Nebraska vs Ohio State Is Homecoming: The New Guy Won't Back Down
by Jon Johnston on Jan 28, 2011 7:00 AM CST
in 2011 Nebraska Huskers Football
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PrintIt's a Thursday night. You're sitting in your neighborhood bar on the same bar stool you've been sitting on for so long that most people in the place know that it's your bar stool.
Some guy walks in, a new guy, by himself, which you think is odd because this is a "neighborhood" bar and people don't just walk in out of the blue. New people don't come here, ever, not even if they're invited by friends mostly because no one in the bar has friends outside the bar. It's one of those kind of places.
You know that sooner or later someone has to challenge the new guy. Someone is going to start an argument with him, and try to make a fool of him when the rest of the bar doesn't agree with him. It's all about turf and defending it against a new invader.
Normally it starts within a few minutes of his first words beyond ordering a beer. If there's a game on, someone's going to ask him what team he's for. If there's politics on, someone's going to ask his opinion. It's all part of the sizing up process. (An aside for a moment that might save you some day - if you ever walk into a small town bar in western Nebraska, don't ask why the Weather Channel is on.)
Then comes to challenge. Someone doesn't like his team, the hat he's wearing, or the beer he's ordered. The new guy might try to shrug it off with a joke, or he might say nothing at all. It may not matter what he does. Maybe one of the regulars walks over and asks the new guy to leave. The new guy has two choices - comply with his tail between his legs or stand up for himself, everyone be damned.
Today he not only stands, but he puffs his chest out. The regular responds by puffing his chest, and the escalation is on. What the new guy doesn't know but you do is he's facing the toughest bastard in the place.
You know where this is leading and you're pretty sure what's going to happen. You grab your beer off the bar (because if a fight starts you'd best be always hanging onto your beer) and step off your bar stool to watch and see what happens.
While you're waiting, you're thinking two things:
- The new guy must have balls the size of Jupiter.
- He might also be the stupidest sunofabitch on the face of the earth.
.....
If there's a honeymoon phase to Nebraska joining the Big Ten conference, this is it. We've a little over five months to go to the official joining date, no games have been played and the 2011 season is far far away, so there's not even a tinge of anxiousness between fans. Everyone is happy - Big Ten fans seem pretty happy with Nebraska, and Nebraskans seem pretty happy to be getting the hell out of the Big 12.
The Big Ten has made it clear that it's not going to be easy, scheduling Wisconsin and Ohio State as the two "optional" teams from the other division when they just as easily could have scheduled more winnable games against teams like Illinois and Indiana. Not only did they schedule the Badgers and Buckeyes, but they made them the first two games in the start of a new era. It's a not-so-subtle challenge.
Perhaps it's only a small gesture, but Nebraska's Athletic Department has responded to that challenge by declaring that the first home game of the Big Ten era, October 8, 2011, will be Homecoming.
Nebraska could have whimped out a little bit and chosen later games to be Homecoming - Michigan State on October 29th, or maybe a better choice, Northwestern on November 5th. Don't give me this stuff about November being too late in the season, the first Nebraska Homecoming game occurred on November 16, 1912, defeating Kansas 14-2. The Memorial Stadium sell-out streak started on a Homecoming game, November 3, 1962, with a 16-7 loss to Missouri. In 2002, Nebraska played Kansas for Homecoming on November 9.
Homecomings are normally supposed to be easy wins, the kind that make everyone feel better. The last two have come against South Dakota State and Louisiana-Lafayette. In fact the last time Nebraska tried to make Homecoming a statement game, things didn't work out so well - in Bo Pelini's first season (2008), the Huskers got clobbered by Missouri 52-17. (2007's Homecoming choice proved to be a dagger for the previous coaching regime as Oklahoma State lead 38-0 at halftime before cruising to a 45-14 victory.)
Husker fans will spend the next few months getting to know the Big Ten. There will be more high-gives all around, maybe some hugging, and then October 2011 will roll around and things will get much more serious. It'll be time for some chest puffing.
Go back to that new guy we were talking about just a little bit ago. Balls the size of Jupiter, or one stupid sonofabitch?
Ultimately your opinion will be decided by who wins.
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Good stuff
After all the drama last season, I guess I really don’t care how we’re perceived in the new Big 10 because I guarantee it will be a much better perception than what we left the Big 12 with. That will make this football thing a lot more fun again.
Although if we find ourselves with a 5-7 record at the end of next season, I might not have the same feelings. But I doubt that happens. We’ve got balls the size of Jupiter, great athletes, half of a great coaching staff, and a half a century of success to back it all up.
I wonder
what the reaction everyone would have if we were to win the conference in the first year? Nationally I think it would prove that the Big Ten is weaker than the Conference Texas, SEC, and the PAC 10. So I think the scheduling reflects that. It would not be good for the New Guy to win the conference in the eyes of the old guard. But, I don’t think NU can beat the Buckeyes or the Badgers simply because we can’t score. If the offense improves we might have a shot.
Just Hate Us -- God Knows We Hate Eachother
If you do end up in a bar fight, here’s the scouting report on the usual patrons:
Ohio State: You nailed this characterization. He’s not only the big bad-ass in the bar, but he’s the one who’s been aching to fight someone. You’ll know he’s in by the stars and bars on his pickup truck outside and his incessant attempts to prove to you that he can spell 4-letter words.
Michigan State: He won’t start the fight, but once it gets going, this Juggalo with the angled hat brim and the t-shirt almost to his knees who will be the quickest to jump in. (Also: 100% chance he will find this slight and be offended at it.)
Iowa: Won’t look like a scrapper, but then you’ll see a fist and a flash of flannel going for a nut-shot.
Wisconsin: This old-fashioned meathead will stand two feet away and put up his dukes. The more you laugh at him, the redder his face gets (this can also be accomplished by suggesting his running backs aren’t all that great), but he’ll still just stand there with dukes raised. Smells like cheese.
Michigan: Asshole sitting at the bar making smart-ass comments that he finds really really funny. Plaques of him all over the walls but you can’t imagine why. Knocking him down is easy; it’s getting his mouth to stop moving that’s the real challenge.
Northwestern: Your fight is interrupting his conversation on the pathologies of various bar patrons — his swift kick to your pelvis is calculated to cause maximal disabling, but he is equally likely to trip and smash his own face in on the pool table.
Illinois: Wait, he was there? Which one was he again?
Indiana: Our official bar mascot, a midget with a toothpick. Kick him and he goes down, or watch him flail away for entertainment. Dude always wants to talk basketball, but isn’t actually good at it like Kansas – is a midget, remember?
Purdue: That old factory worker dude in the corner with the Wilford Brimley mustache, goes down like an old man should, but then comes up bitching about cheap shots (and Diabeetus).
Penn State: Don’t be fooled by the crew-neck sweater and pressed khakis, preppie here likes to mix it up, and when he’s done if it wasn’t the hardest shot you’ve ever taken, well, he’ll still pretend like it was.
Minnesota: Oh, that’s just ol’ Gopher donchya know. He’s lyike the gyuy in Fargo — nott too big, nott too mean, nott really gonna pyut up a fyight’ya. Oh, ol’ Gopher, I tellya.
Getting upset over a sporting event seems kind of ridiculous, until you remember that the people who get upset over sports have a remarkable ability to not get upset over the position of the toilet seat, the state of the bed, or the current location of a pair of underwear.
by Misopogon on Jan 28, 2011 12:51 PM CST reply actions 4 recs
I want you all to know
that any time anyone wants to write something more extensive they are welcome to do so. :)
i honest to God struggle with falling into a depression right after CFB season and it takes a bit to get out of it, so…. I know we have some creative people on here…… !
Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
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Twitter!
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by Jon Johnston on Jan 29, 2011 9:18 PM CST up reply actions
Misopogon,
Your post was so damn good! One big rec.
Looking forward to future musings from you…
Born a readhead...which gives me my power.
This is hilarious
Sparty More like the moody drunk – before this season, he could show up looking for a fight with enough to send every bouncer and half the patrons to the curb, the next week fall victim to the midget.
Penn State He might kick your arse, but you still just can’t bring yourself to hate him when he buys you a beer the next week – after all, there are other guys in the bar you have a bigger grudge to settle. Perhaps Corn Nation can finally give him someone who will hate him as much as he hates everyone else.
Michigan You can add that these days he is hanging with the Domer homer, talking about how they used to be able to kick anyone’s arse years ago as if it matters to anyone as they use them to mop the floor.
I feel like were fighting for our 500 dollars
Like the movie “my cousin vinny” ohio state and his two meathead friends wanna fight so we accept a time and place and he starts to second guess his decision
by alex henery's foot on Jan 28, 2011 5:08 PM CST via mobile reply actions
Hardly...
More likely tOSU-Wisconsin-PSU would be playing lumber jack at ring side, throwing kidney punches at each other any time the other was up against the ropes while the one in the ring is looking for a chance to throw an elbow any time they got too close to the “Ring.”
Nebraska and OSU
Nebraska has a little history with most of the B1G schools. They’ve played Minnesota the most out of any school in the conference. Iowa has that border tension. Wisconsin has the Barry tie-in. Michigan and Nebraska will always be linked to 1997 as Penn State will always be linked to Nebraska for 1994 and 1982.
I’ve always seen OSU as the guy at the other end of the room that gives us a casual look, recognizes our accomplishments, gives us the stoic nod and turns away. We don’t have history with them but we know about each other.
by Aaron Musfeldt on Jan 28, 2011 5:19 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Nice analogy
It is amazing that they only played each other twice – 1955 and 1956.
JJ that was a great read...
and Misopogon,that was an excellent addition to it. Gawd! Super Bowl is still a week away and I am already jonesin for the spring game!
Can’t wait to meet our new conference brethren.
GBR!
throw dem bones!!!
Nebraska already in the Big 10 list on SI
According to this page, SI has already shifted Nebraska out of the Big 12 over to the Big 10 – seems odd but there we are:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/team-by-team-commitments/index.html#
The Major Difference - Fan Perspective
8 of the Big Ten members have been playing in the same conference since the late 1800s, Ohio State since before WWI, Michigan State since 1950,
After playing each other for 60 to over 100 years, hate turns to spite.
It isn’t that Nebraska doesn’t have tradition and longevity to equal that of the Big Ten, but don’t be surprised if you aren’t considered the game on any teams schedule even when you are successful – a century of hatred is hard to overcome in a few years or even a few decades.
It isn’t a cultural difference Nebraska just feels right as a Big Ten member, evidenced by the fans and University Presidents and the man most concerned with the culture of the conference – Jim Delany.
2 decades later PSU fans still struggle with this. They entered the Big Ten during an upswing. They naturally made their rival the team they had the hardest time defeating – Ohio State. The problem was, tOSU already had a primary rival in Michigan. It didn’t even matter if tSUN suked and PSU was challenging for the conference title – tSUN had over a 75 years of hatred. The Lions 2nd choice was Michigan, but their fans already had tOSU and Sparty.
Hopefully Corn Nation can avoid this. Iowa will be shopping for a division rival, PSU fans are searching for a rival to hate them with equal vigor, and even the red headed step child of the Big Ten has shown promise in recent years (Northwestern).
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself with the title the 1st year. tOSU is an unknown with a lot of 4 and 5 star athletes filling starting positions for the 1st time, PSU is still a question mark at QB, Wisconsin is being hit hard with graduations without a lot of depth, and tSUN won’t be back their 1st year under a new coach. Iowa is a roller coaster, I think Sparty 2010 was a 1 year wonder, NW is rising but doesn’t have the ponies yet, and before the beginning of the 2010 season I came to realize 2007 was a fluke for Illinois, not a new norm. Minnesota is still a coaching carousel, Purdue hasn’t shown a lot of life yet, and Indiana has just quit trying. Intangible – Nebraska has experience playing a CCG.
,,,just don’t be surprised if it takes a little longer to get your footing as a fan.
The Major Difference - Athletic Department Personnel
Gary Barnett may have summed it up best:
The Big 12 is a polo shirt and jeans conference, The Big Ten is coat and tie. There’s just something about a Big Ten program that you feel like you’re a cut above,
You won;t be publicly chastised like Tuberville was after he questioned the long term future of the Big 12… but there’s a reason squabbles don’t make the headlines as they do in other conferences. cough.sec.cough
After over 20 years at the helm, Jim Delany not only embraced and promoted the values of the Big Ten, to a limited extent he defined it. Before becoming a commissioner, he was on a State Senate Judiciary committee, staff attorney for a State Justice Department, and an NCAA enforcement representative.
He reflects the Big Ten 1 sided in his support and priorities, honest to a fault (he could have remained quiet about his opposition to a playoff like almost everyone else was), but have no doubt – behind the scenes nobody stalls in returning his calls, and no member gets away with tarnishing the conference.
The Major Difference - Universities
Being a member of the Big Ten isn’t just joining an athletic cooperative. There is an academic similarity and level of cooperation not found elsewhere creating a distinct culture that extends beyond the geography and athletic venues.
This can be traced back to the origins of the CIC. University Presidents had been meeting twice yearly before its formation – while the press reported on issues pertaining to Athletics, the meeting minutes showed most of the time was spent discussing academic issues.
http://www.cic.net/Home/AboutCIC/CicHistory.aspx
With the University heads exchanging and adopting ideas for over 70 years, and formally cooperating on a variety of academic and administrative programs initiated by the CIC for over 50 years, it is no surprise the cultural similarities would extend beyond the stadiums and arenas.
Consider that in 1 year the PAC found 7 teams to invite (who knows how many more had Utah or Colorado turned down the invite), I lost track of how many programs were listed and/or invited by Silve.
Contrast this to a 2 decades search that extended from the east coast to the Rockies where the Big Ten only identified 5 programs – PSU, Nebraska, ND, Texas, and TA&M.
Expecxt the changes to extend far beyond the varsity schedules.
BigTen looks forward to the CornHusker Nation
Nebraska is an opponent that most OSU fans, including this one, have admired for years. Nothing better than NU vs. OU in the Barry Switzer days at Okie. OSU-Mich is not the game it used to be but with Hoke taking over at scUM they should be back to their old ways soon.
Good luck in the BIG TEN.
GO BUCKS!!
by BuckeyeTradition on Feb 25, 2011 10:34 AM CST reply actions
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