There is no place like Nebraska part II

[holdemplyer]

Barking Carnival — Blog — 'Husker Hospitality

‘Husker Hospitality

Posted by NorthDallasSooner on November 8th, 2009 under Football

I haven’t been everywhere, that’s for sure. I’ve been to Norman, Stillwater, Austin, College Station, the Hilltop, TCU, Boulder, Eugene, U-Dub, Lubbock, Blacksburg and four BCS title games.

Notwithstanding my favorite day of the year in October at the Cotton Bowl, Lincoln, Nebraska this weekend was hands down the best game day experience and fans I’ve ever been part of. That place and those fans are TERRIFIC. If you’re an alum of a Big XII school, or anybody else that plays Nebraska, you have to go.

First of all, OU-Nebraska is a very different kind of rivalry. It helps as a fan on the road that your hosts LOVE your school, history and program. The ‘Husker faithful clearly believe that the football programs at Oklahoma and Nebraska are inextricably linked. They’re linked by their history, by all the Big 8 championships won the week before or of Thanksgiving in Norman and Lincoln and the Odd Couple relationship of Osborne and Switzer.

I’m fortunate that my work responsibilities include the Nebraska market, so I had the advantage of having guys I know and like looking after me. Combined with a good friend here in Big D who grew up in Lincoln and I got the Chamber of Commerce treatment from the home folks. But, given the experience I had, I doubt any Sooner who showed up in Lincoln yesterday had any different than the fantastic treatment I experienced.

So, the day…..

Drove down from Omaha, a fun town in its own rite. First stop, Barry’s. The irony of a Lincoln game day icon being called Barry’s put an instant smile on my face. Go in, get the beers rolling and we’re off. Kinda hungry though, so I ask the waitress for a menu. Do you remember the diner scene in “My Cousin Vinny?” When Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei sit down at the counter and the menu says “Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner.” So, she brings the “menu.” It reads “Hamburger. Chicken sandwich. Hot dog.” Oh, there are a few other things, but it was pretty funny. Typical campus-side beer bar.

Next stop was the unique one. Three or four blocks from the stadium there’s a place call Sidetracks. Any fellow Dallasites over 40 will remember a famous joint from the ‘70s and ‘80s called Bowley and Wilson’s. This place has been there for a couple generations, I gather, and is a local institution. It’s owned by a lady that’s about 65-70 years old. She’s the one on the piano on the stage. She the center of a band singing irreverent derivations of famous songs, along with some Nebraska school songs, etc… The biggest smile I got was the rendition of “Keep away from Ndomakong (sp?) Suh” to Runaround Sue. Good stuff. But two things happened there that you’d almost never get anywhere else. A BIG Husker dude taps me on the chest and says “Everyone being good to you?” You’ll never get that in Boulder or outside the Cotton Bowl. Then the lady that owns the joint welcomed all the Sooners and said, pointing to the projection screen on the wall, “When Oklahoma is playing on this screen, we root for Oklahoma! Unless it’s against Nebraska” That is exactly what’s unique about the Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry. It’s a love fest. Back to Sidetracks. More funny tunes, $7.50 pitchers, the NU Alumni band coming through and two hours later, time to head to the tailgates. Every person we walked past offered a beer, food, an invitation to join. We ended up at our appointed spot, and the couple that was hosting it made us feels like we were guests in their home. “Get a drink, have some food, what’cha think of Lincoln, come back after the game.” They couldn’t have been nicer.

In to the game. We were in a Nebraska section. Everyone welcomed us, was very cool and I can tell you there is absolutely no trash talking at all. Very refreshing because I think trash talk is the BANE of the sports world today. The game sucked, of course, to a Sooner diehard.

At halftime, they hosted an on field meeting of Sooner and ‘Husker legends. The ‘Husker fans cheered every former Sooner on the field. Owens, Sims, White, Bradford, Greg Pruitt, Tom Berhany and Joe C. Then, LOUD applause and a standing ovation for Barry Switzer. I know enough Nebraska folks to know that Switzer is an icon in Nebraska. They love the guy. I think he represents the rebel that none of them are but kind of like to watch vicariously. Really cool.

Afterward, with a win in hand, do you think any ‘Husker fan’s behavior toward the vanquished changed? Nope. No trash talk. No “in your face.” No crap at all. The bars were packed and everyone was cool as hell to us. The only negative was trying to snare a cab at 1AM (bars close at 1).Total, total, I would advise any fan to go do the Lincoln thing. It was truly great. Those people are fantastic and I will definitely go back. Hopefully with a better team.

[Ty S]

Sidetracks is my fav.

[LundLover]

I wonder how long it will be till someone posts the usual "Husker fans really suck" comment.

Compared to the rest of the country, we have TREMENDOUS fans.

[bassinoutwest]

an interesting view from a fan of one of the most storied programs in history of the game..

http://blog.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2009/11/weekends_in_kansas_big_12_foot.html

Weekends in Kansas: Big 12 football in person

By Bob Smith

November 02, 2009, 11:52AM

Willie Wildcat knows what spot his team holds in the Big 12 NorthFour short years ago, my oldest daughter was trying to decide which college to attend. She had been accepted everywhere she applied including the top two schools for her major, Penn State and Kansas State. Like many of you I had raised her from very young to be a Penn Stater. She had been attending Penn State football games from the age of 6 and had met Joe Paterno one day when we were walking across campus when she was only 7. I was pretty sure her whole life that there was no doubt that she would be going to Penn State. Visions of having to attend every Penn State football game in order to visit my daughter danced in my head.
I will never forget, we were sitting in the K-State Union after our final visit to the school when she told me, with tears in her eyes, that she wanted to attended Kansas State. Poof went the visions of Penn State football weekends. They were replaced with cell phone conversations and texts as the games are in progress. Because of this I have become more familiar with Big 12 football than I ever thought I would. I will never forget talking to her on the phone as she rushed the field her freshman year when they beat #1 Texas.
Obviously, we don’t get to see her as often as we would if she had gone to Penn State, but Kansas really agrees with her. Every year we make the pilgrimage to visit her for Kansas State’s homecoming game. I started writing this post from her apartment in Manhattan Kansas before we headed off to the Kansas State Colorado football game. Unfortunately the day was so full of activities that I wasn’t able to finish it until now.
I used to think that no other school could compare to Penn State’s football traditions. 100,000 + fans squeezed into those bench seats, The We Are stadium cheer, etc. This morning I started thinking about some of the differences in the game day environment at each university. I’m actually going to start with the homecoming parade on Friday night.
Homecoming Parade
Just like Penn State, Kansas State has a homecoming parade. It takes place the Friday evening before the homecoming game. Just like Penn State you will find the marching band and floats made by students. What’s different? How about a farm tractor decked out in Kansas State Purple?

Or a float featuring Head Coach Bill Snyder lassoing animatronic buffalos with red eyes?

Or a Kansas State purple Mustang?

Bill Snyder
Kansas State has their own Joe Paterno in the form of Head Coach Bill Snyder. Snyder is universally revered in town as he saved the Kansas State football program. I have previously detailed the job he did at Kansas State. He retired for a few years but has returned. Prior to this year’s homecoming parade, Willie Wildcat had been the primary character on the floats. This year for the first time I saw more Bill Snyder’s wrangling buffalos than Willie Wildcats. The stadium they play in is called Bill Snyder Family Stadium. They love their Bill Snyder.
I saw a sign in the stands at a recent Penn State game, Joe Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium. Maybe it’s time to name the field after Joe. Just a thought.
Willie Wildcat
The K-State mascot is Willie Wildcat. Willie can be found all over campus Homecoming weekend. My wife found him in the student Union on Friday afternoon. He is very similar to the Nittany Lion in a lot of ways. For example, he does pushups for each K-State score. They are two handed, but my daughter claims that is because of the size of his head. I think he is not as tough as the Nittany Lion.

Pre-Game
If you stop by Varney’s before the game, you can pick up your game day button just like at Penn State. The saying for this game was “Fire up the Grill We’re Havin’ Burgers”. Some other notables from previous games; “WHACK ‘em back to Waco”, “Oh NO! O-State”, and “You’ll wanna go home sooner than Later!!”
Just like at Penn State, the marching band takes the field, plays a few songs and lines up for the team to enter the field. Of course there are no Drum Major flips, but not every Drum Major can be expected to be able to flip. They then play a custom video on the score board that relates to that game. In this instance Willie Wildcat was transformed in to “Were-Willie” and he terrorized a group of Colorado fans. The video always ends with one of the opposing team’s fans running from Willie and then running onto the field where Willie will run him down and tackle him at the 50 yard line to cheers from the crowd. Here’s the video from last year’s homecoming game against Oklahoma where The Violet Knight takes down the Oklahoma Joker.

What happens next really struck me as unusual the first time I heard it. The PA announcer recites the “Patriotic Ceremony of Allegiance” which includes portions of the Preamble to the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and concludes with the audience joining in to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. This occurs prior to the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. Once you understand the area a little better it makes sense and I find it quite stirring. With Fort Riley right next to Manhattan this is a deeply patriotic area of the country.

Game Time
Bill Snyder Family Stadium holds around 52,200 people. That’s less than ½ of the capacity of Beaver Stadium. Because of that, it is a little easier to get in and out of the stadium. Additionally, it seems that the numbers on the seats are spaced to accurately reflect how much space a person needs. It is way more comfortable to sit at a K-State game than at Beaver Stadium. Even with ½ the people of Beaver Stadium they still are able to rock the stadium and create an extremely noisy environment.
While Kansas State players have their names on the backs of the uniforms, they do have a tradition that shows team unity. At the end of pre-game warm-ups, the end of first half and the end of the game, the Kansas State team gathers together at midfield and leaves the field as a clump. Win or lose, it’s neat to watch.
Unlike Beaver stadium where the students are seated in the south end zone and along the sideline to the 20, the students at K-State are seated behind the visiting team from the 50 yard live to the end of the stands. This creates a great backdrop for the TV cameras, especially when they start “Wabashing”. When the K-State band plays the Wabash Cannonball students will start bobbing. In rhythm with the song every other student will bob forward and back. The ripple effect is amazing from the other side of the field. While it does not have the vocal impact of Zombie Nation, the visual is amazing.
The K-State engineering students have their own contribution to the atmosphere. They have the “Cat Cannon”. The “Cat Cannon” is an air powered cannon that delivers T-Shirts to the crowd. By changing the air pressure they alter how far into the stands the T-Shirts fly. They will wander the field the entire game shooting shirts up into the crowd.

I really enjoy going to the games at Kansas State. The people are friendly and love their football. They have created an atmosphere that enhances the game day experience. However nothing will take the place of Beaver Stadium in my heart. There is nothing like a big game at Beaver Stadium. However, I hope I have given you a little flavor of what a Big 12 football experience is like.

[tmn515]

Manhattan, Kansas...lol...The one place in the world that I absolutly HATE going to....

Why?

Because of all the BS that I have had to put up with in my 2 times going down there for games. Sitting through the game was like dodging gernades, and that was NOTHING compared to the crap my brother and I had to deal with before and after the game. I still havn't fixed the softball sized dent on my car because I want the reminder every year when we play KSU. We encounted some of the most worthless POS fans ever. I can't wait until Nov. 21 when we beat the tar out of them and ruin their "dream season".

Manhattan, KS ranks right up there with Boulder, CO (minus the piss bombs).

Troy

[bassinoutwest]

Originally Posted by LundLover

I wonder how long it will be till someone posts the usual "Husker fans really suck" comment.

Compared to the rest of the country, we have TREMENDOUS fans.

well, that didn't take long...first 'hate post'...

for the record, I'm not stupid enough to put a bunch of KSU paraphernalia on my vehicle and go to a Nubster game...I've been in the stands minding my own business, rooting on my team and been threatened by folks in red...

I've also had some great conversations with some folks in red. I've also had Nubster fans visit KSU stadium and declare it 'the best college atmosphere' they've ever been in...(this, by the way was the 2003 game in Manhattan...with all the snow, sleet, rain...and if you think Nubster fans are 'classy' you should have heard what I heard in every place we stopped on the way north on Hiway 77 after that game...not a lot of 'nice' folks making 'nice' comments...)


Painting the Nubster program with broad strokes is no more appropriate than painting any other program with broad strokes.

[gwhunter]

What's a Nubster fan?

[Vikes forever]

Originally Posted by bassinoutwest

Painting the Nubster program with broad strokes is no more appropriate than painting any other program with broad strokes.

Been saying that for years...

[fish_finder]

Go figure this thread would turn out like it has.

[bassinoutwest]

Originally Posted by fish_finder

Go figure this thread would turn out like it has.

gosh, it's 'almost' as if this was a religious or political topic...huh?

I've always wondered why Nebraska folks only seem to be proud of what happens in a Stadium in Lincoln or around that facility...shoot, I mean, when someone puts up a title like 'there is no place like Nebraska'...you'd think they'd have something about the many/varied/amazing natural resources...this, afterall, being an 'outdoor' forum...

There's a heck of a lot more to be proud of in this state than one football program...just wondering why it never gets talked about in similar terms?

[Fishn Ben]

It's almost like "There is no place like Nebraska" is the University of Nebraska at Lincoln's fight song or something. Weird. And the first post of the topic was about the extraordinary hospitality of HUSKER FOOTBALL fans. Carry on....

[Adam R]

Originally Posted by bassinoutwest

gosh, it's 'almost' as if this was a religious or political topic...huh?

I've always wondered why Nebraska folks only seem to be proud of what happens in a Stadium in Lincoln or around that facility...shoot, I mean, when someone puts up a title like 'there is no place like Nebraska'...you'd think they'd have something about the many/varied/amazing natural resources...this, afterall, being an 'outdoor' forum...

There's a heck of a lot more to be proud of in this state than one football program...just wondering why it never gets talked about in similar terms?

Yes this is the "outdoor forum" but this is also the sports section. What do you expect to be put in here?

[Adam R]

Originally Posted by Fishn Ben

It's almost like "There is no place like Nebraska" is the University of Nebraska at Lincoln's fight song or something. Weird. And the first post of the topic was about the extraordinary hospitality of HUSKER FOOTBALL fans. Carry on....

Actually that is our victory song.



And this is the fight song.

[bassinoutwest]

Originally Posted by Adam R

Yes this is the "outdoor forum" but this is also the sports section. What do you expect to be put in here?

actually, when the mods of this great site in their infinite wisdom did away with the political forum, I found that interesting in that 'this' is what passes for politics/religion in Nebraska...

REally.

[Hawkeye]

I think this is probably a rarity at Memorial Stadium, but drunk and stupid fans do exhist here. I'm not a Husker fan, but would be willing to bet the fans are generally better here than elsewhere. There will be isolated incidents because if you throw enough alcohol in the mix, a good fan becomes a poor one.

Fearing for your safety at State U's big game? Not to worry. Security in college football stadiums has your back more than ever this season. - ESPN

[gspointer]

Originally Posted by bassinoutwest

actually, when the mods of this great site in their infinite wisdom did away with the political forum, I found that interesting in that 'this' is what passes for politics/religion in Nebraska...

REally.

Hmm, sports section of the forum, thread title "There is no place like Nebraska part II" 4th post in is the BIG k-state post. Fine, then complaints from that poster. Hey, you don't like NU football? great, if you don't click on it, it shouldn't bug you. Oh, liked the addition of the attempt at the derisive NUB's term! keep it classy OK?

[bassinoutwest]

Originally Posted by gspointer

great, if you don't click on it, it shouldn't bug you.

you know, those were the same 'debate points' used on the old 'politics board'...in case you don't remember...but for some reason, that apparently was not a valid point...

all I'm saying: it seems hypocritical to me...

[gspointer]

Originally Posted by bassinoutwest

you know, those were the same 'debate points' used on the old 'politics board'...in case you don't remember...but for some reason, that apparently was not a valid point...

all I'm saying: it seems hypocritical to me...

No big deal. Sorry about my post, I probably should not have made it. I just don't understand why some posts get made. (I guess just like mine last night)