Shatel: Fans hawkish for NU, Big Ten

[huKSer]

All sorts of Nebraska fans, for all sorts of reasons, are pulling for their favorite school to make the Big Ten cut.

 

They aren’t alone.

 

“Let’s get it on,’’ says Bill McFerrin.

 

“Enough of the talk,’’ Dallas Pagel pipes in. “Let’s settle it on the field.’’

 

“Absolutely,’’ echoes Kevin Halverson. “As many people as there are in Omaha and Council Bluffs and western Iowa who are Hawk fans or went to the University of Iowa, they would all love to play Nebraska every year.

 

“You get tired of talking about common opponents. Who’s our common opponent, anyway — Iowa State?’’

 

The Hawkeyes are waiting, Nebraska. The Hawkeyes are hoping. Well, some of them, anyway.

 

“People in this part of the state (Iowa) are really pulling for Nebraska to join the Big Ten,’’ Halverson said. “On the eastern part of the state, they probably don’t know what to think.

 

“But some of us have to live with it every day.’’

 

As you may have surmised, Halverson, Pagel and McFerrin are all Omaha Hawkeyes. They work next to Big Reds, eat and drink with them, share Saturdays with them. They would love to share a conference, too.

 

Halverson works at Vantage Financial Services with Shari Kopf, a former Husker cheerleader, and Kent Bushnell, another true blood Husker. Pagel and McFerrin work at Woodhouse Dodge, alongside folks of the Husker persuasion. All five met me for lunch on Friday, to enact some of the scenes we may be seeing at an office near you — depending on who Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany has behind the curtain.

 

If it’s Nebraska, load up the coolers. Nebraska-Iowa will be a major event, with year-round bragging rights. Omaha would be ground zero.

 

“When we played that series (1999-2000) last time, there was a lot of excitement around here,’’ Kopf said. “After we beat them, all we heard about was their wrestling team.’’

 

“It will be nice to play, just to settle some arguments,’’ Halverson said. “Of course, after we beat them, they’ll ask us how many national championships we have. That’s their comeback. By the way, we’ll show you how to tailgate.’’

 

“At Nebraska, we go in to watch the game,’’ Kopf said.

 

All trash talk aside, the Hawkeyes in this neck of the woods not only want Nebraska as a Big Ten brother, they wouldn’t mind elevating the series immediately.

 

“If Nebraska is going to come into the Big Ten, that should be the last game of the season — the day after Thanksgiving,’’ said Pagel, whose brother Derek played safety for Iowa’s 2002 Orange Bowl team. “The Minnesota game is fun, but the Nebraska game would be a lot more electric — and a better way to end the year. I think it would be our new big rival in the Big Ten. Of course, some people on the east side of the state may not agree.’’

 

On the other hand, wouldn’t Nebraskans welcome a new rivalry?

 

“Yeah, I think it would be good to have a new rival, especially one next door,’’ Bushnell said. “A lot of us still miss the Oklahoma rivalry; it was so respectful. Colorado just isn’t the same. Iowa would bring new life to that.’’

 

Pagel had an interesting question for Bushnell: Would the Big Ten be a letdown for Husker fans, after so many loyalties with the old Big Eight foes?

 

“Letdown? No,’’ Bushnell said. “But it will be tough to get used to. It will be like starting over for a lot of fans, having to learn new teams and towns.’’

 

“I feel sorry for Nebraska fans, a little,’’ Pagel said. “I don’t know if I would want to go into the Big 12, having to start over. Like, every other year, we go to Minnesota for the game. We have a routine, bars we go to, hotel we stay at. That’s part of the tradition.’’

 

“Well,’’ Bushnell said, “It’s a better time to do it now than it would have been 15 years ago, when we had tunnel vision for the Big Eight. The feeling isn’t the same for the Big 12.’’

 

Everyone at the table seemed to agree that the Big Ten would be a good fit for Nebraska.

 

“Perfect match, especially with Bo Pelini, an old Big Ten guy,’’ Pagel said. “The style of football Nebraska is playing fits the Big Ten to a T. Everyone wants to say the Big Ten is big and slow. But that’s not true on defense. There’s a new breed of defense, they’re big and fast. That’s what Nebraska is going to.’’

 

“It’s a great fit, because Nebraskans are like Iowans and a lot of Big Ten fans,’’ Halverson said. “They’re blue collar, hard-working and they have a big passion for their teams. Great people.’’

 

Halverson, Kopf and Bushnell then launched into the Nebraska football national titles vs. Iowa wrestling dynasty debate again.

 

“Maybe our football team can get on the wrestling mat,’’ Kopf said.

 

“I don’t know why they do that,’’ Bushnell said. “We don’t pull out the women’s volleyball card on them.’’

 

“See?’’ Halverson laughed. “This is why we should play in the same league.’’

 

Only one problem.

 

“We need a trophy,’’ Halverson said. “The Big Ten rivalries all play for trophies; the ax, the bucket, Floyd of Rosedale. We need to come up with something. The corn cob trophy? Nah. Let’s work on that some more.’’

 

They should have plenty of time to dream something up.

Link

 

The part highlighted in red - last game of the year for Iowa maybe but our last games of the year are the CCG and the Bowl game, preferably for the MNC :hellloooo :hellloooo

[Apathy]

Most Iowa fans that live by the Nebraska/Iowa border think that the Iowa/Nebraska will become a rivalry because there is so much hatred for one another. I live right across the river from Iowa and work with Iowa fans that hate Nebraska so much and like to rub a loss in my face especially the 09' ISU game. Their the only reason why I hate Iowa but their are some good Hawkeye fans out there that respect Nebraska.

[UGAHusker]

Articles like this annoy me to no end. I mean, Iowa? They are so irrelevant and Ferentz is so overpayed that I try to just ignore their existance. Give me a Wisconsin or Penn State at the end of the year, Iowa is lame.

[irieboy8]

Articles like this annoy me to no end. I mean, Iowa? They are so irrelevant and Ferentz is so overpayed that I try to just ignore their existance. Give me a Wisconsin or Penn State at the end of the year, Iowa is lame.

 

 

i think nebraska would be better off establishing a end of the year game with hawaii...... if nothing else but to satisfy by husker fix and to avenge that lose to UH waaay back when

[deedsker15]

Articles like this annoy me to no end. I mean, Iowa? They are so irrelevant and Ferentz is so overpayed that I try to just ignore their existance. Give me a Wisconsin or Penn State at the end of the year, Iowa is lame.

at least we can finish off every year with a win....hahahahahaha

[REDSTEEL]

Wow went from Oklahoma > Colorado > Iowa> Next stop UNO? Damn Maverick fans. (They keep talking about how good their Hockey team is compared to Nebraska's)

[General Blackshirt]

Gosh, I hate Iowa.

[Landlord]

Wow went from Oklahoma > Colorado > Iowa> Next stop UNO? Damn Maverick fans. (They keep talking about how good their Hockey team is compared to Nebraska's)

 

 

How is Iowa a step down from Colorado? Because they won an undeserved national championship, once? Before we were "rivals"?

 

 

 

You guys act like anyone less than one of the top five programs in the country is unacceptable and embarrassing. Well, those top five programs would probably feel the same way about us, we haven't shown anyone squat in the last nine years.

[GMoose]

Wow went from Oklahoma > Colorado > Iowa> Next stop UNO? Damn Maverick fans. (They keep talking about how good their Hockey team is compared to Nebraska's)

 

 

How is Iowa a step down from Colorado? Because they won an undeserved national championship, once? Before we were "rivals"?

 

 

 

You guys act like anyone less than one of the top five programs in the country is unacceptable and embarrassing. Well, those top five programs would probably feel the same way about us, we haven't shown anyone squat in the last nine years.

[Hingle McCringleberry]

Articles like this annoy me to no end. I mean, Iowa? They are so irrelevant and Ferentz is so overpayed that I try to just ignore their existance. Give me a Wisconsin or Penn State at the end of the year, Iowa is lame.

 

 

i think nebraska would be better off establishing a end of the year game with hawaii...... if nothing else but to satisfy by husker fix and to avenge that lose to UH waaay back when

 

I have been saying this for years. Make it an always there game... Ahhh nice warm tropical breezes.

[Foppa]

Articles like this annoy me to no end. I mean, Iowa? They are so irrelevant and Ferentz is so overpayed that I try to just ignore their existance. Give me a Wisconsin or Penn State at the end of the year, Iowa is lame.

 

 

i think nebraska would be better off establishing a end of the year game with hawaii...... if nothing else but to satisfy by husker fix and to avenge that lose to UH waaay back when

 

Uhh...sorry to burst your bubble, but NU has beaten Hawaii the last 4 times they've played them...3 times in Honolulu, and once in Lincoln. But yeah, I'm sure the players love that away game.