Get To Know the Corn Nation Community: RevengeOfTheBlackshirts

Let me get this out of the way..... AWWWWWWWW! Is that picture adorable or what?

Now that the B1G has reached the eastern shores, we have opportunities to road trip out to Penn State or Rutgers. If I were to do that (and I really want to in the next few years!) RevengeOfTheBlackshirts is definitely getting an email asking for advice on navigating the local scene. I absolutely love how diverse and widespread our CN community is.

How did you become a Husker fan?

I was born in Omaha, the day after we beat Penn St 38-17. My dad had to watch the second half in the hospital waiting room. All of my family are diehard Husker fans and most went to NU, therefore it is my birthright.

Unfortunately, my dad got a job transfer to NJ when I was young, but my summers were spent back in Nebraska with family. Every fall though, all of the Husker gear would scattered through the NJ home and we were lucky when the Huskers were on national TV. When the games were not on TV, my grandpa would call with updates. If it was close, he would put the phone next to the radio. We went to 2 of the 3 Husker Kick-Off Classics in the old Giants Stadium, which was pretty cool (were not yet in NJ for the Penn State one). The Kick-Off Classic vs Texas A&M was my first Husker game live. I had mono at the time, but still cheered as loud as I could and lost my voice before the second half.

Now living in PA, I am active in the Nebraska alumni chapter here (even though I am not an alum) and my boys (ages 2 and 4) are learning the ways of the Husker fan. My last game was vs. the Sooners in 2009, a 30th birthday gift from my wife. I am pumped because I just got my tickets for the Rutgers game in November.

You can take the dude out of Nebraska, but you will never get the Husker out of the dude.

If you traveled forward in time and learned that the Huskers never win a Big Ten title or a national title ever again - would you still cheer for them?

Yes, because I will always be a Husker, and that is not contingent on wins and losses.

What is your favorite Husker-related memory?

Great question, but it is difficult to choose. In honor of my late father, I will have to say the two touchdown runs my Cory Schlesinger in the Orange Bowl. We had just about given up hope and were watching the game with our hands over our faces at that point. When he scored the first one, I think the whole neighborhood could hear us! When he scored the second one, we lost our voices.

Runner up would be the 80 yd TD run by Clinton Childs against Arizona St on the first offensive play from scrimmage (I believe that was '95). That was my first game in Memorial Stadium and just after I blew my shoulder out as a sophomore RB in high school (that NJ all-state OLB hits hard). My dad brought me to the game as a way to cheer me up.

Ranchbabe's note: The touchdown ROTB mentions is at the 3:30 mark of this video. "The first play from scrimmage will be what they call an open set, and it will be an outside zone play. Two wideouts right, one to the left. Frazier the quarterback, Makovicka the fullback, and of course, Clinton Childs the starting tailback replacing Lawrence Phillips...."

What is your most prized piece of Husker gear or memorabilia?

I was at a football camp in Long Island, NY and the last day they had a blowout sale. In the bottom of a bin was a Nebraska hat, it was one of those bar hats from the early 90s, cost me $5. I wore it every day for the next 10 years before I retired it. It is now in my box of Nebraska memorabilia.

But, the picture at the top of the article is probably my favorite. Those are my 2 boys wearing my current Nebraska hats.

Do you have any "superstitions" or routines that you have to do on game day?

My Husker gear only comes from Husker Hounds on 84th and Center in Omaha. I cannot tell you when this started, but it's been a while. I usually have 2 set game day gear, one for when I know we need a huge defensive day (all Blackshirt gear) and one for a huge offensive day (mostly all red).

Among your family and friends, who is the most die-hard Husker fan? What makes you say that?

Me. Because I am.

What is something non-Husker related about you that people here at Corn Nation would be surprised or interested to know?

I have the worst fear of sharks.

What are you looking forward to the most this upcoming season? What are you most worried about?

I just want us to be competitive and I think we can be. But, I worry that we could be looking at a 6-6 season.

Predictions!

Will Armstrong's completion % improve and about where do you think it will end up (%)?

Yes, maybe around 62%

# of touchdowns for Pierson-El this season?

A lot

(Ranchbabe's note: This was answered before DPE's injury, but I think ROTB will still end up being correct!)

Will we get the monkey....errrr badger....off our backs this year and beat Wisconsin?

Yes, 27-21

# of interceptions for Nate Gerry - and how many does he return for a touchdown?

5 ints, 1 returned

Which freshman (true or redshirt) has the biggest impact on the Blackshirts?

Dedrick Young, LB

What animal will Jack Gangwish kill this year?

Hopefully 11 Badgers

Who is the leading tackler for the Huskers (and how many tackles, TFL's)?

You will know if it is a good defensive year by this answer. A good year and it will be Rose-Ivey with 105 tackles, 12 TFL. If Nate Gerry is the leading tackler with 80 tackles and 2 TFLs, that means things did not go so well.

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Thank you RevengeOfTheBlackshirts for giving us a look into your corner of the Husker world, and for providing one of the most adorable pictures in this series yet!

Only a handful of our GTKtCNC profiles left - I had hoped to have them done before the season started, but we have such an awesome community, I will continue for a week+ yet. I hope all of you have enjoyed these as much as I have!