A series of articles by Brandon "Blankman" Cavanaugh.

How to Survive the Spring Break

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Husker Nation,

A slight obstruction has crept its way into our homes. Some problems have cropped up; I'd even go as far as to say that things just ain't right. Fact of the matter is, we're sitting at a very precarious position, us Husker Football Fanatics. So what's the issue? What could cause so much distress so quickly? Two words: It's spring. Well, kinda anyway, it's at a point where winter is just about ready to take a back seat but the Boys in Red aren't quite throwing the football around just yet, at least not officially. So what's a Husker to do, anyway? One can only spend so much time with three Internet Explorer windows open, all three to news sites as we click away on the refresh button like an epileptic badger. That's why the Blankster is here today, folks, with some sure shot ways to get you through this perilous period perfectly.

- Take up a New Sport

Much like in the financial realms, diversity is the name of the game, my friends. Now, for myself, the name of the game is football, but when it's not readily available, I turn to the other sports that Nebraska has to offer. Say basketball just isn't your thing, nor gymnastics? No worry, friend. Nebraska's got a full squad of athletic baseballers taking the field, the jaunt's not too far from Memorial Stadium herself. I give you Hawks Field, one of the finest facilities in the Big 12. Hawks Field at Haymarket Park offers a fine family experience for those who'd like to take the kiddies to see the Huskers in action. The complex includes 4,500 chair back seats, a state of the art scoreboard/video screen in right center field as well as the Buck Beltzer Playground for the kid who's had one too many Dingdongs laced with Pixie Sticks.

- Complete Your Collection

For those of you who, like me, love to be surrounded in positive energy, take the time to search far and wide for items that would complete your Husker Collection. Not located in Omaha, Lincoln or within range of these fine scarlet products? No worries, Blankman's got you covered. I've found a large array of Husker merchandise including throwback mini helmets, game tapes, programs, tickets, posters and much more on Ebay. Simply type in "Nebraska Football" in the search field, or a variation thereof and bid to your heart's content. Still having trouble locating that Blackshirt Stein? Check out Linkin' 2 Lincoln over at the Pond for a wide range of items available for online purchase. Finally, if you're looking to complete a video collection, take the time to register at one of the many free message boards around the web and see if anyone has the particular game you crave.

- Initiate Correspondence

After the 2002 campaign, many of the Huskers in Helmets are working diligently to get themselves into peak playing shape. As they work towards their goal of bringing the winning ways back to the Big Red, why not take the time to write your favorite Husker a letter of encouragement to let them know you're behind them? Perhaps you have a new assistant coach you'd like to welcome. If you'd like to go this route, send your letters to:

University of Nebraska Attn: <Player Name>
217 South Stadium Drive
Lincoln, NE
68588-0125

The players and coaches can use all of the kind words they can get leading into the next season and, who knows? Maybe you could make someone's day simply by taking a few minutes out of yours.

I'd like to take this time to send a shout out to Jemayel Phillips a.k.a. The Big Smooth. Reports earlier this week that Smooth had left the team were, of course, false. Jamayel strikes me as a fantastic kid, a great talent and someone who will make an impact at the University of Nebraska.

Also, if you have a topic you'd like to see discussed in a future edition of Shooting Point Blank, feel free to e-mail me with it at the address below.

Hopefully this edition will help you all manage a bit better until Spring Football comes, SPB will be doing a full recap of it once that magical time arrives. Once again, if you can make it out to Lincoln on April 19th, I'd love to see you there. Tickets can be purchased online at this address.

Until next time, Take care, God Bless and Go Big Red.

Questions, Comments and Nebraska Baseball Single Game Tickets can be sent to [email protected]

===Brandon a.k.a. Blankman #71===

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