I had my post surgical follow up appointment today. I'd be lying if I said I was entirely thrilled with the news, but I am thankful. The Doc expressed how extremely difficult my surgery was, and that I am going to need to take it easy for quite a bit longer than I had hoped. I am stuck to doing extremely gentle and mild stretching and limited walking for the next 4 weeks at which time he will up my activity slightly. I am not to expect to get back to working until after the beginning of the year.
With that news for ya'll to digest, or should I say me...? Anyways here is my take on what makes a Husker fan one of the very best on the face of this here planet.
Football programs suffer from more than the loss of income without fans filling the stadium. Fans are the 12th player. They can effect the outcome of the games. Players are invigorated by hearing 85,000 fans stomping and screaming in support of them and they play harder, while opposing teams are intimidated and demoralized by the rabble and may play more conservatively.
Some schools can honestly say they have a fantastic fan base. For example, while doing some reading I discovered some of the attendance records for Nebraska's previous games. Check this out, Nebraska's game at The Ohio State, 09/24/1955 - 80,171.
The Ohio State Stadium, with its distinctive horse shoe design, is one of the most memorable and historic stadiums in all of college sports. The stadium now holds 102,329 people. While they do not claim to be sold out, Ohio State has 34 games going into 2007 that had 100,000+ attendance, or about .06% of the States population. I have not been there since the last renovation, but I admit some of my finest memories come from the visits I had there in my youth. That said, I NEVER experienced true fanaticism until I moved to Nebraska. (Whoa OSU fans! I didn't say your bad okay?)
The Huskers have sold out every home game since some time back in 1962, and Memorial stadium with the recent expansion in 2006 now holds ~ 85,000 people. Nebraska has ~ 4.50 % of the entire states current population sitting in Lincoln for every home game. In spite of the large number of people in attendance, Nebraska still has an endless waiting list that requires significant "donation" money in order to move up on the list in HOPE of getting a season ticket should one eventually become available.
Many teams have larger audiences, but the ratio of people who, can attend and do attend, does not significantly effect the over-all work force or economy of these states due to their significantly larger populations. In contrast, some cities in Nebraska are literally turned into ghost towns on game days, while Lincoln expands by nearly 1/3rd it's normal population. To get a better idea of what I'm saying, I live in the city with the 5th largest population in the state of Nebraska. On game day, the population of Memorial Stadium is nearly 3 times greater than that of the city I live in. Nebraska's fan base is so large compared to its population, that many events and businesses have to work around Husker football. Husker games so completely engross the population that retail sales outside of Lincoln drop significantly.
Unless you are a business that caters to the game, such as a sports bar or a pizza delivery joint, you are going to see a decline in sales during the game because everyone that can, will be watching or listening to the game. Not only do the sales dry up during the games, but staffing a business during a game...It isn't easy. I recall a new business (An international retail outlet) that came to our city back in 1991 that launched an investigation because sales dropped so significantly. It wasn't until they arrived to do the investigation that they fully understood the impact of a home Husker game on business.
The psychological, cultural, and economic impact, of Nebraska Football is more important to Nebraskan's than anything I have ever experienced. Think about this, when was the last time you can remember 4.50 % of your states entire population rallying around a single significant event, in the same location, not to mention the hundreds of thousands more listening or watching. People from all over the state, no matter what background or profession, unite in Husker "fandom". This coming together reaffirms and solidifies the fan base of Nebraska in a way that is incredibly powerful.
Yet even with this intense fanaticism, the decency of the Nebraska people makes them the kind of fans that can not only applaud the success of their own, but the success of others. More times than I can count, I have seen Nebraska fans recognize the accomplishments of visiting teams, and show concern for other teams players. In winning I have heard Nebraska fans point out the positives of the opposing team. In losing I have heard Nebraskan's credit the other teams for a well played game. I think this very quality, more than anything else, solidified my choice to be a Husker fan
Your comments about the effect on businesses was right on. When I lived in Lincoln, I had the fortune of managing a restaurant downtown. During the game we would reduce our staff to two cooks, two waits, a bartender and myself or one of the other managers. We were fortunate because we had a big screen tv in our old "party room" and we would show the game in that room for those unlucky saps who could not attend the game in person. If not for that revenue, we would probabaly have had to decrease staff levels further. But, man, you could not believe the numbers when the game started around 1 pm. We would get a large lunch rush and a HUGE dinner rush. A Husker football gotta love it for so many reasons.
Dank1,
I cannot pretend to know the pain Husker fans feel this season. The unraveling of a proud program in a very short period of time is not very common in collegiate sports, but may be more prevalent in the near future, if this season is any barometer. With you and Notre Dame on the current list, who might be next?
Do you think the recent rules change concerning scholarships has any bearing on this or it just poor coaching choices? Is parity actually occurring? I do not know, of course, but I think all of these things are involved.
Nebraska has a good nucleus of highly rated talent on their roster. When the inevitable coaching change occurs and i####ood coaching choice is made, things will begin to return to normal. While I, as a Kansas fan, do not look forward to that, I know it will happen.
I do feel, however, that there might not be as much domination by the traditional powers in college football in the future. The days of the best team’s third string running back being better than their competitor’s starter may be over. In the major conferences more parity is more likely than not, in my humble opinion.
halmay
I really don't see the changes being so drastic when it comes to number of scholorships. I see that we have a fine group of young men.
Coaching, or lack there of, that is glaringly obvious.
I'm sure it will get better, but until it does, I think it is important that the effects on Nebraska need to be clearly stated if only to remind those that be, what exactly it is that is being harmed.
It's not just the feelings of a few diehard fans who then bemoan the situation, but rather the entire state is effected on some level.
I appreciate your confidence in the future of our program, I have the same feelings, but without the pressure and commitment to change and improve matters, Nebraskans have little to look forward to.
Dank1, I see what you are saying, I think. The powers that be must do their jobs in order for the situation to rectify. We will all be watching as this unfolds.
Dank, I thin k the whole fan situation as a big plus for Nebraska. It spills outside it's borders and grows further than we all may think. They definately are a favorite of mine, however I myself feel so bad that the players gave up on the coach. What do you see as the best possible solution to fix the win/loss total.
Ohio State really holds very close to 107,000, but most stadiums put the capcity so much lower that they can say the sold out and it's a capacity crowd. The Shoe still is soooo awesome, but but I think from what I notice the nebraska fan is a great as they come. Thats what I've been hoping to read all summer from fans of their team.
I really like community and or State loyalty, dreaming of Championships and glory on the gridiron.
Thanks for the follow up on the surgery and the great read.
I think the first thing is to get a coach that not only inspires his players to greatness, but puts them in the position to acheive it.
You can only blow smoke up someones back side so long without producing, before they realize your full of bologna.
My uncle got married last fall...on the day of the NU/USC game. His wife was from Iowa, and despite living in Lincoln for 3 years, didn't understand why this was a big deal. Our side of the family kept telling her that Kevin must REALLY love her to have stayed at the reception all night. Also, I had a friend from high school at the game, so I got almost as much attention as the bride when he started texting me with score updates. By the end of the night, most of the men were in the parking lot listening to the game on the one Omaha station they could pick up on someone's car stereo.
The NU fans didn't let those Iowans go unpunished, though. All of the bridesmaids (Iowa State fans) in the wedding party were wearing--you guessed it--red dresses.
