Why can’t every place be like Lincoln, Nebraska?
Courtesy, sportsmanship make Huskers' home truly special
By Berry Tramel
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73
Published: November 7, 2009
Nebraska fans exude class and are truly different from any other fans in college football. Photos courtesy Lincoln Journal Star
LINCOLN, Neb. — "There is no place like Nebraska,” rings the first line of Dear Old Nebraska U., the Cornhusker alma mater.
Ain’t it the truth? Generations of players, coaches and fans have learned what will be on display tonight at Memorial Stadium, where the Huskers host Oklahoma. Class. Hospitality. Courtesy to all. "Every Cajun fan felt like a guest,” Louisiana-Lafayette radio announcer Jay Walker blogged after the ULL-Nebraska game in September. "That’s right. A guest. Not the opposition...not the enemy...a guest.” From the welcomes at the airport to the friendliness at hotels and restaurants, from the lack of boos when opposing players take the field to the fan-formed paths they journey to exiting applause, Nebraska is different from any place in college football. "People take pride in how we treat other people,” said Bob Knowles, past president of the Nebraska Touchdown Club. "The culture and values here, you look out for your neighbor. You treat people the way you’d want to be treated.” Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer era experienced such hospitality. "Pretty classy at the stadium, at the hotel, wherever you encounter them,” said Merv Johnson, OU’s assistant head coach from 1979-94 and now the Sooner radio analyst. Johnson recalled the 1986 OU-NU game, when the Sooners won 20-17 with a stirring rally. "They were totally stunned,” Johnson said of the Husker fans. "They stayed in the stands. But still, they were complimentary and kind. Nobody said anything about being lucky.” The Bob Stoops era is no different. "The more you play up there, the more you understand they appreciate good football,” said Stoops, who has been coming to Lincoln for 20 years with either Kansas State or OU. "Even 2005, when we won, there were people applauding you. That’s their culture. That’s how they do things. It’s pretty neat.” Stoops is right. Class indeed is part of the Nebraska culture. "It’s something we’re very proud of,” said Randy York, director of husker.com. "It’s not perfection, but it is sincere and it is overwhelming.” Why can’t everywhere be like Lincoln? Well, hard to put the knucklehead back in the bottle. Make no mistake, Nebraska has its share of goobers. But its fans seem to self-police. The crowd mentality, which afflicted humans long before layout of the first gridiron, is beaten back in Nebraska. "Fans around here have a long enough memory, they don’t appreciate a lot of booing or negative thoughts being said about our players or other players,” said Tom Osborne, Nebraska’s coach from 1973-97 and now its athletic director. "When you go through losing, the worst comes out in people. But there’s enough positive tradition here, it would take awhile for it to take hold.” The stories of Nebraska class — from Bobby Bowden’s thank-you letter 30 years ago to Jay Walker’s blog — feed off each other. About the only thing Nebraskans disagree on is how the traditions started. Knowles believes it began with Osborne. No doubt Osborne was as gentlemanly a coach as the game has seen. Midwestern values never had such a classic icon. "He never viewed an opponent as the enemy,” Knowles said. "You treat people the right way. Osborne was around for so long, was such a big influence and beloved. I think people take their cue from him.” But others say Nebraska’s tradition pre-dates Osborne. "It’s kind of a Nebraska thing,” said Barry Moore, who was on the Husker sideline crew from 1967-88. "We’re a pretty courteous lot. Through the years, we’ve had to battle weather and crops, working hard. We appreciate having fun.” Moore says the same atmosphere can be found at Nebraska volleyball crowds. "They’ll applaud an opponent in the middle of a point if she digs one out,” Moore said. "They appreciate good effort of young people.” And so tonight, the Sooners, win or lose, will saunter off the field and through a tunnel, where they will be lined by Nebraska fans on both sides, shouting not "you suck,” but "good game;” using their hands not for a one-finger salute, but to clap for a game well-contested. Maybe the Sooners will feel the way some of us have felt after seeing the remarkable Nebraska tradition. Maybe they will wonder why every place can’t be like Lincoln but be glad that at least one place is. Berry Tramel: 405-760-8080; Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.
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As far as I'm concerned, I'd be happy if every place was like Lincoln to the Swooners. THen again, ou wouldn't win any games.
Went to one game there and it was as promised both the night before and on game day. (watch out for the food they call Runzas though) ;)
Boomer !
It looks to me like both of our teams are in the same boat. Our defenses are great. Our offenses need work! Maybe 2010 will bring back the NE-OU conference rivalry we all remember. Hope to see you at Arrowhead in 2010! With some luck, we'll go warm up the field for you this year.
GO BIG RED! (Both of them!)