KSU@NU

I was a occupant of the 4th largers city in Nebraska today, as a matter of fact, simultaneously I was in the second largest city as well. Crazy. Newton get out your protractior and try to assign a formula to that!

There are alot of things one would expect or at least hope for in their Maiden voyage to Memorial Stadium, and winning is one of them.

So, here's the scoop, noon on a Saturday afternoon, Saturday November 15th, 2003. This cute girl that I know and is a friend of mine instant messeges me. She apparently has decided to go into Omaha for the day in order to pay the family a visit, unfortunatley these actions would leave one Husker Student ticket lonely and in her draw waiting to be thrown away. A devistation, so the offer is put forth, rather the plea put out of whether or not I would like to procure one Husker Football ticket and add my number to the ranks of the 78,000+ on hand today at Memorial Stadium. WOULD I!?! WOULD I?!! (No this is not some cheesy joke about some guy with wooden eyeballs.) So, said ticket is dropped off by about 1 o'clock and I am on my way by almost 1:30. OH BOY!!!

Now, every single Joe Schmoe will blab on and on about "the experience" and I guess I must say, it is something that should be enjoyed on a personal basis. There's alot of people in one stadium in Northern Lincoln on gameday. Lots of people, a veritable throbbing mass, a pulsing collective all bent on Husker Domination, well I guess most in the stadium are. Really and truly, the raw power that can be felt, during the minutes before kickoff as the team takes the field, perhaps even heightened today because it was the seniors last home game. But the Nebraska Fight Song pumps out of the band and the loudspeakers, 78, 000 are on their feet, the anticipation, the noise, the excitement. The blackshirts, the offense the emotion is already thick enough to take flight.

Now, I would actually like to just make out some points that most others may not have observed from an experience of this magnitude. First of all, they say that if you are ever in a swarming mob, just pick up your feet and you will be carried along. Well, there just weren't enough other feet there to carry my feet. To be honest I was dissapointed, and I must have looked like a fool trying to pick up my feet and having nothing happen.

Second, to me it is most amazing how efficient the restrooms can be during half time. There is a line probably 30 feet long outside of the restroom, but amazingly enough that line is continually moving, a steady stream in-going and out-going allike, absolutley amazing. Gotta love the trough.

Thirdly, props to the hot-dog slinger guy. He's great! Although I wasn't a personal recipient of any of his fair today. Many others were and heck, who isnt awed by the sheer power of a contraption that can shoot a frankfurter about 30 yards. WOW! I think they call him "Da Vienter Schlinger" almost like its supposed to be German or something. How inane.

Fourth thing of worth that I noted from the game as well is that these are not just "fans" filling the seats of the stadium. Rather, today I entered an arena of nearly 78,000 people that completely felt like they knew and understood "the game" better than the professionals on the field. Ok, Im not only talking about the coaches. But the guys and gals of the seats near mine apparently, truly believe that they know football better than the coaches, players, referees and any other sort of person that spends 5 days a week practicing. There are some gosh darn smart people in these stands.

The noise, sure its powerful almost deafeningly so at times. But I must say that to me even more impressive than that was the silence. Today Husker Nation paid its regards to the seven men and women from Nebraska who have given their lives in Iraq. 78,000+ and all you could hear was the nervous shuffling of feet and clothes from people fidgeting about. (I teared up.)

Well, to this point I have explained alot, but have left out what perhaps should be the main point of a trip to a football game. Sure it was good to see, but I think that when it all boils down, we walked away after 60 minutes of football with a most regretable performance. I did however stay for the entire game. I fought the urge to which many succumbed and that was to leave early. Nope, I stayed.

Now my arm and hands are sore from all the clapping. I must have clapped more today than we normally do in church.