For several years my sister Sue has bought a bloc of tickets for the annual ritual celebration of Cornhusker football, a glorified scrimmage between Red and White for the fanatic fans and the usually very impressed recruits, as well as honored alumni and celebrities. (Supreme Court Justice Thomas was here this year, having married a woman from Omaha and having been a longtime Nebraska fan, growing up in Georgia. Andy Roddick, the tennis player, was here last year.)
This year a national news story noted that tickets were going for $100--my nephew said E-Bay was trying for $200--though Sue's general admission tickets were $8.00 apiece (for the huge end zones), the east and west sides reserved at $12.00-$20.00. We sit halfway up on the south, not facing the sun, next to the edge where no one walks in front of us. (That's to explain where the photos were taken from.)
With always a good turnout, prior to Saturday, Nebraska was fourth on the spring game attendance record, which went like this: Alabama, 92,138; Ohio State, 75, 310; Penn State, 71,100; Nebraska, 54,288. With a new-old coach returned to save us from the disastrous Callahan years, Bo Pellini, our mania moved us into second on that list: 80,149. Here's what it looked like.
Halftime is given over to the adult and youth pledges against using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, Coach Pellini leading the adults, two athletes leading the youths. It allows happy fans to flood the cherished turf, as seen here.
Here are the two mascots, Herbie Husker (cowboy hat) and L'il Red cavorting on the field.
And the magic man himself, Coach Pellini. Go, Big Red--GO, BIG RED!!
Leave a comment