So long folks... A historical look at what Nebraska is leaving behind.

I am a native Cornhusker. Born in Omaha in 1974, we lived there until I was 10. Then moved to Minnesota, and 4 years later to Colorado during the McCartney era. I endured high school in Ft. Collins from 1989 to 1992. I learned to detest Colorado fans through those years. CU won their half-title in 1990 with a loss a tie and a 5th down. In 1991, CU and Nebraska tied. It was hell. It actually forced me to leave the state. I applied to UNL and started college in the fall of 1993. In a wierd way, the obnoxious dillusion of CU fans forced me back to Nebraska at a perfect time. In my 4 years of undergrad at Nebraska, they won back-to-back national titles. I never witnessed one home loss as a student. The best weekend of my college career came over homecoming of 1994, when CU rolled into Lincoln ranked second in the country, only to get smoked and leave completely humbled. After that game, everyone seemed to recognize that these Huskers were destined for true greatness. We threw house parties the night before and after. It was awesome! Having grown up a Husker fan, mostly outside Nebraska, and then coming back to school there, and getting to witness the program play through their pinacle…I was blessed. I moved to Illinois right out of school and eventually moved back to Colorado. After the formation of the Big XII, the Colorado-Nebraska “rivalry” took on new meaning, especially being an NU alum living in Denver. I find it ironic, that the two teams which I resectively love and hate, we’re the first movers in what looks to be a national realignment of conferences. I am happy for both schools. But, what I am really happy about is not having to deal with the nonsense of Colorado fans anymore. In all honesty, I wish I could say that I am going to really miss the annual Colorado v. Nebraska match-up…but I can’t. Colorado, as much as they would have ever liked to be, was neither their equal or rival. And, their fans suck. Not only do we not have to worry about getting yelled at or spit on in Boulder anymore, but Husker fans can now enjoy looking forward to developing a natural, healthy rivaly wih Big 10 schools (Iowa and Wisconsin specifically). As ridiculous as Iowa fans can ever be, I don’t believe they would ever stoop to the classlessness which was displayed in Boulder throughout the years. Nebraska fans generally took the high road in the face of belligerence by druken Colorado bandwagon frat boys. I wonder if someone from California will react quite as calmly? I sure as hell hope not. Maybe amidst a future altercation with a USC fan, some middle-aged Colorado moron will actually admit that Husker fans we’re so bad to deal with after all! So much for finishing an argument with “Well, at least we have mountians!” Yeah…good luck with that. Go Big 10! Go Big Red! Se la vie Colorado. You won’t be missed.

I’m from Ohio – both a Buckeye and a Buckeye fan. I registered just to give you guys a view from “the new guys.”

First, I understand your reluctance to leave. You have a TON of history there, and it’s unimaginable to have to leave it behind. But from my perspective, if my conference added teams that were historically outside our geography, and in the process broke up one of the greatest annual rivalry games in the sport (Nebraska/Oklahoma) to replace it with another not involving me, you have to have mixed feelings. One of the concerns with Big10 expansion has been what will happen to the Ohio State/Michigan game, but all indications are that the conference will do everything to maintain the importance of that game. Anything less, as a Buckeye fan, and I would be extremely upset. Prior to the creation of the Big12, my most anticipated game to watch after the Michigan game was Neb/Okla. I was STUNNED that the Big12 did not maintain that annual game. (Was Oklahoma afraid of you?) And finally, remember this. This Big12 is imploding regardless of what you do. If you don’t leave now, you’re leaving in the near future. The option would be to make a new conference with your Big12 north brethren and add a few other smaller schools. In the long-run you are better off in the Big10.

As far as your reception in the Big10, I hope it could not be warm. When all of this talk started the first names mentioned were Pitt, Syracuse, Rutgers and Mizzou. Kentucky and West Virginia were also mentioned but frankly do not qualify academically. Be proud that Nebraska does. Nebraska was not on the top of most folk’s lists for non-football non-sport reasons, but so far every comment I have seen has been positive. While many still want both ND and Texas for both revenue and popularity reasons, everyone seems to think Nebraska is nothing but a huge positive for the Big10 (personally I’m ambivalent about Texas, and want ND for the simple reason that I want to be able to beat the hell out of them on a regular basis). Honestly I have been pulling for you guys all along, even though Nebraska doesn’t bring the potential addition to the audience that an eastern team with a greater population base does. But lets face it, you’re not a limp-wristed BigLeast school, you’re not an also-ran, you’re not a sometimes-good program, YOU’RE NEBRASKA!! Your tradition and history in football is on par with the ELITE of the Big10, namely Ohio State and Michigan. My apologies to Iowa and Wisconsin and Illinois and even Penn State, but they aint Nebraska.

Anyways, I’m long-winded enough. To summarize – you’re good, you’re wanted, you’re our kind of people. We understand you leave a lot behind, but when you finally feel at home you’ll have hopefully gained not only as much, but more. Twenty years from now, good Lord willing, you will remember but no longer miss your current brethren. You will be looking forward to that rivalry game with the Hawkeyes and/or the Badgers, those matchups with the Nittany Lions and the Wolverines and the Buckeyes. And we all know that in 2030 Paterno will still be coaching at PSU.

Personally I now have 2 games that I most want to attend. It’s not the next important Ohio State / Michigan (not they aren’t all important, but they’ve been kinda inconsequential lately), it’s not the next OSU appearance in the Rose Bowl or BCS championship game. #2 on my list is the Buckeyes first appearance in Lincoln. And #1? That sunny fall Saturday on the banks of the Olentangy River when the Red & White first step onto the field of Woody’s House, Ohio Stadium, as a member of the Big10, to face the Scarlet and Grey. The white helmets with the red N clashing with the Silver Bullets, the winner hopefully bringing home a national championship at the end of the season. It might be very easy for me (bite my tongue) to even envision a new #1 rival, if for no other reason than to no longer have to put up with those arrogant idiots in that “state up north.”

Welcome home.

The first sentence of the 3rd paragraph should say: I hope your reception in the Big10 could not be warmER.

I hate to see the old Big 8 teams go their separate ways. I particularly miss the old OU/NU rivalry game on Thanksgiving. This from a Kansas, KSU fan. The old days when the Midwest fielded those hard-working small-town kids and farm boys and it was truly amateur athletics. Those days are long gone and I grieve their loss just as I grieve the condition of the country these days where substance has been replaced by hype. Build a better mousetrap replaced by create a better jingle. That road games are no longer possible…fans can’t by car to away games. Texas fans to Seattle for Pac10 games? Crazy times. It is the prostitution of the way things should be.

I unintentionally wore black jeans and a black tshirt the other day when my beloved Cornhuskers decided to turn their own world upside down. It seemed fitting however because I do feel that something great is dying before our eyes. I have admired, cheered for, and hated most every team in the Big 12 at some point in the past, but I have always respected all of you. Every team goes through ups and downs in the course of history (remember this Texas) and nobody stays on top for forever.

I remember getting out of the Marine Corps in 2001 and after I moved down to Texas to go to school the NU-OU game came on during the same weekend that my family had scheduled a huge party. Of course no one in my Texas family cared too much about that game so I ended up ditching the party to drive to my grandmother’s house to catch the 4th quarter of the best game I’ve ever seen in my lifetime! Eric Crouch pitches the ball to his wide receiver and then down the field goes Crouch with the reverse throwback Touchdown to win it!!!! I still get chills from that one! I’ve seen my Huskers beat everyone in the Big twelve real good, and I’ve also seen some incredibly bad performances (Thank you Bill) where you guys have taken it to us also. But in the end, I wish we could schedule non-conference games against every one of you on a revolving basis because I just can’t stand the thought of those great rivalries going away. And thank you for your well wishes to us as we attempt to bring that good old Big8/12 hard hitting football style to our new brethren in the Big 10.

And thanks go too you to Big Ten – I appreciate seeing your welcome wishes and also the respect you all seem to be throwing our way. No doubt that many touchdowns will be thrown with the same quickness in our new gridiron landscape of the Big Ten – there just won’t be that many thrown against our Pelini-led Black Shirt Defense baby! Go Big 12, Go Big 10, Go Big Red!!!!!!