Cornhuskers second in nation in spring-game attendance

We finish second in spring game attendance only to Alabama. Apparently we're the only school in the nation where the fans will pay for tickets to see a scrimmage.
From an outsider's perspective, all of this lends itself to the phrase "there's nothing else to do in Nebraska".
That concept doesn't bother me a damn bit.

almost 3 years ago Jon Johnston 11 comments 0 recs |

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Best Fans Are in Austin??

In the “comments” section of the ESPN blog, check out the Longhorn fan talking smack at us. Let’s break it down: he calls us “delusional.” Uh, we’re not the ones who hung "2008* " on the wall. Second: he claims the best fans are in Austin. I’ve heard that DKR Memorial Stadium is pretty much a wine-and-cheese crowd (or is it “whine”-and-cheese?). Any thoughts, fellow Bugeaters?

Slightly off-subject, I’ve noticed in recent years that a lot of teens and twentysomethings are wearing Texas gear (t-shirts, caps, etc.) and it really makes my blood boil. My theory is that Texas is the new Miami. I remember back in the late-’80’s-early ’90’s many kids were wearing Hurricane gear. Thank God that came to an abrupt end in 1994!!

by Section 37 on Apr 22, 2009 5:27 PM CDT reply actions

Any discussion of "best fans"...

…that centers on spring game attendance as a criteria is inherently flawed. Having the most fans in attendance at the spring game doesn’t mean the fans of any one school are the “best fans” in the country (if such a thing could be measured), it means the alternatives for work/entertainment the day of the scrimmage were lower on the list than a fake football game, nothing more than a glorified scrimmage.

I’ve been to both Memorial Stadium and DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, and the atmosphere is better at Nebraska. DKR is an impressive-looking stadium, but the atmosphere inside tends to be pretty stale. I would hardly describe Nebraska as a snakepit, either, as the seating isn’t particularly steep and all the 80-year-olds who have had tickets for 50 years don’t tend to make a lot of noise.

We'll carry the banner high!
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by TB on Apr 22, 2009 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions

I disagree with that

most of the people I talked to were there to watch the team. In spring, things are pretty limited with regards to media access – everyone loves football – so why not head to the stadium? It was the only way Husker fans were going to see next season’s quarterbacks.

And we didn’t play a huge number of younger guys last year – so we have a big crop of new players that no one’s see on the field in a Husker uniform. I’d have to say that was the biggest attraction.

Go Big Red Nebraska!
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by Jon Johnston on Apr 23, 2009 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions

i doubt

we’ll see the Teas gear thing come to an end any time soon. You’re right about it, of course, any time I see a young person here in MN wearing it I ask them if they bought that themselves or were forced to wear it by their parents. Mostly they just look at me as if I’m weird, because even in MN, it is an accepted fashion piece.

Delusional. Hmmmm…… not sure what to make of that. What I saw was Husker fans wanting to support their football team and university. If that’s delusional – I guess the alternative is you only attend their events when it matters to you. In other words, if there’s nothing in it (and let’s face it, there’s no smack talking going to come out of a spring scrimmage), I guess that guy would rather not be involved? Maybe I’m reading too much into that.

Go Big Red Nebraska!
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by Jon Johnston on Apr 23, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions

It goes both ways..

I think some fans of other programs sometimes are a little jealous of teams like Alabama and Nebraska that do have fans that come out to the spring game in droves. I think they wish their own fan base was that passionate. On the other hand, I think fans of teams like Alabama and Nebraska sometimes act as though they are superior because of the passion that the fan base has. The door swings both ways, I believe their is a little jeaslousy and a little arrogance.

by Huzkerfan on Apr 24, 2009 7:45 PM CDT reply actions

a third opinion

I think Nebraska and Alabama have a lot of t-shirt and bandwagon fans who have no connection to the school or program; they are fans b/c of the winning traditions these programs have, and they want to be associated with a winner. In order to be a part of a winner, they buy the team apparel and come to the games, even if it is a scrimmage. These fans are easy to identify, b/c they often know little about the team they claim to root for; if you ask about who the backup QB is, or talk about the depth chart, they are clueless.

I Am The 12th Man.com

by Beergut on Apr 26, 2009 4:37 AM CDT reply actions

I have to

disagree. I’ll give you successful programs get bandwagon fans, it’s inevitable. But it is not like the Huskers have been a powerhouse lately. Seven, eight, and nine win seasons don’t exactly spark bandwagoners to hop on the wave of success it causes them to jump off. But, even in those years they still sellout every game and the spring game always attracts sixty to eighty-five thousand. The only reason is, Husker fans love Husker football. For some reason it is like a religion, I can’t explain it nor will I try, outsiders can’t seem to understand. Do we have some bandwagoners? I imagine so, but I would say the overwhelming majority are not. I would say we simply haven’t been good enough to get any lately. I wish that wasn’t true but it is what it is.

by Huzkerfan on Apr 26, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions

I can tell you why...

…and I’m not an outsider. I grew up there. It’s so popular because there is nothing else that is “yours” to divert attention from it. You have no other universities in the state that play major-college football. You have no pro sports teams to distract you. Yes, I realize that Kansas City and Denver aren’t all that far away from some parts of the state, but they’re not “yours.” Pejoratively or positively, Husker football is the only game in town, and it’s not that way in any other Big 12 state.

We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats

by TB on Apr 27, 2009 8:18 AM CDT up reply actions

actually

Is it that way in any other state in the nation?

Go Big Red Nebraska!
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by Jon Johnston on Apr 28, 2009 8:41 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe Idaho...

…with Boise State. Other than that, there’s no other one-horse state that has a major college football program.

We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats

by TB on Apr 28, 2009 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions

That doesn't

both me, I guess. A pro franchise couldn’t survive and the only other school that could possibly be D-I would be UNO and their is no way the university would let them go do that and compete with the Huskers. I guess D-I football in Nebraska all the eggs are in the Husker basket. I wonder if the Creighton men’s basketball team hurts the Huskers?

by Huzkerfan on Apr 30, 2009 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions