Nebraska 49 Mississippi State 20

Before I start writing on our experiences at the 49-20 Nebraska win over Mississippi State in Lincoln on Saturday, September 1, I need to make a few introductory remarks.

First, I keep forgetting to put a notice on all the pictures in any of my posts that they can be enlarged by clicking on them.  Also, I found out Saturday how hard it is to get really good sports photographs.  I almost had an award winning touchdown photo, but at the last second a guy wearing a cornhead jumped up and blocked the shot.  Now all I have is a great shot of a cornhead if I ever decide to make on post on sports hats.

That experience makes me appreciate even more the work that professional photographers do at the games.  A good example would be the game photos by Omaha World-Herald photographer and amateur radio friend of mine, Jeff Beiermann, in the game coverage in Sunday’s edition.  His photo of Coach John Papuchis was even selected for the two-page photo on page 10CF.  Great job Jeff!  Now, how about some of those sequence photos from the good old days? 

Second, when preparing these posts I try to never read the write-ups by the professional writers until after I have completed mine.  I don’t want to be influenced by what they write.  Although, if you want play-by-play descriptions you are not going to get those from me anyway.  I’ll let them handle the X’s and O’s.  I try to provide, as Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of the story”.”

I do download the game statistics from http://www.huskers.com/  It is easy to compile a game story just from the statistics.  For my comments on how computer software handles it, see my post in my Archives from January 22, 2012.

With all of that out of the way, I can proceed with my story.  On the drive down to Lincoln, Karol and I couldn’t help but notice the effects of the hot dry summer.  The beans are already starting to turn color, which I think is early.  Actually, I was surprised that more corn had not been cut or combined as most of it is still in the field.  The dry-land corn really looks pathetic.  I’m working on a post about the summer weather statistics for Fremont, which should be ready in a day or two.

We parked in a parking garage on 14th Street northeast of the stadium.  I had forgotten about my amateur radio antenna on the top of the truck, so BAM, BAM, BAM all the way to the top as it hit the roof of the garage every few feet.  And to make matters worse, on the way out I did the very same thing.  BAM, BAM, BAM all the way down.  Too bad our kids or grandkids weren’t with us as it would have embarrassed them to no end.  But, isn’t that an unwritten requirement to be a parent or grandparent?  Embarrass kids and grandkids whenever possible?

Entering the stadium, the massive stadium expansion project is the first thing that is visible.  The next thing I noticed was that the Dorothy Lynch signs were still up.  Over on the sideline, the Fairbury Brand Hot Dog Man was getting Der Wiener Schlinger ready to go.  Actually, he looks a little smaller this year, as if he might have been eating the lo-fat variety.

Did you remember to click on the picture to enlarge it?

The next thing I noticed was the heat.  The kick-off temperature in Lincoln was 92 but I always add 10 degrees for “crowd heat” to come up with a stadium temperature, so that would equate to 102 degrees.  The flag on the top of the construction crane showed a brisk north wind, but the ribbons on the top of the goal posts barely moved during the game.  One good thing about sitting in the west stadium is that eventually we sit in the shade.  Fortunately, for this game that happened at the end of the 1st quarter.

The Lincoln Journal-Star reported that nearly 300 people were treated at the game with heat-related issues, but that only 15 people, including one of our neighbors, required transport to the hospital.   We talked to her after the game though and she is ok.

It wasn’t as bad as a few years ago when the kick-off temperature was around 100 on two consecutive Saturdays.  The only thing that kept me conscious was the belief that Karol would probably sell my season ticket to the highest bidder before the paramedics could revive me!

Nebraska’s team entry into the stadium with the Tunnel Walk Music (Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project) never fails to get me excited.  The other 85,424 people at the game pretty much feel the same way judging by their reaction. See and listen to this clip from 2011:     

Other items of interest included a humorous spot on HuskerVision by new head basketball coach Tim Miles, getting everybody but the team fired up and ready for the upcoming season.

Coach Bo Pelini has always been open about his strong Catholic upbringing.  But he must be pulling out all the stops this year, because I spotted a Priest patrolling the Nebraska sideline.  Hey, if it occasionally works for Notre Dame, why not us?  I suppose now all the ministers from the other faiths will be demanding equal time on the sideline.  Come to think of it, I might try that gig myself.  There are websites on the Internet where a person can become licensed to marry and bury people.  I could be Father Dave from The Church of What’s Happening Now!  Trivia question:  Who founded that church?  No fair using Google.  Answer at the bottom.

I never could tell why Taylor Martinez’s throwing motion didn’t look “natural”.  But the summer coaching and his attendance at two high profile quarterback camps seems to have paid off.  He does seem more “natural” now.  But, when he is 26 of 34 for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns he can throw it anyway he sees fit.

Nebraska looked good, but it will take a stronger opponent to tell how good.  Now to go read what the pros had to say.

Don’t forget the second Husker Luncheon in Fremont at the Wooden Windmill on Wednesday, September 5.  Sean Callahan will be the speaker.  The doors open at 11 AM with the program starting at Noon.  The next game will be on September 8 at UCLA.

Trivia answer – Comedian Flip Wilson founded The Church of What’s Happening Now.

Go Big Red!!