Nebraska Football vs. Disney World

[jawtin]

I consider myself a lucky person after this past weekend and feel the need to tell my story. I am a 33 year old male living in Jamestown, ND and was born and raised in Lincoln. I moved from Lincoln to Jamestown with my wife and son in '04. When I grew up I went to several games, the first vs Wyoming in '83. My dad would get me in the games while he worked with the Maintenance Department for the University as he did various duties before, during and after the games.

 

My wife, son and I go home to Lincoln every Thanksgiving and this year I decided my son was old enough (seven) to go to a game and turn his blood to Scarlet Red instead of blood red. We went to Husker Nation before the game and waited in line to get in the stadium to give plenty of time, once inside, for his new experience.

 

Here is the first of many memorable quotes and conversations: We were on the fence watching them practice and kid says: "Hey dad, do they play in the rain?" Dad replies, "Yes, they play in any weather: rain, cold, snow and in rainy cold windy snowy storms. Kid asks, "How the heck to they play in snow boots?"

 

Later we find our seats in the 55th row of the north east stadium. The band starts playing its pregame music. The crowd is clapping in unison to Hail Varsity...he's got this down pat without any direction from me...clap clap clap. Go Big Red comes next. "What are they saying?", kid asks. "GO BIG RED", dad yells. Good to go.

 

During the course of the game it was Football 101. He has played one season of flag football this past fall, but he's still learning most of the game.

 

I showed him the scoreboard and what the numbers mean....he was able to pick out the score at any time and could tell who was leading, which in this game he was able to see either team take and give the lead away quite often.

 

Another quote: "So they have one more period than hockey" "Yes, well, kind of".

 

In the first 4 minutes kid asks "Why is it so quiet, aren't we supposed to be cheering". Dad says, "Yes, but see the scoreboard?" Kid says, "Opps".

 

During the game Helu would break one for 25 yards or Ganz would hook up with Swift and the crowd would roar and cheer...Kid would ask "Did we get a point?!". "No....we need to get it to the end zone or kick a field goal." "What's a field goal?" "It is, well...I'll show you one when it happens".

 

One fun thing that a seven year old does during TV timeouts is to watch the big screen and find Lil' Red in the stadium when he's shown on the big screen.

 

We have some popcorn and a pop at half time and its back to Football 101. The game goes back and forth and we're driving with less than 4 minutes left. Helu busts up the middle and gets in field goal range and we're safe. Ganz gets sacked, uh oh. Next play, pass up the middle to get back in range and the pass is dropped, double uh oh. Kid can see the pukey look on dads face. "What's wrong dad?" "We're screwed". Now it comes down to this and more football 101. "Here comes a field goal. The kicker needs to kick it from the red "N" on the field, over here to the white goal, over the crossbar and in between the two vertical pipes". Kid says, "Yeah right". "Like I said....we're screwed".

 

I figured I better fire up the digital camera and vid capture this just in case he makes it. I turn it on, hold it up and look to center it on the play and the low battery light is blinking, O'well, the ball is just going to donk off the red letters in the endzone anyway. Then the kick, then the earthquake.

 

Kid notices that we now have more points and the scoreboard has 1 minute left...he gets it now. All of you have one more to add to the Husker Nation population.

 

We're walking down Vine Street to the car and the cold is finally settling in now that the in the stadium game buzz isn't keeping us warm. Kid tells me (ok Husker dads, here comes the sappy moment that makes me feel more lucky than actually being at the game) "Dad, when school started this year, I told Mrs. Barns that when Nana and Papa took me to Disney world this summer, that was the most fun I ever had in my entire life. When we go home, I'm going to talk to her and tell her that was the most fun I've ever had in my entire life!" BAM!!! A week at Disney world got trumped by a Husker game. Can Husker life get any better than that?

 

The more and more I think about it, I feel more lucky than anything; to take my son to his first game and for it to be this one...NU-CU...back and forth, 57 yard miracle field goal, Suh running back the INT moments later, all with my boy. Lucky.

 

 

See the earthquake

.

 

[kstatehater]

 

I almost teared.............

 

 

And I'm not even a father............

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great experience....... Thanks for the story.........

[rawhide]

Great story

 

 

GBR

 

 

 

 

+1 and counting

[sarge87]

[Micheal]

awesome

[ssfranny]

I consider myself a lucky person after this past weekend and feel the need to tell my story. I am a 33 year old male living in Jamestown, ND and was born and raised in Lincoln. I moved from Lincoln to Jamestown with my wife and son in '04. When I grew up I went to several games, the first vs Wyoming in '83. My dad would get me in the games while he worked with the Maintenance Department for the University as he did various duties before, during and after the games.

 

My wife, son and I go home to Lincoln every Thanksgiving and this year I decided my son was old enough (seven) to go to a game and turn his blood to Scarlet Red instead of blood red. We went to Husker Nation before the game and waited in line to get in the stadium to give plenty of time, once inside, for his new experience.

 

Here is the first of many memorable quotes and conversations: We were on the fence watching them practice and kid says: "Hey dad, do they play in the rain?" Dad replies, "Yes, they play in any weather: rain, cold, snow and in rainy cold windy snowy storms. Kid asks, "How the heck to they play in snow boots?"

 

Later we find our seats in the 55th row of the north east stadium. The band starts playing its pregame music. The crowd is clapping in unison to Hail Varsity...he's got this down pat without any direction from me...clap clap clap. Go Big Red comes next. "What are they saying?", kid asks. "GO BIG RED", dad yells. Good to go.

 

During the course of the game it was Football 101. He has played one season of flag football this past fall, but he's still learning most of the game.

 

I showed him the scoreboard and what the numbers mean....he was able to pick out the score at any time and could tell who was leading, which in this game he was able to see either team take and give the lead away quite often.

 

Another quote: "So they have one more period than hockey" "Yes, well, kind of".

 

In the first 4 minutes kid asks "Why is it so quiet, aren't we supposed to be cheering". Dad says, "Yes, but see the scoreboard?" Kid says, "Opps".

 

During the game Helu would break one for 25 yards or Ganz would hook up with Swift and the crowd would roar and cheer...Kid would ask "Did we get a point?!". "No....we need to get it to the end zone or kick a field goal." "What's a field goal?" "It is, well...I'll show you one when it happens".

 

One fun thing that a seven year old does during TV timeouts is to watch the big screen and find Lil' Red in the stadium when he's shown on the big screen.

 

We have some popcorn and a pop at half time and its back to Football 101. The game goes back and forth and we're driving with less than 4 minutes left. Helu busts up the middle and gets in field goal range and we're safe. Ganz gets sacked, uh oh. Next play, pass up the middle to get back in range and the pass is dropped, double uh oh. Kid can see the pukey look on dads face. "What's wrong dad?" "We're screwed". Now it comes down to this and more football 101. "Here comes a field goal. The kicker needs to kick it from the red "N" on the field, over here to the white goal, over the crossbar and in between the two vertical pipes". Kid says, "Yeah right". "Like I said....we're screwed".

 

I figured I better fire up the digital camera and vid capture this just in case he makes it. I turn it on, hold it up and look to center it on the play and the low battery light is blinking, O'well, the ball is just going to donk off the red letters in the endzone anyway. Then the kick, then the earthquake.

 

Kid notices that we now have more points and the scoreboard has 1 minute left...he gets it now. All of you have one more to add to the Husker Nation population.

 

We're walking down Vine Street to the car and the cold is finally settling in now that the in the stadium game buzz isn't keeping us warm. Kid tells me (ok Husker dads, here comes the sappy moment that makes me feel more lucky than actually being at the game) "Dad, when school started this year, I told Mrs. Barns that when Nana and Papa took me to Disney world this summer, that was the most fun I ever had in my entire life. When we go home, I'm going to talk to her and tell her that was the most fun I've ever had in my entire life!" BAM!!! A week at Disney world got trumped by a Husker game. Can Husker life get any better than that?

 

The more and more I think about it, I feel more lucky than anything; to take my son to his first game and for it to be this one...NU-CU...back and forth, 57 yard miracle field goal, Suh running back the INT moments later, all with my boy. Lucky.

 

 

See the earthquake

.

 

 

 

 

Thats awesome what a game to go to for the first Husker game!! I was in the North stadium 84th row, right under the big screen man those must be the seats people get that don't donate enough haha By the end of the game we were all jumping all over each other!! I haven't heard that place like that in years.

 

 

Now your kid will bleed Husker red...there is nothing like the "sea of red"

[SwiftFan87]

Great story!

[SouthBayHusker]

7 years old and he has no clue about football? - todays youth is a waste. I was at games when I was 5 and could follow the game and knew 80% of the rules.

[jawtin]

7 years old and he has no clue about football? - todays youth is a waste. I was at games when I was 5 and could follow the game and knew 80% of the rules.

 

He's growing up in North Daktoa, he knew all the rules to hockey when he was 4.

[HuskerMa]

7 years old and he has no clue about football? - todays youth is a waste. I was at games when I was 5 and could follow the game and knew 80% of the rules.

 

Do the math - he's been in ND since he was 2 1/2.......ask him about hockey!!

[huskerdude171]

When I was 7 I was going to husker games and it wasn't very hard for me to understand the rules. Maybe since I had been watching the huskers with my dad since I was 4 or 5 so it wasn't too hard to figure it out. I remember during the 96 fiesta bowl when I was 5 I started yelling 'Tommie Frazier for president!!!'

[bennychico11]

great story, thanks.

 

I hope to one day have a kid that I can share that with too

[caveman99]

Great story, I live in NY now and I have a 11 month old boy and a 3 yo daughter. I hope that in a few years I am lucky enough to get to experience something similar like you did. You are right, those moments make everything else pale by comparison.

[np_husker]

Great story!

[papersun87]

Dang, I can't wait to have a kid . . .