What Nebraska means to me

As everyone has heard, its the 300th consecutive sell out at memorial stadium, and as every Nebraska fan knows, that magic number destroys any other college attendance record. The next closeset is Notre Dame with 207. The next in the Big 12 is Oklahoma with like 67 or so. Inspired by all the happenings, I decided to get all sentimental and crap about the team that I love.

I still remember my first game. It was freezing cold, as it sometimes gets in Nebraska. I was such a bundle of nerves before the game, partly because we were facing Texas, partly because it might have been about 100 below zero (although I think that means I could have gotten a free Runza) Mostly because I had heard what it was like to go to a Nebraska game. We finally got in and found our seats. We were really high up, but it didn't matter because it was me, my pops, two slices of Val's and Memorial Stadium.

From the time that the tunnel walk started, it was an exciting game. Texas was winning but Nebraska was engineering one of the greatest comebacks I'd seen. I remember it like it was yesterday, the final drive, Jamal Lord was taking the Huskers down the field and with only a little time left, we were in the red zone ready to take this almost victory away from Texas. Lord lobs a beauty towards the corner of the end zone, the fans all standing, praying for just one more score and then out of nowhere, Texas cornerback,  Nathan Vasher comes up and rips the ball out of the air along with all of our hopes and dreams.

Although we lost, I was hooked. I loved the Huskers before that, but after... The Huskers were MY team. I think it is the same for a lot of people, and thats what I was really wondering about in the wake of this monumental milestone.

Why do I feel so much emotion over a football team?

The reason, I think, is because I feel mostly disrespected by the rest of the nation. I now live in DC and most of the people here cant even find Nebraska on a map. That, to me, is a kin to not finding a hole in a doughnut. When I tell people I'm from Lincoln, I get questioned about being a farmer, or if Lincoln is a town of 10 and a horse. I've been asked if Nebraska is connected to Canada before. It's not, I grew up in a city of over 200,000 and Nebraska is in the middle of the map...

I guess when I think about it, when Nebraska plays, I feel like they are playing for more than a win, I feel like they are playing for me. I feel like we are one step closer to people not just realizing that we exist, but really seeing that we are some of the most upstanding, loyal, hardworking people in the world.

Maybe thats just me, but regardless Nebraska is the greatest team with the greatest fans and whatever your reasons are its important to realize that 300 consecutive sellouts is more than the fans just enjoying football, it's love.