore inside the state of Nebraska, let alone outside, IMHO. I hope I am wrong...but I just don't see the enthusiasm that was once there. I know we have been down the past few years, and that may have affected it some, and I know that if we get where we want to be again, we will have people jumping on the band wagon. But I don't believe that there was a need for that wagon years ago, because everyone was just part of the Huskers - lived and breathed the tradition, and would stand for it.

 

I think losing our rivalry game with OU has hurt us in this regard. OU was the common enemy (friendly enemy as they may be for the most part due to the mutual respect for each other). People looked forward to the week we played them. Now it just seems we have CU and MU being wanna be rivalries...but they haven't gotten to the stature of an OU, so it is hard for Nebraska fans to take those rivalries seriously. MU is coming along....CU is hopeless - Nebraska fans want to beat them not so much because of the team, but because of the students they have that make a mockery of sportsmanship.

[HuskerTrucker]

Going with the previous 2 posters above me of course, though i'm sure Trucker is also correct as well. My wife is from OK, and our daughter is 3 years old. Until recently(and because I was sneaky), she never really wore anything of husker attire. The wife, since the daughter was born in OK while we were visiting her parents, she was to be a OU fan. I bit my tongue, and thought she'd make her own decision. Let's just say that first time she came out of her room with the husker cheerleader outfit I got her, the wife turned Husker red herself. Though I was yelled at, I told her she made her decision and she's daddy's girl, so live with it. Now every weekend she watches the game with me, she's curled up in the chair with me in her cheerleader outfit.

All three of my daughers live in Missouri...wear their Husker attire proudly...damn, I'm a good Daddy!!

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

i respectfully disagree with you Trucker.

 

I have two kids under the age of 3 and my two brothers have kids as well. None of us even live in NE anymore, but we attend games, go to Husker bars on gamedays, raise flags, etc....my son can even throw the bones!!

 

Husker fans make it important in their kids lives to watch and cheer for the team, and also explain why the tradition is important. Not just winning or being on tv, but In the Deed the Glory.

 

As my Dad likes to say "That's some good home schooling"

[Cy the Cyclone]

My 12 year old has told me time after time that he would rather play for Nebraska than for his father's beloved Iowa State...because, in his words: "Iowa State is really sucky...."

 

Then I make him clean dog poop out of the back yard....and we have two Saint Bernards.

 

We watch the Husker games on TV together whenever I'm not working...and whenever they are on (which, in central Iowa is damn little) and I try to get him up to ISU for the NU/ISU home games each year with his sister...who could care less about football but likes to scope out the guys.

 

We're carrying on the father to son tradition over here....

[Guy Chamberlin]

I don't think it's a slam on Nebraska fans at all. Sports teams are all about regional identity, and Nebraska football has the market pretty much to itself. When I was a kid, we all picked our favorite NFL, NBA and MLB teams and it rarely had to do with proximity. I liked the Baltimore Colts. My brother was a Packers fan. My best friend was loyal to the Bears. We all thought the LA Rams had cool helmets.

 

But your #1 loyalty was to Husker Football. And it stayed with most of us when we moved out of state and into cities with a plethora of sports and cultural offerings.

 

Probably because Nebraska football had been extremely successful our entire lives. And that makes you feel good about your local sports identity.

[NebHusker72]

I for one knew nothing about NU football and my family wasn't real big on college athletics at the time. So growing up in SW Kansas....i had few choices. My first memory is NU/OU in 83. While watching the game, i paid attention to the sidelines, players, behavior, attitude and especially the coaches.

 

From that day on, I have bled Scarlet. I hated Switzer and the behavior of the Sooners. And since Kansas didn't have football back then, sorry KS people but both schools sucked severely, there was no reason to root for KU or KSUcks and if you know anything about W. KS, we all hate the state of Colorado for various reasons.....so NU it was.

 

I was lucky enough to live in Omaha for about 4 years during the middle '90's, what better time right!!!

 

I now have a 21-month old who pumps his fists whenever football is on the screen....it won't be long before he only does this for NU. I'm teaching to throw the bones and say GBR. He is dressed in Husker clothing every Sat. even if we are not playing and was taken out of the Okie hospital in Husker gear the day after he was born....in late January when football was already over.

 

Next, we learn what it means to be a Husker and recite "In the Deed"! The next generation of Husker fans are everywhere and I got one for Husker Nation right here behind enemy lines!!!!

 

GBR!!!

[zE bOp]

I have never got this one... how many times have you heard it said that we are only loyal fans because we dont have any pro teams? its the craziest thing I have ever heard. I guess they think we just sit around the house on sundays.... or during the summer. I was at the Chiefs game this weekend and I cant tell you how many Nebraska hats/coats/shirts I saw. I guess people think since KC is out of state we cant like their teams. I guess they dont realize that the vast majority of the states population is less than 3 hours from arrowhead/koffman. I guess they dont get the fact that you dont even have to be that close to be a fan. I am a rabid NY mets fan... but I have only seen a handful of games live. but i am still a die hard.

 

it just seems like such a poor attempt to try to water down something that is really special

 

 

I don't disagree with you on the point that there is something special about the fan base of NU. I will have to disagree with you somewhat on the pro team statement though. I grew up out there in SW Iowa, just an hour East of Omaha, and I remember the emphasis being much heavier on the college sports. I now live in the NY/NJ area and there are 9 professional sports teams within an hour diameter: 2 Pro Football, 2 Baseball, 2 Basketball, and 3 Hockey teams. The emphasis out here is absolutely on the Pro teams. There are good college teams within striking distance, Penn State, Rutgers, and Syracuse for starters (ok maybe not Syracuse lately, but they have been a primier program for most of their history). I think it is because of the over saturation of pro teams that this area is so focused on them. People only have so much time and money to devote to the following of their teams. I understand the Chiefs and Royals are right down the road, but it isn't the same. I think if you look at it in this light, you have to agree the lack of pro teams helps contribute to the dynamic somewhat. I mean seriously, all you see out in NE and most of Western IA are NU plates, bumper stickers, paraphernalia. You know I miss all of that........

Totally correct! In MA, it's the BoSox, Pats, Celtics and Bruins. On the western front you rub up against Yankmee, Mets, Giants, Jets, and Knicks fans all over the place. TMA peeps don't even know that BC has a football team, except if you are right in Boston. They all know something about Big Red fb though, that is, they have at least heard about the team and know that it's a program of greatness.

 

I can see why it's all pro out here though, if I had grown up around here I would be the same way....

 

p.s. 2 caveman: go to the Irish Rogue in NYC 4 GBR games, thru the NSNY Society. I been going, it's a blast, right near Times Square. Will be there for the Puff game. Muchos fines babes there too!

[zE bOp]

MY pro team:DA BEARZSS!

[zE bOp]

Sad to say, but we may see societies evolution ruin some of the tradition for Nebraska. Used to be "back in the day" that parents celebrated the Huskers with their children - you don't see that so much anymore. There is too much other stuff going on in people's lives now days. TV has evolved to where we can get 100's of channels, unlike when I was young, we got two channels - Lincoln and Grand Island, both showing the same network feed.

 

When I was a child, no matter what you were doing on Saturday afternoon it came to a stop, and the radio came on to listen to the Nebraska game. We lived and died with the Huskers. We and a few other elite programs around the country have become aging dinosours, waiting for our time to end unless there is a thawing of the ice age and people begin to actively talk about and promote the traditions and share that experience with their children.

 

There will always be a few die hards, like some of us on this board, but more and more we are becoming a closed society amongst ourselves. We can stand around patting each other on the back, talking about how great we are as fans, or we can take an active role - sharing our experiences and joys of being Huskers with those that don't know. Unless we do that, we will just become like other fans around the country - looking like band wagon fans, showing up when our team is hot, and ignoring them when they disappoint us in our expectations.

 

So, we can talk about being good fans - or we can be good fans, and go out and spread the news. That is what will make us truly good fans.

 

Yep, agree 100%. THAT was my experience as a kid. I was ALL Big Red, I didn't know ANY serious Chiefs fans. Big Red just has to create a new tradition of winning for the younger folks to get 'imprinted' with. Winning breeds crazy like enthusiasm and BR fb is still pretty much the only show in town out there.

 

What bothers me most with the youth of today is that alot of them are into SOCCER!!!!! OMG, what a waste of affiliation and loyalty!

[caveman99]

I have never got this one... how many times have you heard it said that we are only loyal fans because we dont have any pro teams? its the craziest thing I have ever heard. I guess they think we just sit around the house on sundays.... or during the summer. I was at the Chiefs game this weekend and I cant tell you how many Nebraska hats/coats/shirts I saw. I guess people think since KC is out of state we cant like their teams. I guess they dont realize that the vast majority of the states population is less than 3 hours from arrowhead/koffman. I guess they dont get the fact that you dont even have to be that close to be a fan. I am a rabid NY mets fan... but I have only seen a handful of games live. but i am still a die hard.

 

it just seems like such a poor attempt to try to water down something that is really special

 

 

I don't disagree with you on the point that there is something special about the fan base of NU. I will have to disagree with you somewhat on the pro team statement though. I grew up out there in SW Iowa, just an hour East of Omaha, and I remember the emphasis being much heavier on the college sports. I now live in the NY/NJ area and there are 9 professional sports teams within an hour diameter: 2 Pro Football, 2 Baseball, 2 Basketball, and 3 Hockey teams. The emphasis out here is absolutely on the Pro teams. There are good college teams within striking distance, Penn State, Rutgers, and Syracuse for starters (ok maybe not Syracuse lately, but they have been a primier program for most of their history). I think it is because of the over saturation of pro teams that this area is so focused on them. People only have so much time and money to devote to the following of their teams. I understand the Chiefs and Royals are right down the road, but it isn't the same. I think if you look at it in this light, you have to agree the lack of pro teams helps contribute to the dynamic somewhat. I mean seriously, all you see out in NE and most of Western IA are NU plates, bumper stickers, paraphernalia. You know I miss all of that........

Totally correct! In MA, it's the BoSox, Pats, Celtics and Bruins. On the western front you rub up against Yankmee, Mets, Giants, Jets, and Knicks fans all over the place. TMA peeps don't even know that BC has a football team, except if you are right in Boston. They all know something about Big Red fb though, that is, they have at least heard about the team and know that it's a program of greatness.

 

I can see why it's all pro out here though, if I had grown up around here I would be the same way....

 

p.s. 2 caveman: go to the Irish Rogue in NYC 4 GBR games, thru the NSNY Society. I been going, it's a blast, right near Times Square. Will be there for the Puff game. Muchos fines babes there too!

 

I have been definately thinking about doing that. It is tough some times with two little ones to get some time to do it. For this game though, I think I will definately get a house pass!!

[zE bOp]

I have never got this one... how many times have you heard it said that we are only loyal fans because we dont have any pro teams? its the craziest thing I have ever heard. I guess they think we just sit around the house on sundays.... or during the summer. I was at the Chiefs game this weekend and I cant tell you how many Nebraska hats/coats/shirts I saw. I guess people think since KC is out of state we cant like their teams. I guess they dont realize that the vast majority of the states population is less than 3 hours from arrowhead/koffman. I guess they dont get the fact that you dont even have to be that close to be a fan. I am a rabid NY mets fan... but I have only seen a handful of games live. but i am still a die hard.

 

it just seems like such a poor attempt to try to water down something that is really special

 

 

I don't disagree with you on the point that there is something special about the fan base of NU. I will have to disagree with you somewhat on the pro team statement though. I grew up out there in SW Iowa, just an hour East of Omaha, and I remember the emphasis being much heavier on the college sports. I now live in the NY/NJ area and there are 9 professional sports teams within an hour diameter: 2 Pro Football, 2 Baseball, 2 Basketball, and 3 Hockey teams. The emphasis out here is absolutely on the Pro teams. There are good college teams within striking distance, Penn State, Rutgers, and Syracuse for starters (ok maybe not Syracuse lately, but they have been a primier program for most of their history). I think it is because of the over saturation of pro teams that this area is so focused on them. People only have so much time and money to devote to the following of their teams. I understand the Chiefs and Royals are right down the road, but it isn't the same. I think if you look at it in this light, you have to agree the lack of pro teams helps contribute to the dynamic somewhat. I mean seriously, all you see out in NE and most of Western IA are NU plates, bumper stickers, paraphernalia. You know I miss all of that........

Totally correct! In MA, it's the BoSox, Pats, Celtics and Bruins. On the western front you rub up against Yankmee, Mets, Giants, Jets, and Knicks fans all over the place. TMA peeps don't even know that BC has a football team, except if you are right in Boston. They all know something about Big Red fb though, that is, they have at least heard about the team and know that it's a program of greatness.

 

I can see why it's all pro out here though, if I had grown up around here I would be the same way....

 

p.s. 2 caveman: go to the Irish Rogue in NYC 4 GBR games, thru the NSNY Society. I been going, it's a blast, right near Times Square. Will be there for the Puff game. Muchos fines babes there too!

 

I have been definately thinking about doing that. It is tough some times with two little ones to get some time to do it. For this game though, I think I will definately get a house pass!!

DO! I just have a BLAST there! Lotsa BR fans which makes it feel like home. I'll pm you a contact number or you can look up NSNY.com and get their hotline #, etc. Hope to see you there?