Jayskers: Should They be Allowed in Nebraska?

In light of some twitter beef between @BarstoolJays and @BarstoolHusker, I think it is a perfect time to establish if it is okay to be a Jaysker in the state of Nebraska.

Before we get into this argument, we have to establish what a Jaysker is. Most Jayskers either come from Omaha or attended Creighton University. In a 2014 article titled “Why ‘Jayskers’ Are the Worst Thing Ever,” penned by our own former writer Derek J. Hernandez, he defines a couple different types of Jayskers.

Some of these include:

• Husker Football/Creighton everything else/went to school at Creighton
• Husker Football/Creighton everything else/didn’t go to school at either
• Husker Football/Creighton basketball/Husker everything else

In another Jaysker article by Patrick Gerhart in 2016, he even describes an older type of Jaysker. Gerhart states that “this type of Jaysker is one that roots for Nebraska football and then crosses state lines to the south and roots for the Kansas Jayhawks during basketball season.”

Whoever roots for any team outside state lines should be shamed. However, is there shame in rooting for Creighton? Cornnation writer Nate Mchugh states “I’m a Creighton alum though I do not speak of it.” Clearly there is a sense of shame or embarrassment.

As for me, an incoming freshmen at Creighton, I do not see the problem. Creighton does not even have a football team, and as a Nebraska native it is in my blood to root for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. However, I am not rooting for Creighton basketball simply because the fact that they are better. I root for all Creighton sports because I was born in Omaha and grew up a Creighton Bluejays fan. I think there is a line drawn when you root for Creighton BECAUSE they are better. It goes back to Hernandez’s third bullet point: Nebraska everything, but Creighton basketball. This should not be allowed.

My point is, I think it is acceptable to be a Creighton fan for every sport, and a Nebraska football fan. CU doesn’t have a football team so it’s not like we are rooting against our own team. The line is drawn when you are rooting against your own school’s team. For example, a Creighton student rooting for Nebraska volleyball simply because they are better. That shouldn’t happen. Whether you’re a Lincoln or Omaha native, a Creighton or UNL fan, I think when it comes to football, we should rally around Husker football as a state with no division or judgement. When it comes to other sports, you should root for your respected school. Again, I believe Hernandez’s first bullet point is the most acceptable. There is no problem for a Creighton fan to love Husker football.

This brings me to my overarching question,

Is it okay to be a Jaysker?