310 Days Later

by HuskerINtheArmy on Oct 10, 2010 1:20 AM CDT

310 days ago we watched helplessly as our beloved Big Red kicked the ball off out of bounds, horse collared a UT receiver, then pressured Colt McCoy to throw the ball away to win the Big 12 Championship for the first time since '99. But...

We all know how it ended. Many of us had a hard time sleeping that night; wearing out the 'rewind' and 'play' buttons of our collective DVR remote. We were swearing, hoping, and pleading our case to the football gods that this couldn't truly be how it ended. It had to be a dream..

I remember being a 13 year old, talking smack to a waiter at the Applebees near Oak View mall, he was a UT fan. He told me the Longhorns were going to win, "James Brown said so." I remember watching James Brown making it so..

I remember being a 15 year old teen on Halloween of '98 watching a loss to Texas..

I remember being 16 years old -1999- and watching my favorite team lose to Texas at Texas. BUT, there was a rematch! I had to be there, my parents agreed- I was there. I watched first hand as Nebraska beat the Longhorns for the Big 12 Championship.

---Flash Forward--

2006, I'm married. I successfully converted my Washington born wife to "The Truth." We had been to many games together but none at Memorial Stadium. Our first was to be Nebraska/Texas. We had great seats: 50 yard line, row C. We may as well have been on the field. Marlon Lucky throws a HB pass to Nate Swift! Pandemonium ensues! Nebraska regains possession of the ball in order to run out the clock and win the game, people around us are talking about rushing the field. Then third down and short. A first down conversion seals the victory. A pass! Taylor to Nunn, CHEERS! fumble.. Gasp.. A field goal won it for the Horns.

2007, I'm deployed to Iraq and listen via the Internet as the Huskers blow a 17-3 lead and lose.. I had pulled a lot of strings to be able to listen to that game.

310 days ago I watched helplessly as my beloved Big Red kicked the ball off out of bounds, horse collared a UT receiver, then pressured Colt McCoy to throw the ball away to win the Big 12 Championship for the first time since '99 but it didn't happen... I felt my heart sink when they put that second back on the clock. I felt that pain we all felt when Nebraska played at Mizzou and watch Scott Frost's pass hit Shevin Wiggins in the number and fall. But that pain didn't go away like it quickly did in '97- there was no Matt Davison flying over the line to block a field goal.

In my head I'd always believed, "next time..." A little over 6 days from now it will be next time, it will be this time, and it may very well be the last time. I've been looking forward to it for 310 days, I'll be watching, we all will. It's not about vengeance, it's about pride. We know they can do it! But this time, there are no 00:01 chances..

GO BIG RED!!

This FanPost created by a registered user of Corn Nation.

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I think

you’ve summed up pretty well what a lot of us are thinking….. now that it’s here, wow, what anticipation.

Go Big Red Nebraska!
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by Jon Johnston on Oct 11, 2010 10:40 AM CDT reply actions

Great, passionate piece...

It’s not about revenge for NU anymore than Texas winning earlier this season in Lubbock was about revenge for that 2008 last second stab in the heart. It’s about winning football games against the best competition there it out there. I’ve always felt that when the game is so close that we begin looking for every reason as to why we lost, usually the reason is easily identifiable. Sadly, it’s us in the mirror that is being ID’d. Here is to a healthy game on both sides of the field. Hook’em.

"Stats are for losers. I like winning games." ~ Will Muschamp

"I always felt like, and I paid a price for it, that it didn't seem right for one guy to bring me down." ~ The Tyler Rose

by Mulliganville on Oct 11, 2010 10:30 PM CDT reply actions

Great piece.

I too was at that game in 2006 with my 5 year old son for his first Texas game. What I remember is this…

We were treated with respect the entire time, even though our burnt orange was swallowed in a sea of red. The Husker faithful maintained absolute class. When I cheered they never changed. Even after they had gone up to take the lead and got the ball back with a chance to put the game away, they never gloated. After the fumble on a 3rd down conversion, they held their tongue. When we kicked the field goal and walked off the field with the win, they were gracious.

What I hate the most about this season is Nebraska leaving the Big XII. We have obviously had the win advantage in our 10 meetings, but I have enjoyed every game against Nebraska. I’m going to miss playing the Cornhuskers and I’m really going to miss their fans. Good luck Nebraska. Beat the hell out of the Big TEN. Hook ’Em! \m/

And Go Army! Beat Navy! …….. Army Strong, 11 years and counting.

-flo

by bleed burnt orange on Oct 17, 2010 7:04 PM CDT reply actions

318 days later..

I really appreciate the comments I’ve received on this post! Unfortunately, it didn’t end as we wanted. Our Huskers had the chances, could’ve won, should’ve won, but didn’t. Not to take anything from the Horns, they did everything they needed to do to 1) shut the crowd up, and 2) grab the momentum from the initial kickoff. I know a lot of people feel like Coach Wats didn’t call a good game but, I think he did a good job of play calling- the players (ah-hem Rex, Niles, Brandon) didn’t make routine catches. If they had the game could have been a 31 or 38-20 win for the Huskers.

I’m looking forward to the next few games, hopefully Mizzou is undefeated when they visit Lincoln. I’d like the Huskers to take out this pain on two other teams.

by HuskerINtheArmy on Oct 17, 2010 7:30 PM CDT reply actions

Ahhhh, now I see why you are so heartbroken, Huskerinthearmy

I wish I could say good luck in your upcoming games, but quite honestly, I don’t want you to have the opportunity to play for this year’s conference championship.

Go Mizzou, Go Ok State, Go anyone who plays Nebraska.

After this year, then good luck Nub

Hook ’em

by Dirty Work on Oct 18, 2010 9:23 PM CDT reply actions

classy way to troll...

No worries pal. The night of the 16th I had a good Bevo dinner (1.2lb T-bone), had a good “Northerner” brew, and lived my life like the day before. I’m a realist and I know they can’t win them all- although I wish they could. But hey, good luck! //**\\

by HuskerINtheArmy on Oct 18, 2010 10:12 PM CDT reply actions

Do you even know what a troll is?

I’m not trolling. I was here defending my team from Nebraska fans who say we cheat. I’ve been listening to it for “319” days and now this shit is gonna start again because you people can’t seem to accept the fact that Texas just has a way of owning you. All last week we had Neb fans on our site. Some came in peace, some did not. 99% of them were there just sure as shit that y’all were gonna just kill us on Saturday. So my first post on this site, after the game, I was very congratulatory despite the fact that I had just witnessed a once proud and classy fan base boo an injured Texas player on National Television. I thought that no way did this carry over into the next day. It had to be out of pure frustration from years and years of being dominated by this single program. But sure enough, 2 days later, here YOU are leading the charge, in the drivers seat of the excuse train saying our coaches and players were faking injuries and the refs were cheating and this and that. It’s pitiful, man. And until I read this, well, poem? I didn’t know what to make of you. Now it’s clear that you are just a guy who’s looking a little silly to his “Washington born” wife and maybe she’s not buying into this whole “Truth” idea you’re selling her on. Looking a little foolish maybe? No worries pal, if she loves ya she’ll stick with you even if you are a defender of the wrong and a follower of the lost.

Have fun in Columbus, red.

by Dirty Work on Oct 19, 2010 1:09 AM CDT up reply actions