I grew up in a small suburban town on the southernmost tip of Omaha, where the rolling hills of the Missouri valley meet the flats of the Platte River basin.
To the north of our modest home was the largest city in Nebraska: almost a half-million people in a rapidly expanding matrix of communities gobbling up the unlimited real estate of the western plains. To the south, only a bike ride’s distance over the hill, were majestic cornfields planted in one of the few remaining reservoirs of rich black topsoil on earth.
A Thousand Miles from the Rest of the World
If you look at a map of the United States, Nebraska is about as far away from New York, Los Angeles, Texas, or any foreign country as you could possibly get in the United States. Glitz, fame, and fortune were just things that we saw on TV.
Even though we didn’t have all the attractions of a major metropolitan area, we made the most of what we did have. As soon as we were old enough to go outside, we learned to play in the dirt. It made us tough. It made us aware and proud of the space we lived in.
It’s in the Blood
As soon as I could grip a football with two hands, I aspired to run the triple-option. I’d fake the handoff to my mom, get my dad to commit to the run and pitch the ball to my best friend who would run it in for a touchdown.
If you haven’t heard, Nebraska is football country. The heartbeat of the state lives and dies for Saturdays in the fall when Nebraskans from all over the nation flood the aisles of Memorial Stadium to create the state’s third-largest population center (behind Omaha and Lincoln).
Without another nationally recognized sports team to compete with, college football gets the undivided attention of Nebraskans. The collective hopes, dreams, and pride of the state are focused on one team.
The Roots Run Deep
The lure of Nebraska football runs deep. It’s hard to explain to an outsider because it’s intangible, instinctive… almost spiritual. It’s the fourth most-motivating factor to Nebraskan’s behind food, water, and shelter.
…and it’s not just because we’ve won five national championships. Nebraskans connect to the football program because of the way the winning was done.
Character
Character has always been extremely important to the football program. Likewise, character has always been extremely important to Nebraskans. Whether the football program influenced the character of Nebraskans or Nebraskans influenced the character of the football program might just be a classic chicken-and-egg scenario.
One thing’s for sure: the synergy between the football program and the people of Nebraska has powerfully strengthened the character of all who’s lives have been touched.
Tom Osborne
I was lucky enough to have three father figures as a child: My own father, my grandfather, and Nebraska coach Tom Osborne. Each taught me lasting lessons about how to live my life.
Osborne took over the coaching job in 1973, just two years before my birth. He coached for over thirty years and capped off an inspiring career by winning national championships in 1994, 1995, and in 1997: his final year. Even though I never played football for Osborne, I was lucky enough to be a student at the University of Nebraska in each of his championship years.
You didn’t have to be a football player for Osborne to be your coach. The strength of his message was so strong, it resonated with all of us.
Tom Osborne the coach symbolized the character of Nebraska. He wasn’t flashy or big-headed. He was humble. He expected hard work without complaint from his team. He was competitive, yet respectful of his opponents.
Commitment
He was steadfast in his approach, never wavering from his goal. Option football was declared dead long before he finished his career with three championships. Even when his approach came under scrutiny, he held strong to his principles and rode them to victory.
Work Ethic
The football team under Osborne was living proof that anything could be accomplished with hard work and character. As a whole, his teams were never the most talented in the nation; but they were the most hard-working and cohesive.
Self-Determinism
It was common for a walk-on player from a small town in Nebraska to work his way into a starting position. Year after year, the most talented players in the nation would pass up Nebraska for flashier teams in Florida, California, or Texas; only to get beat by the hungrier walk-ons and work horses that chose Nebraska for the love of the game.
It was immensely inspiring. I’d have to say that I owe my belief in self-determinism in large part to these kinds of examples.
Even at the top, Nebraskans expected the highest standards of their players. While other teams were filled with trash-talk, endzone dances, and individual displays; Nebraska players were strictly business.
Ahman Green on Jim Rome
The impact of this philosophy was made crystal clear to me a few years ago when I heard former star Husker running back Ahman Green on a radio interview with Jim Rome. Ahman is roughly my age and went to high school in Omaha not far from me. After college, he went on to play for the Green Bay Packers.
I like listening to Jim Rome because even though he’s tough, he’s one of the few remaining commentators who sticks up for character and responsibility in sports. I wish I had a transcript from the interview, but to the best of my memory it went something like this:
Rome asked Green why he never got overly excited after scoring a touchdown like most of the other guys in the NFL. Green said that it went back to his playing days at Nebraska. When guys would get cocky after scoring, Tom Osborne would tell them:
“Act like you’ve been there before.”
That infinite wisdom stuck with Ahman Green even after making millions in the NFL.
A Simple Man
The video at the end of this article includes Tom Osborne’s last speech as a football coach. If you didn’t know who he was, you might have expected more fire, flash, shock and awe from a coach’s speech; but to those who’s lives he’s touched, it shows the strength of his character.
At the time of this speech, his team had just gone undefeated; however, there was still some question as to whether or not they’d win the vote for the championship (for those who don’t know college football, there isn’t a playoff like every normal sport in the world, and it causes a lot of headaches).
Instead of campaigning to the voters with a flashy speech declaring himself the victor, he simply said:
“I don’t know that a whole lot of talking now is going to do any good, we did it out there on the field. Let’s just tell ‘em hey, let ‘em vote.”
Instrument of Communication
Football is how Nebraskans communicate with the rest of the world. We don’t have a massive film industry, or financial markets, or vacation destinations for everyone to get to know us. Our voices are heard when ESPN Gameday broadcasts live from Memorial Stadium.
We know our message is getting out when, time after time, opposing coaches interviewed after the game confess how impressed they were when their team was cheered off the field by victorious Husker fans.
Steadfastness
On November 3, 1962, Nebraska played Missouri at home in Memorial Stadium. Every seat was sold and Nebraska went on to win its first bowl game that year.
This game wasn’t especially significant, except for the fact that it marked the beginning of one of the most amazing streaks in College Football. Every seat in every game for the next 35 years, continuing to this day, has been sold-out; an NCAA record of 283 consecutive sellouts.
To put this record in perspective you have to consider that Nebraska has the smallest population of any state in the Big XII (1.8 million vs 23.5 million for Texas); yet the average game attendance is 85,044 (second to Texas’ 88,505).
Loyalty
Nebraska fans are known for their propensity to travel. When the team goes on the road, the fans follow; sometimes overtaking the stadiums of their opponents. The message is loyalty and respect. Most people who have come into contact with Nebraska fans commend them for being respectful.
Sports and Life
I’m not sure if I completely grasped the significance of Husker Football on the lives of Nebraskans when I was younger. Even though I was a huge fan, I think I started to believe, like many people, that sports weren’t important in the grand scheme of life. It was easy to write off the past-time of following football as a hobby, or inconsequential to anything else but entertainment value.
In reality, sports are a metaphor for life. Each of us lives in a constant struggle between competition and character, and sports can provide a roadmap for how to navigate life. Some people favor competition at all costs. Others favor character at the expense of competition.
Husker Roadmap
The model that I grew up on is a balance between competition and character. A football team provided that example to me and it stuck. I’m not ashamed to admit that I view the world through scarlet glasses, and it has helped to make me who I am today.
It’s been over ten years since I’ve lived in Nebraska, but I still carry it with me. I’ve since lived in Europe, New York, Texas, and now in Los Angeles. My perspective on the western world is fairly rounded, and I have to say: there’s something special about Nebraskans and those who respect the Nebraska tradition.
Mac Brown is the head coach for the Texas Longhorns. His team won the national championship in dramatic fashion during the 2005 season. I saw him in a press interview before taking his team into Lincoln during the following season. The reigning champion was humbled going into Nebraska and credited Tom Osborne and the Husker tradition as the model he used in building his championship dynasty.
Famous Nebraskans
It’s no mistake that so many people from this little state have gone on to achieve great success: Fred Astaire, Marlon Brando, Warren Buffett, Gerald Ford, Willa Cather, and Johnny Carson just to name a few.
Even today, a whole new generation of Nebraskans are leaving a mark on the world including Oscar-winning director Alexander Payne (Sideways), and the band 311. I wouldn’t be surprised if Husker football left an impact on their lives as well.
Tradition
To those outside of Nebraska, it might seem a little strange to think that a sports team could have this much impact on a community; but every Nebraskan considers him or herself a Husker. Membership to such an elite legacy comes with great responsibility. Every Nebraskan holds him or herself to an extremely high standard.
As the world becomes increasingly connected, more and more Husker fans are moving away from their homeland in search of jobs and new adventures. As we blend into the rest of the world, I sense a vast yearning for the character that Nebraska tradition represents.
In this increasingly complex and violent world, each human would do well to consider the characteristics of ancient Nebraska tradition:
Loyalty,
Respect,
Work-Ethic,
Steadfastness,
Commitment,
Humility,
and Excellence.
Until that day comes, you can find me with good friends watching the Husker game.
HuskerPedia
Huskers.com
Husker Page on ESPN
Husker Football on Wikipedia
(Featured photo by Katrina J Houdek)
Awww, I’m from Nebraska too! And I live in LA! I watch the Tom Osborne DVDs every once in awhile. It always gives me motivation to be a better person!
By the way, where do you watch the games when in LA?
I used to go down to Hermosa Beach and watch the games.. I forget the name of the bar. I’ve since moved back to Texas.
Just came upon this, I have never seen a truer account of what it means to be a Husker. I grew up in McCook and Papillion, left for college in Chicago and just came back and I tell you there is no place like Nebraska, no team like Nebraska, no community like Nebraska.
I am a farm boy from Nebraska now living in DC. I loved the article. Reminded me of the times I spent listening to the games from the tractor radio or when a student at UNL getting “primed” for the games. Hopefully the ‘skers can bring back that old time smashmouth football.
Wow. Just found this. Grew up in Culbertson (just west of McCook), attended UNL, now living in San Diego. This says it all. If Nebraska is in our blood, this is what we’re all about. (Took my son, a San Diego native, to Nebraska vs Iowa State in 2007. It was life-changing for him, and it was a crappy season.)
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The greatest article ever compiled on a blog. I read this and watched the video and I cried. I grew up in Nebraska in Scottsblufff. My father was born there. Watch the Huskers every saturday. Saddest day was when Tom Osborne retired. Thanks for the post.
Growing up in Nebraska and participating in the magic of Husker football as a member of the Cornhusker Marching Band, I must complement you on your article. It can be difficult trying to express in words what it means to come from Nebraska and the connection established with the university’s football team. Truly, it is a bond with the past and a promise of the future in what it means to be a Nebraskan.
I AM A HUSKER, Class of 72, I was a cub scout and Boy Scout when Coach Jennings could not fill the 35,000 seats of memorial stadium, Growing up, one of my most treasured possession was a Thunder Thornton chin strap tossed to the herd of kids following the team back to the locker room.
Being from Nebraska and cheering for Nebraska provides us with a perspective that many of our peers do not have. We have seen them win big (Oklahoma,Texas, Colorado, win small (fumblerooski) , lose big (Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado) and lose small (going for the win and failing in the Orange Bowl when a tie would guarantee a National Title), but each of these games was fought fairly and with respect. How many top 20 coaches would take a knee at the Wake Forest 1 yard line, and not roll over when being outmatched by a superior USC team, playing and scoring when all hope of winning was lost. Nebraskans can always hold their heads high, whether we win or lose, !
Thank you Coach Devaney, Coach Osborne, Coach Solich, Coach Callahan for making Nebraska a class act.
How Husker Football has Contributed to Nebraska’s CharacterBy Brian Lee I grew up in a small suburban town on the southernmost tip of Omaha, where the rolling hills of the Missouri valley meet the flats of the Platte River basin. To the north of our modest home was the largest city in Nebraska: almost a
WOW! You have said it and have made Husker Fans (no matter where they are today) VERY proud to say they are a HUSKER!
Great article Brian. You nailed it.
Nice list of successful people, but the other thing this list of Nebraska notables has in common, most of them moved AWAY from Nebraska (four out of six anyway). Buffett lives in Omaha today, and Cather wasn’t born in Nebraska, but moved there when she young. She wrote her most famous books while living in New Hampshire. Astaire, Brando and Carson ended up living in California and Ford was a Michigan man through and through (and really shouldn’t even be on this list). Johnny Carson was born in Iowa.
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As soon as I clear the tears from my eyes,WOW that was sooo emotional,makes me so damn proud to be a HUSKER,I hope the coaches have shown this to the players,especially the BLACKSHIRTS…the intensity the blackshirts show in the footage is incredible…Its my Birthday Saturday and could not receive a better GIFT than for the Huskers to BEAT USC in OUR HOUSE…GO BIG RED
Brian: I too am humbled by your tribute to Nebraska, its people, and the fine tradition of Husker Football. Having left Nebraska in 1973 and with over 100 relatives residing in the state, I have always said I need to get Nebraska Football out of my system. I now know why I have failed–it is part of my core beliefs and essence as a person. For you information, as I write this note (from a non-disclosed Texas location), I have a Husker football hat in the back seat of my truck. Go Huskers! Go Nebraska!
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Thanks Brian for putting it so well. I was raised in GI – moved to Minneapolis in 1981 – came back in 2004 to care for my elderly mother. I miss the big city and will be moving again – this time to Phoenix – but when it comes to Saturdays in the fall there is no place I would rather be than Lincoln! After reading your article and watching the video I immediately sent the link to my two brothers who live in Hawaii and California and two of my cousins who live in Dallas. It is just too darn good not to share. My siblings and I buried our dear mother on August 30th and I decided that there wasn’t anything better for us to do as a family than to attend the season opener in Lincoln. So my sis and three brothers and three of my nieces all drove to Lincoln and went to the game. It was a glorious day for all of us and I couldn’t think of a better family outing in which to honor our dear Mom – she loved the Cornhuskers too!
Brian great article. I remember going to a FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHETES banquet in McCook NE in the 80’s that Dr. Tom keynoted at was in awe by his wonderful manner and modesty.
I think of so many walk on players and can imagine how they propelled more talented scholarship players to become greater than they imagined because some eight man kid from Columbus or Cozad would lose his right arm to play 1 year as a fifth year senior.
Brain,
Nicely written and universally believed by all of us Husker Fans.
Thanks
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I have goosebumps now that will not go away until I get into Memorial stadium on saturday night for the kickoff. That article reminded me of why I am a Husker and why I never want to be anything else. Not the victory but the action, Not the goal but the game, In the deed, the glory. There is no place like NEBRASKA!!!!
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Thanks, this so wraps up the feelings of so many in our humble state!
WOW!!! What an article and what a video. As someone who seen a lot of these plays in person it brought back many, many fond memories.
Dr. Tom…..thank you!
GO BIG RED
A cool fall afternoon in Nebraska driving around with buddies listening to the Cornhuskers. Bring your California friends out to central Nebraska. We will show em a good time.
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Brian,
Thanks for the great article! I am also from Nebraska, but now living in Minnesota. I too know and understand the values that Nebraskans typically stand for: charcter, strong work ethic, and the value of tradition. I have been a Husker fan all my life and am still a fan yet today. My father was also a fan and we watched Husker games all the times: NU vs. Colorado, NU vs. Oklahoma, and every bowl game. He passed those same midwestern traits on to me and I try to pass them on to my children.
My father died in December 2006 and we never had a chance to go to a game together. My brother and I are going back to Lincoln next month for our first game ever in Memorial Stadium. It would be great if dad could be there too, but his memory will be with us forever.
Thanks again for the great tribute to Nebraska and the football that we cherish so much and what the team means to us on and off the field.
GO BIG RED!
I have never been so proud to be a Husker. As said, I am humbled by this wonderful testament. I had to fight back tears and there is still a huge lump in my throat. Finishing it off with the video tribute to the Huskers was so moving. I have never tired of that video. Thank you so much for a job so well done. Now, let’s kick the snot out of USC!!!!
Great job of summing up why most Nebraska fans are Nebraska fans.
Look for a book due out in the next couple of months than has expained on this topic called The Nebraska Way!
Man, you hit it on the head.
Growing up in Nebraska in similar circumstances, now living in Missouri, I’m a stronger Husker fan than I was even during 94-97 championships.
Fantastic article!!
Day by Day, we get better and better, were a team that can’t be beat!!!
Thank you Grant Wistrom!!!
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Amen, Bugeater!!
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WOW! I am in tears. PLEASE someone get that to the USC game for the tunnel walk!!!!! I live in NC and just loved this article. was in person for the wake win and am going to USC game. GBR!!
Credit for Nebraskans for being the best fans in the nation is due to Osborne. We all wanted to emulate his class and humility. Can you imagine booing the opposing team with Osborne as coach. We wouldn’t have wanted to shame ourselves or embarass our coach.
Credit Nebraskans for their work ethic, integrity, humility and steadfastness is due to our Scandanavian, German and Irish ancestors. If you know many Scandanavians you know they don’t waste words or talk just to hear themselves.
My father was a star football player in a Nebraska high school and won many state awards. The only thing he says about his talent acknolwedgement in high school was his Swedish mother saying to him “don’t let this go to your head”.
He died a year ago this month and his humilty and work ethic and strong character was rewarded by the number of people at his funeral and the wonderful words that all said about him.
Never underestimate the importance of character.
Brian, what a tribute to the spirit and people of Nebraska, I’m humbled….
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about NU fans donating tickets to those who give us freedom to play the games. Here’s an article specifically about this game with USC and what it would mean about NU football. Here’s a very well written postabout how NU Football has contributed to Nebraska’s character. VIDS: Beano Cook cites NU as a rare example of sportsmanship in sports today Does anyone know of a Nebraska video on the web that is better than this one? [IMG] NU @ Wake Forest Highlights (it was an ugly win