Why Nebraska Fans Are the Way We Are.

[Enhance]

I think this thread will be very helpful for our Clemson visitors on this board and many other posters who may not completely understand our passion for Husker football and why we treat it the way we do.

 

Nebraska isn't a very large state in terms of population. Because of this, we are denied the luxuries of other states that have the population and economy to afford pro football teams, baseball teams, basketball teams, and more than one major university. We are so passionate about Husker football and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln because they are our football, baseball, basketball, etc. We have nothing else major to fall back on and come together with as a state. Nothing has been around long enough or been enjoyed as much over the years as Husker football. If we had more major sports, I guarantee the entire state wouldn't be as passionate about Husker football as they are, but it's all we have. That's why Nebraska is so special to us, because no other state has a tradition of one major sports team that has captured the hearts of an entire state like the Huskers have.

 

Most Husker fans grow up breathing the Husker aroma. Most of our families are born and raised Nebraskans, and the tradition of Husker football has been passed down for generations. I, personally, was born in 1989 and grew up right in the thick of arguably the greatest decade of football by any college football team ever. Three National Championships and a 1995 squad that blew our minds just fueled my passion.

 

I hope this clears up any questions that visitors might have. Feel free to add something to the post if you feel I forgot it. In short, I just wanted to explain to everyone why Nebraska fans are the way they are. We have nothing that unifies us like Husker football, and we don't have the population or economy that could support any other major sports team right now. All we have is the Huskers, and that's why we are Nebraska.

[H4L_89]

According to Devaney in his book, Nebraska fans were the same way that we are now before he got here, to an extent. He was surprised to see our loyalty to even crappy teams. They told him, you win here and win, you'll never be sorry. That is pretty cool to think about.

[HUSKER 37]

According to Devaney in his book, Nebraska fans were the same way that we are now before he got here, to an extent. He was surprised to see our loyalty to even crappy teams. They told him, you win here and win, you'll never be sorry. That is pretty cool to think about.

 

"Win or Tie"

 

 

...(Devaney)

[trouble]

Aye, Agreed. I was born in 86 and I grew up watching all the greats in the 90s. I am passionate about my Huskers and I always will be. Its just what you grow up with, and when you grow up with only one major team, you really cling to that team.

 

I <3 my Huskers.

[CheeseHusker]

Not only are you born with it, but you die with it. The loyalty never leaves you.

 

You can travel all over the world with it, and it's always with you. And you inevitably meet somebody, somewhere, who is "one of us". There are hordes of us in every state, north and south, east and west.

 

Some of us even live on the other side of the world, in another hemisphere, where it is summer during winter and winter during summer. Even here, in this far corner of the globe, I have met other Husker fans.

 

Those from a neighboring state like to point out that "it's because your state is so bleak and so boring, that that's all you got." What they fail to understand is that we're everywhere.

 

No matter where I go in the world, I'm always happy to call myself a Nebraskan, moreso than anything else, even though I've lived in other places for much longer periods of time.

[Vince from ShamWOW]

When you are an NU Football fan it's easy being the classiest, most knowledgeable, most passionate, and best football fans in the world. Those that know football and fandome know this to be true.

[SouthBayHusker]

You kids that grew up in the 90's had it easy - There were a lot of heartbreaks and pissed off people in the 70's and 80's - I'm still pissed off about the 82 Orange Bowl vs clemson - NEBRASKA got F**KED by the refs.

[I am I]

I would add this:

 

I was talking to a guy (I live in Colorado now) who was giving me shiz about not attending or graduating from NU. He was pointing out that most Nebraskan's he runs into always say 'we' and 'our' whether we went to school there or not.

 

I tried to explain to him that Nebraska is the only school where this may be possible because as a state WE identify ourselves collectively through the University and specifically the football team. Immediately upon meeting someone from Nebraska the single unifying measure is the tie that inevitably begins with knowing how (most likely) they feel about OUR football team.

 

Most people know someone who played (my dad and uncle) or has played with or against someone who played. That gives each of us a sliver of ownership and a bloodline directly into the program.

 

I just don't think there is any other state, school, or population where a singular structure like the Cornhuskers can unify everyone with such pride and general agreement. Even though I played at a DII school in KS for my education and scholarship, never a Saturday passed that I didn't watch and converse with my brothers, dad, relatives, and other Husker fans about the State of OUR Team.

[trouble]

I would add this:

 

I was talking to a guy (I live in Colorado now) who was giving me shiz about not attending or graduating from NU. He was pointing out that most Nebraskan's he runs into always say 'we' and 'our' whether we went to school there or not.

 

I tried to explain to him that Nebraska is the only school where this may be possible because as a state WE identify ourselves collectively through the University and specifically the football team. Immediately upon meeting someone from Nebraska the single unifying measure is the tie that inevitably begins with knowing how (most likely) they feel about OUR football team.

 

Most people know someone who played (my dad and uncle) or has played with or against someone who played. That gives each of us a sliver of ownership and a bloodline directly into the program.

 

I just don't think there is any other state, school, or population where a singular structure like the Cornhuskers can unify everyone with such pride and general agreement. Even though I played at a DII school in KS for my education and scholarship, never a Saturday passed that I didn't watch and converse with my brothers, dad, relatives, and other Husker fans about the State of OUR Team.

 

Agreed, I've run into that a few times as well. About saying my and we, to me it IS my team. It is all of ours. In my opinion of course.

[SouthBayHusker]

I would add this:

 

I was talking to a guy (I live in Colorado now) who was giving me shiz about not attending or graduating from NU. He was pointing out that most Nebraskan's he runs into always say 'we' and 'our' whether we went to school there or not.

 

I tried to explain to him that Nebraska is the only school where this may be possible because as a state WE identify ourselves collectively through the University and specifically the football team. Immediately upon meeting someone from Nebraska the single unifying measure is the tie that inevitably begins with knowing how (most likely) they feel about OUR football team.

 

Most people know someone who played (my dad and uncle) or has played with or against someone who played. That gives each of us a sliver of ownership and a bloodline directly into the program.

 

I just don't think there is any other state, school, or population where a singular structure like the Cornhuskers can unify everyone with such pride and general agreement. Even though I played at a DII school in KS for my education and scholarship, never a Saturday passed that I didn't watch and converse with my brothers, dad, relatives, and other Husker fans about the State of OUR Team.

Someone from colorado making a comment is as always BITTER, because they will never have the support NEBRASKA does even from peolpe who never went there but are from there.

[huKSer]

Nebraska is the only state that I know of that when you say THE University or THE interstate everyone knows exactly what you mean. (It is the only state without both a north/south and east/west interstate, INCLUDING Hawai'i)

[808Husker in KCMO]

Nebraska is the only state that I know of that when you say THE University or THE interstate everyone knows exactly what you mean. (It is the only state without both a north/south and east/west interstate, INCLUDING Hawai'i)

Alaska has NO interstates.

[krc1995]

Not only are you born with it, but you die with it. The loyalty never leaves you.

 

You can travel all over the world with it, and it's always with you. And you inevitably meet somebody, somewhere, who is "one of us". There are hordes of us in every state, north and south, east and west.

 

Some of us even live on the other side of the world, in another hemisphere, where it is summer during winter and winter during summer. Even here, in this far corner of the globe, I have met other Husker fans.

 

Those from a neighboring state like to point out that "it's because your state is so bleak and so boring, that that's all you got." What they fail to understand is that we're everywhere.

 

No matter where I go in the world, I'm always happy to call myself a Nebraskan, moreso than anything else, even though I've lived in other places for much longer periods of time.

 

 

 

 

same here- from south Louisiana

[Bleeding Husker Red]

Not only are you born with it, but you die with it. The loyalty never leaves you.

 

You can travel all over the world with it, and it's always with you. And you inevitably meet somebody, somewhere, who is "one of us". There are hordes of us in every state, north and south, east and west.

 

Some of us even live on the other side of the world, in another hemisphere, where it is summer during winter and winter during summer. Even here, in this far corner of the globe, I have met other Husker fans.

 

Those from a neighboring state like to point out that "it's because your state is so bleak and so boring, that that's all you got." What they fail to understand is that we're everywhere.

 

No matter where I go in the world, I'm always happy to call myself a Nebraskan, moreso than anything else, even though I've lived in other places for much longer periods of time.

 

 

I went to Russia of all places right after 9/11. Amazingly I actually met Russian natioanls and Ukrainian Nationals in both Kiev and Odessa who were Husker fans. I'll never forget a guy at Borispol airport in Kiev , in a Husker hat just walking up to me (I had one on too) and striking up a conversation about the team. Native Ukrainian, not an expat. This is why I don't say Husker Nation. I say Husker Empire.

[JMBanjoman]

Clemson is a tight family also within the university and alumni. Now I know that Nebraska as a state is solid Red and the state of South Carolina is fairly evenly divided (slight tilt towards USC due to their larger alumni base) in terms of loyalty. Our state as a whole will never have the kind of unity that Nebraska has.

 

However, the Clemson family itself is a very close group. In fact, the phrase "Clemson Family" is used often and is evident everywhere. A couple examples:

 

- A few years ago, an off campus apartment building burned down and left dozens of students with nothing but the clothes on their backs (thankfully nobody was hurt). Immediately, donations began pouring in from fellow students, faculty, the city of Clemson, and others. The morning after the fire, there was a message posted on Clemson's webpage stating where to send donated items such as clothing, books, school supplies, etc. By that afternoon - less than 24 hours after the fire - the message on the webpage had changed to something like "Please don't send any more donations of anything. We have way more than we will ever need."

 

- With the budget crunch this year, President Barker (Clemson's president) imposed a 5-day unpaid furlough for salaried employees this year to save money. Of course he didn't want to do that but money is very tight. As a result, a fund was set up for people to donate money to help those employees who would need money the most (obviously not for the highest paid professors but for the support staff who don't make much) and donations are accepted from everybody at Clemson. Students, faculty, and alumni all came together to donate in this fund to make up for the shortfall.

 

South Carolinians are a stubborn bunch and we stick together on most things with the notable exception of college football. Seems like Nebraskans are exactly the same except that every single one of you all across the state live and breathe Cornhusker football. And I would bet that y'all have a similar bond with fellow students and alumni and the campus itself that is as deep yet undescribable to outsiders. These similarities are part of what makes it so much fun for us Clemson fans to come over here on this board.

 

Finally, below are a couple of my favorite writings about Clemson. The first is entitled "Something in These Hills" and was written by an alumnus of Clemson College.

 

http://www.tigermemories.com/page.php?3

 

The second is the last two sections from a post on TigerNet (www.thetigernet.com) from a few years ago describing senior year and coming back to Clemson as an alumnus.

 

It is looking back and laughing at yourself when you were a freshman.

It is looking back and asking yourself where four years went.

It is realizing that the past four years were the greatest in your life.

It is the sweat on your brow as you finish your biggest project ever.

It is being able to walk in front of the Calhoun house.

It is being able to walk in front of the statue of Thomas Clemson.

It is knowing every square inch of campus while blindfolded.

It is walking down the aisle.

It is shaking the president's hand.

It is seeing your name on that piece of parchment.

It is taking one last walk alone through campus as a student.

It is your senior year.

It is coming back for the first time in years.

It is seeing Tillman again for the first time.

It is noticing the statue in front of Mell and having it mean something.

It is watching the demolition of Johnstone.

It is watching it grow younger as you grow older.

It is giving anything you can because you think of it as your child.

It is knowing that your best friends who are standing beside you were your neighbors.

It is looking into your old classrooms and sitting in your old seats.

It is standing on the hill for the first time in years.

It is a picnic out at Twin Lakes.

It is seeing your name that you carved during your junior year in the same place.

It is knowing that after you are gone, your children and friends were influenced by things you learned here.

It is knowing that it will be here when your children think the same thing you are thinking right now.

It is Clemson.

It is more to you than anyone will ever know.

 

full post is http://www.thetigernet.com/view/hof_post.do?id=218