Whose team is it? Students? Alumni? Boosters?

[I am I]

it's the Fans.

whether attended or not.

especially in Nebraska, in fact, almost exclusively at Nebraska we (the fans) "need" this team. We were here before or after any players who come through here. we'll be there in crappy weather and crappy seasons. and the good and great seasons live on in eternity precisely becasue of the fans. every 2-3 years the face of the team changes but the FANS remain the same.

 

[hskrpwr13]

Quick story: I've got a friend of appx 12 years. Origninally from CA, he was in the Air Force in his early twenties (in the early 80s). As a Mormon, he was always a BYU fan. Can't remember which game he said he was watching (might have been an OU/NU game), but he happened to be watching with a bunch of airmen who were Husker fans. He couldn't believe the excitement, passion, pride, etc that these airmen had while rooting on the team. He became a fan that night and never looked back. He bitches, roots, gets excited at every bit the same level as I (I consider myself a "die hard"). Without even considering his financial support, no way would I consider him having less ownership than I or any other fan/student. He's extremely knowledgable about the program. Heck, I've met some students that don't know the difference between Jerry Tagge and Jerry Lewis.

As for me, I'm at least 4th generation Nebraskan that moved to AZ as a teenager as a result of my mother remarrying. As a Nebraska kid, the Huskers were my team. There were no others. When I moved, the Huskers were my link home, my source of pride. Nevertheless, I never attended NU. However, there's no way I'd link myself in with someone's attitdue of some throw away "t-shirt" fan. No way would I consider myself having less ownership than some kid who may spend only 4 years of their life in "my" state. Taking away nothing from any other fan who may not fit this category, if you're a Nebraksan (however one wants to define that), and you've lived (94/95 seasons) and died (82 Orange Bowl/84 OB) rooting for/supporting the team, they're YOUR team. It doesn't matter if you actually have a sheepskin on the wall proving you attended UNL.

 

[MLB 51]

Simply put, It's my team. It's been my team for nearly 40 years. Nothing compares to Husker football. Nothing.