LA Times Article Rebuttal Replies

Listed below are some repies that Garrick has received from his rebuttal to the TJ Simers article. Actual names are not listed without permission. The best one is the last one.

Nicely put Garrick! I love it. I go to LA for work 2 times a month for 3-4 days each time and there are certainly places that are attractive, Pasadena being on of them. However, taking everything into account, I truly believe it is a hell hole and wouldn't live there if you paid me $1,000,000 a year. My favorite part of the trip is coming home. There is no place like Nebraska!

Mike - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mr.Baxter, Thank you for sending that idiot a letter. I read the same column yesterday. You were more gracious than I was going to be. I've emailed alot of these reporters lately on their horrible biased opinions. Like you said, there are alot of NU fans around the country. And I get really p----- off when I read the garbage that comes out of these people's mouths. I'm Nebr. born and bred living in Texas now. And I try to go to their games when they come down here and watch them on tv when I can. I wish I was going with you guys to Calif. I love my Huskers. If you go to this guy's newspaper office, show him what class is all about. Something he knows nothing about. Thanks again for the letter. GO BIG RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Betty - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I caught your rebuttal and laughed. You make us all proud. I lived in Portland for 10 years. Great city...I'm trying to move back, but the economy will not allow my escape from California. I too, will be at the Rose Bowl. Lets hope the Huskers (no matter how they got there) take care of business.

Thanks for addressing the irresponsible journalist in a very tasteful manner.

Sincerely,

DC Livermore, CA - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I am a Wisconsin AND a Nebraska fan. I have lived my entire 30 years in the Madison, WI area, graduated from Wisconsin, and bleed Badger red, but my father raised me as a 'Husker too. He went to school w/ Dr. Tom so I have followed the Big Red religiously and have gone to many a bowl game. I was at the Orange Bowl for the failed two point conversion, but I was also there to see Schlesinger score his second TD running right past a worn out Warren Sapp.

I have been to many different bowl games as I'm sure you have too, but you will NEVER encounter a greater feeling than being in the Rose Bowl. It is awesome.

I was a student at Wisconsin in 1993 when the Badgers traveled west to take on the home town UCLA Bruins. Wisconsin fans and Nebraska fans are very similar - they are rabid. We painted LA red and we even dried up a few bars (UW fans are known to enjoy a beverage or ten) to the point that they actually ran out of beer! Despite 70,000 Badgers in LA we too were greeted with the hick-type statements. The funny thing was by the time we left (with a victory and a couple more in the next few years too!) every LA person was floored by how "down to earth" and "genuine" all of us were. The only words we heard when we left were, "We hope you are back here EVERY year."

Well, I'm sure the 'Husker fans will represent Nebraska just as well and I'm guessing by the time Jan. 4 rolls around all of the California folk will be saying, "I hope you all come back every four years!" Don't worry about the non-championship game years for the Rose Bowl - the Badger fans will make sure that LA is painted red!

Go Big Red!!! AJ M Madison, WI - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Garrick: Keep in mind that Mr. Simers has deep Colorado roots. It has become very nouveau fashionable for media types around here to demonstrate how clever they are by dredging up every Arkansas/Texas/Tennessee etc. hick reference, and apply them to Nebraskans. Mr. Simers was evidently too "hip" for Colorado as well, as he left this state for the much more cosmo California.

Jay S - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hi Mr. Baxter - I recently read the column you rebutted on the Huskerpedia website which I visit often. Thank you SOOOOO much for putting that writer in his place. I cannot, repeat cannot, believe the impression people on the West (Left) Coast have of we Nebraskans. I am extremely proud to be from this part of the country where values are valued and people are real, not plastic. I was born and raised in Iowa, lived in Texas four 4 years while my husband attended school, and we moved to Nebraska in 1974. I have loved it here ever since. I jumped on the Big Red bandwagon in 1980 when my husband found time between games to explain the game to me (my dad and brothers never took the time, but then again, I did grow up in Iowa!). I also have two sons who are huge Husker fans and they think it is so cool that mom can talk football with them. As you can see, living in a house with a husband and two sons, I had to learn football to survive and participate in the conversation at the dinner table. For a few years I felt I was living with foreigners during the football season because I didn't understand the language! For Christmas my husband and I purchased four tickets to the Rose Bowl and gave two to our son and his wife in Phoenix and two to our son and his wife in Omaha. They will be in Pasadena rooting on the Big Red, and not acting like hicks, either. I may even give them some money to spend on Rodeo Drive!!

Again, many thanks for your rebuttal of our beloved state and its people. We are the salt of the earth and very proud of it. PS - We live in Fremont and I noticed you mentioned it in your article. We love this city and it proximity to Omaha and Lincoln - so we can get a little culture when we are not fighting off the Indians and the locusts! Hugs and holiday wishes to you and yours and GO BIG RED. Sincerely -

Janet W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nice rebuttal my good friend. You have to call a spade a spade when you see it and this guy obviously practices flash-and-dash "journalism". I always laugh at these types because they perpetuate the myth that we are all farmers and all live in Nebraska in sod huts. In fact, we are everywhere and we are everyone. Our blessing is that we carry the Nebraska "goodness" with us whether we live in Nebraska or in Oregon (or Texas or Arizona or California...).

Cheers to "the good life" of Nebraska.

Go Big Red!

James W Austin, Texas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

You were too nice to this idiot! If you do pay him a visit, give him a shot for me as well!

Mick R Omaha - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Garrick

Perhaps these rebuttals should be forwarded to his editor or newspaper owner? Just a thought.

For the record, I am a Papillion NE high school graduate and Air Force Academy graduate and have never considered myself a hick while traveling the world on USAF business. Also one of the editors from the Portland Oregonian happens to have many family members still in Beatrice. And my nephew from Grand Island plays on the Academy football team with aspirations of serving our nation too.

Myopic and superiority complex sum up Mr. Simers uninformed opinion.

GO HUSKERS!! Dan P. Colonel, USAF NORAD - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

THANK YOU for writing to that IDIOT!!! We've had enough grief lately without having to read that crap. With his article on Huskerpedia, I have a feeling his email is about to be overloaded. Go Big Red!

Beth FTransplanted Husker in Atlanta, GA Proud Member of Georgians for Nebraska - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Garrick: OUTSTANDING rebuttal to that idiot T.J.Simers! For whatever its worth..... I'm of African -American descent who grew up in Chicago, went to college in St. Louis before going to medical school at the University of Nebraska. I wasn't sure of what to expect when I first decided to go to Nebraska as I was a "big city" type of guy. It didn't take me long to find how wonderful Nebraska was (and is)! My fondest memories are when I was a med student in the smaller communities such as David City. I was able to spend time with people to chat and share in their lives. In fact to this day I maintain contact with the friends that I met in David City and remain able to sprinkle a bit of Czech into conversations. Nebraska is also where I met my wife....a lovely Fremont girl!!!!! My wife and I always laugh because when we meet people they believe that I'm the Nebraska native! Presently we live in Columbia, Missouri and not sure where life will take us, but we will always have Nebraska in our hearts!!! Best wishes to you and your family this holiday season! Last but not least: GO BIG RED!

Joseph M - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Mr. Simers: I am writing to you in regards to your column, "Putting Out Red Carpet forCornhusker Folks.

Are you an idiot? Did you really intend to insult approximately 60,000 people who will be bringing much needed revenue into your downtrodden city? Have you ever been to Nebraska? Do you realize that the music program at the University is one of the best in the country? And no, it doesn't emphasize country music. And that is just mentioning one such program (I think another one is journalism, but you wouldn't know about that). Ever heard of that really rich guy who lives in Omaha? Do you think he is a hick? Do you think he drives a Winnebago?

You claim to be a sports writer. So did you know that Nebraska has a nation-leading 59 First-Team Academic All-American selections? Next on the list: Notre Dame, 42; Ohio State, 32; Dayton, 30; Texas, 25; Penn State, 25. Seems those west coast teams which must be full of intelligent, non-hickish players didn't make it to the top of that list. In fact, not a single player from the LA area was included on the team this year. Only one west coast player made it and he is from my now-home state, Oregon. This hick from Nebraska lived in your 'fair' city for over 6 years and could not wait to get out. Hicks from Nebraska generally choose to avoid living through riots, drive-by shootings, car jackings and other intelligent outings that you seem to enjoy there. Additionally, this hick has some higher education including a Juris Doctor (cum laude at that!) from one of your very fine local schools. I also hold a degree in business and a certificate in agriculture. Dean's list? Been there. Study abroad? Been there. Opera? Been there (in Nebraska at that!). Does that make me a hick?

I take great offense at your prejudice. Were your comments based on any informed information? I work hard to base my comments, particularly those that will be disseminated to someone I am insulting, on facts and not unfounded prejudice. It doesn't seem that you can say the same thing, since most of the folks that I know from Nebraska are intelligent, witty, caring and generous. I cannot say the same for 75% of the people I met while living in LA. Of that meager 25%, there were only two that were originally from the LA area - the rest were from the Midwest. Imagine that!

I personally have family members in law, teaching, computer science, entertainment just to name a few fields. And I have never owned a Winnebago, nor do I know anyone who has. And, quite frankly, the women from Nebraska are damn good looking, albeit in a more natural way than those in the LA area with their plastic breasts, skin cancer, and liposuction. We are intelligent enough to realize that you do not need to spend thousands to 'win yourself' a man or a job.

Mr. Simers - There are Husker fans all over the nation including an approximate 40,000 on the west coast. They work in all types of jobs - stockbrokers, entertainers, lawyers, doctors, dentists, college professors, CEOs, and computer wizards - I know because I know at least one person who fits into each of those categories. Now, do you really think we are all hicks?

Susan M. Greco
Portland, Oregon
President, Oregonians for Nebraska

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