State of the Corn Nation: An Anniversary, A Request

It's an anniversary! It's a Corn Nation anniversary! It's eight years now since CN was started!

I think, anyway, right around in here somewhere. I can't really remember. I could go back and find our first post, but that would take time and like I have said before, I'm a little lazy, and honestly I don't care that much about dates.

Does anyone remember what was going on eight years ago today?

Let's go back... back... back.... to...

2006

Some fans were hopeful. Some were guarded. Some saw the signs.

Yes, the signs that Bill Callahan was completely incapable of running a college football program. I should have known it when we lined up to kick a field goal against Pitt when we were at their goal line, but I'm just stupid and hopeful in that way that you keep treating your best friend so shitty but he keeps thinking that some day you'll appreciate him for the best friend he is, you miserable bastard.

I am that eternally hopeful guy, who's completely willing to disregard all the signs that things aren't really going to work out because I have a character flaw, dammit, eternal hopefulness, and even though I'm a crotchety bastard sometimes, I'm still internally hopeful that everything will turn out okay. Even worse, I'm willing to work really hard that it does while still ignoring the fact that it won't.

Eight years ago was perhaps dumbest time to start a Nebraska football web site, but that's what we did, because we're dumb, and have done many more dumb things than you'll ever do and then we made a lot of them public because we know that if nothing else, you need, sometimes desperately, someone to feel better than.

Dumber than the timing was naming said web site Corn Nation because cornnation.com is not something you'd look for on the internets. It's not something that comes up in searches for Nebraska football because "Corn" and "Nation" are not things that are associated with Husker football.

You know the story - Callahan sucked, got fired, then we got this new guy, Bo Pelini, who has done a fair job at being a head coach. If you had to ask - I'm not entirely sold on him, but I believe that he's improving. He is our head coach for now and until Shawn Eichorst says different that's the way it's going to be.

I don't know if Nebraska is going to have four losses again this season or more than that, or have an amazing run. Neither do any of you. I do have a feeling that this season will be way up or way down, that there is no middle road coming this year. Either way it will be more of a roller coaster ride than we've been on in a while.

If it's bad, it will result in a Husker fan base tearing itself apart in the same way it did when the Callahan era started to come apart. This will not be fun. It will not be fun in any way shape or form, and I like to have fun, especially with my college football.

Therefore, I have a request for you this season:

Husker football is something we all love. It's something that gathers us together. It is the glue that holds together an entire fucking state. I don't think that's very healthy, but that's the way it is.

I want you all to remember that no matter what happens this season that we're in this together. We are Husker fans - "All stick together in all kinds of weather...", you know, that bit. Cheesy, yes, but given what Nebraska football means to the state, it should be repeated more than that stupid-assed "Greatest Fans in College Football" statement.

I want a web site that reflects that love. I want you all to be respectful of each other despite what happens this season. I want you to express your opinions in a healthy, positive, loving manner, otherwise I will be forced to take action. I don't know what the hell that means any more than you do, but... well, there.

CornNation has grown by quite a bit, and this season will be enormous for us. I hope that you all enjoy the site, enjoy the football, and above all, love and respect each other because in the end life is a lot more fun it you do.

Okay, fuckers?