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H U S K E R    D A N
 
HUSKERS' "O" A NO SHOW, BUT BO-BOYS SHOW POISE, 17-7
BO'S "RUUD" DUDES SUBDUE BOO-BIRDS AND COWDUDES, 17-7
THE BLACK PACK ATTACK'S BACK, 17-7
PELIN'S MEANIES BEAN OKIE WEENIES, 17-7
BLACKSHIRTS RING THE BELL, PLOW THE FIELDS AND CHOP THE WOODS
USED CARS FOR $5.00
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BIG WED WAP-UP
THE PRE-GAME STUFF
HAIL TO THE CHIEF
Somehow, one of the guys I went to the game with Saturday, was able to finagle our way into the President's Pre-Game Luncheon held on the second floor of the Hard Rock Cafe at 14th & P before each Husker home game.
 
There were members of the Board of Regents, State Senators-even the Husker cheerleaders and Li'l Red.  There was an open bar (I had only one beaker of firewater).  I went through the buffet line with a nice, sweet lady, with "LeVon" written on her name tag.  "I've been going to Husker games for 42 years," she said proudly.
 
We sat at a table in front of a big screen TV.  Seated to my right was a couple from Scottsbluff.  They told me about the abuses they've experienced while attending Husker games in Boulder.
 
"We had our tires slashed one year", the woman said almost matter-of-factly.  "They're even worse when they win.  The Colorado fans are even mean to elderly people." 
 
We left the luncheon about 1:00.  We fought our way through the Husker throng, past Misty's and inside the Old Chicago bar to meet some friends.  Then I walked back to campus in time to see the Cornhusker Marching Band parade down Stadium Way and file into Memorial Stadium.  I still get chills hearing them crank up "Hail Varsity" and "The Band Song" (I even sang the lyrics as the band marched by-don't that impress ya?!) 
 
My buddy Bill caught up with me just as the band was passing by.  "Right behind the band are all the ex-players!", he said announced.
 
We watched as the 800 paraded in front of us.  Leading the way were Tom Osborne, looking uncomfortable as he always does with all the fuss, AD Steve Pederson and another man who, as I later learned, was Bob Devaney's son. 
 
Most of the Huskers, especially those who played a long time ago, were hard to recognize.  I did manage to find Larry Jacobson.  The dude is still huge.  I shook hands with an elderly man in a wheelchair and with Forest Behm (from the '41 Rose Bowl team) as he walked by.  What a thrill!!!! 
 
Later, as I made my way to the Stadium, I found myself behind the ex-players.  It was much easier to identify them because their names were on the backs of their jerseys.  They should have been  on the front so people could know who they were.
ELECTRIC COMPANY
I caught all the pre-game festivities.  The electricity was incredible.  There was more excitement and anticipation with this Husker home game than I can ever remember.
 
The Tunnel Walk was great (I just wish they'd play more than the first few bars of the tune-at least through the guitar solo.)
ROLLING STONES GATHER NO TUNES
It was disappointing not to hear the Stones' music jumpstart the game.  The song needs to be played at every home game.
ROCKY & HERBWINKLE OR "HOKEY PART II"
A Husker helmet (a cheesy replica stuck on a golf cart) made its appearance before the kickoff.  Out popped the "new" Herbie Husker (brainchild of new AD Steve Pederson) and looking dorkier than ever as he unwrapped a flag with the #256 denoting the number of consecutive home sellouts.  The crowd, already in a frenzy and who would have whooped and hollered for Mussolini that day, voiced its approval. Herbie's entrance was accompanied by the theme from "Rocky". 
 
I mean, I like the "Rocky" music and all, but it's tired and dated.  The Huskers deserve something better and more original than that.  The Herbie entrance ranked down there with Skippy Neu-weasel's Samoan War Drum bit a few years ago at Colorado and the all red uniforms worn by the Huskers in a home loss to Oklahoma back in the mid 80s.  Bits like these are gimmicks and usually misfire.   If this dorky Herbie entrance is going to be repeated at every home game, I think I'm gonna throw up.  Get rid of it!!!!  Give the mascot some "Herb"acide" and put the little dude to out of his misery! 
FOR THE YELL OF IT
Chalk up another change to Steve Pederson.  Gone is the great tradition of the "HUSKER POWER" yell, with the East Stadium yelling "HUSKER"  and the West Stadium adding "POWER".  Now we have this whack-butt "HUSKER-NATION" cheer.  Steve-o, some things you shouldn't mess with and this is one of them.  Please, please, pretty please, go back to "HUSKER-POWER".  Don't mess with success!
AND THE WINNER OF THE RICK SCHWIEGER AWARD IS...
One of the prerequisites for the new stadium announcer must have been the need to sound just like Rick Schwieger, last year's yapper.  But the dude should hold the microphone away from him when he says a consonant that starts with "P".  He sounded like the Victor Borge's punctuation comedy routine.
THE GAME
13 SECONDS AND COUNTING
Any mention of this game that doesn't begin with the whack-ass play calling with 13 seconds to go in the first half, should not be taken seriously.  I mean, what's up with attempting a field goal with 2nd and 5 with 13 seconds to go deep in OSU territory?  Your team trails 7-3.  Solich and Cotton must not have much faith in #5's ability to toss at least one into the end zone.  There would still have been enough time to attempt a field goal.  Yes, I know the Huskers didn't have any timeouts, but there was plenty of time.  If the pass is complete, it's a TD; if it isn't, the clock would have stopped. As it turned out, no pass was attempted, the field goal was blocked (we had another one earlier that hit the upright) and nearly run back.  Justifiably, the crowd booed.  The weren't mad at the players, but at the inept (in my opinion) play calling.
WPD
Make no mistake about it, Jammal Lord is a great athlete, a gifted runner and as a quarterback can look brilliant at times, but he can also look terribly confused and out of place as a QB.  His one-hop passes to wide open receivers left Husker fans scratching their heads Saturday.  Lord's erratic play must drive his coaches nuts.  The Huskers might be able to get by with his inconsistency against teams like the Okie State, Kansas and Utah State, but it won't work against Texas and K-State.  Right now, Jammal is a WPD-a Weapon of Pass Destruction.
.758
Okay, so Frankie got his 50th.  With one game into his sixth season, he's 50-16 compared with Tom Osborne's record through the same number of games at 50-14-2. 
PELINI'S MEANIES
I can't recall when a new Husker assistant coach has had as much of a positive impact his first game as Bo Pelini did Saturday.  Pelini's "Black Attack" was a thing of beauty and clearly stole the show Saturday.  Demorrio Williams was a one man wrecking crew.  Blitzes were coming from everywhere.  Josh Fields looked confused and rattled.  With the exception of the opening drive, the much heralded Cowpoke scoring machine was reduced to a mere whimper.  Folks, the Cowboy offense led the Big 12 last year with an average of over 400 yards per game.  They ain't chopped liver.  And yet they had the door slammed shut by Pelini's revamped D.  Pelini for President anyone?
"HONEY, I SHANKED THE PUNT"
Kyle (Josh-according to Huskers Illustrated) Larson is entitled to at least one bad punt a year.  He's a great player.
THE NEW HUSKER TAILGATE PARTY
The new Husker tailgate party, another Steve Pederson creation, gets a thumbs up from this writer.  The event is to take place at the old Buck Beltzer Field before each Husker home game.  Families, especially those with young children, will love this gathering.  Fans can watch the game on a huge HuskerVision screen and best of all, the activities are free and open to the public.  People were having a blast Saturday.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"He's special", Offensive Coordinator Barney Cotton said of quarterback Jammal Lord during a post game interview with Adrian Fiala on KFAB.
 
"I love the smell of urine in the morning" said a 20 something kid in the men's room during the halftime of the Okie State game.
 
"This is as bad as the Husker offense will look all year", said ABC-TV's Bob Griese after the first half of the Okie State game.

"These two teams are here (holding his hands about chin level), but Oklahoma State's is going this way (pointing upward) and Nebraska's is going that way (pointing downward)", said ABC-TV's Terry Bowden after the Huskers were booed going into the halftime of the Okie State game.
 
"Why don't you play that new quarterback, Joe Davies?" asked one of the callers during the Frank Solich coach's KFAB radio call-in show after the game Saturday.
 
 "Nebraska's offensive line can not pass block", said ABC-TV's Bob Greise during the NU-OSU game.
 
A UTAH STATE OF MIND
About the only suspense in this week's game with the Aggies is how big the Huskers' margin of victory will be-and how many snaps the backup quarterbacks will get.
 
If Solich pulls another McNeese State and keeps Lord in for the entire game, we'll know pretty much how the season is going to unfold.  But if Stuntz and/or Dailey get snaps when the game is still in doubt, the Huskers might have an exciting year.  The coaches should give the backups a chance to see what they can do and try to develop some insurance in case Lord goes down.  Cotton and Pelini should have the luxury of using players who may not otherwise get an opportunity to play.
HUSKER DAN SEZ
The Aggies have the dubious honor of being selected as the worse college football team in Division 1-#117 out of a field of 117.
 
There is no need to talk about match-ups and team records this week.  Come Saturday, the only thing in doubt will be how well the Husker reserves play.
 
The Huskers will reserve the right to win and will tag the Aggies this Saturday.
NU 48
USU 14
GO HUSKERS!!!


You can email Husker Dan at: [email protected]