Last night I got to do something that I hadn't done in 14 years. I went to the Husker game by myself. I have been to plenty of Husker games since, but not alone. It was a wonderful experience. Mary and the kids went to North Platte for the weekend so I decided I would sneak in a game. I looked on the Athletic Department website and they still had a few tickets left. I put on a jersey I bought a couple of years ago. It was TIGHT when I bought it, but now it is just a little too big.
My whole experience took me back to Freshman year in college. I parked about a mile and a half away (this was on purpose knowing that the extra walk would do me some good, not to mention save a little money). I walked to the stadium alone (just like I did Freshman year). I took in all the sights, sounds and smells of all the tailgaters parked along the way to the stadium. It happened to be homecoming week so I got to see a few lawn displays as well. They only disappointment in the walk was when I got to where our fraternity was. The house has been torn down for quite a while and is now a green space. I laughed when I saw that they still can't get grass to grow along the sidewalk where we had bare spots too.
One thing that has changed was the student section. They were lined up outside the stadium waiting for their turn to get in. We had assigned seating, but now it is first come first serve. They were packed at the gate 3 hours before the game. But in their drunken stupors they were pumped up for the game with the calls of "GOOOOO.....BIGGGGG....REE...HEAD, GO BIG RED." (True Huskers know what I mean). Some things don't change.
I then walked over to Haymarket Park to see where I would be tailgating for the Colorado game (by the way if you are going to go to the game let me know and I will tell you where we will be tailgating). It was probably another mile and a half to the other side. I did this knowing that all the walking would do me good. This is one thing that I would not have done in college. Maybe if I had I wouldn't be trying to lose all the weight now. I am already healthier than I was when I graduated from college, but have a way to go to get back to pre-freshman weight. Every time I notice things like this I realized I have Crossfit to thank.
This was the first game that I have ever been to where I was conscious about health. I didn't have a Tom Boy hot dog. I can't believe it, but I went to a game without the dog. I did have a lemonade, but that was better than the 3 or so Pepsi's I would normally have. Overall a good weekend.
The game was an all out ass kicking just like Freshman year. Final score 52-17. The MAJOR difference is that Nebraska was on the receiving end of the whipping. My Freshman year was 1994 and the beginning of three out of four national championship years. I got lucky to go to those games as a student. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
There were a lot of sore losers in the stands, but no one knows how to handle this. There hasn't been a Nebraska ass whooping like that in Memorial Stadium in nearly 50 years. People are begging to realized this will be a slow process. I did my share of yelling at the refs on this one, but I will always stand behind my school. Like I told Mary, "I didn't put the N on my arm cause I thought it was going to be a good year at Nebraska. I am a Husker till the day I die". It may seem hokey to some of you but I believe the words of the Nebraska fight song..."Where they're all true blue. We all stick together through all kinds of weather for dear old Nebraska U." This will be a year in which you will separate the true Huskers from those that like to ride the winners bandwagon.
