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FROM THE EMAIL BAG
MESSAGE FROM IRAQ

Dear Husker Dan:
I am currently deployed to Iraq and have heard two of the games on the Internet radio but have not seen any Husker games on TV. I have had to pay for the Internet time and even a little extra to go over the maximum time allowed to hear these games. I am hoping to get home by March of '05 but this means I will miss out on the entire 2004 football season. I proudly display my HUSKER fever everywhere I can. Nebraska football is a major part of my life, so being separated from the boob tube during these religious Saturdays is killing me. I do rely on Huskerpedia.com to keep me up to date. I really thank you for this.

Now I need to add in a little selfish part. I would really like to get the games on recorded media, i.e. CD or DVD. If anyone has the capabilities to do this, that would be awesome. I also try to spread the HUSKER spirit to the local Iraqi citizens (remember not all of them are bad people). If you could possibly send hats, shirts, or anything else to hand out, I would love to send pictures of these things being given to the NEW HUSKER FANS!!

I hope to hear a response from you or the many other fans out there who think this is a good idea.

SSG Myles A. Frohling Sr.
410th Military Police Company
APO, AE 09310

Dear Myles:
First of all, we are all proud of you and the rest of our men and women in the armed services who are making tremendous personal sacrifices defending freedom all over the world. God bless all of you! Thanks for writing.

Readers? This is a great opportunity to show what "Husker Pride Worldwide" really means. GO BIG RED!

MISSING THE "HOG"
Dear Husker Dan:

I just can't get excited about this "West Coast Offense" or Callahan. I wish we had a quarterback who wasn't afraid to run and I don't meant for the sidelines. I miss the option. I still love Nebraska football, but am sick already of the NFL approach. We are Nebraska, not the NFL... and Callahan needs to remember this!

Marsha
Tipton, Missouri

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha: There is a time and place for everything, the HOG (Husker Option Game) is gone from Nebraska. Good defenses were stopping the HOG most every time.

Getting HOG players was becoming increasingly difficult. Missing from the past several recruiting classes have been competent option quarterbacks, a strong offensive line and a running back corps capable of making the option a serious threat. Other than that, we were doing great.

The program, IMO, was slowly, but most certainly going downhill. We didn't get into this situation overnight and won't get out of it quickly either. Give Callahan time to recruit the kind of players he needs to run the offense, and we will have one heck of a team. I've been a Husker fan for more years that I'd care to admit, but the only option I miss is the one that used to be run in the days of Tom Osborne. As far as Joe Dailey's running for the sidelines, did you see his nifty 17 yard bootleg run for a touchdown at Pitt, er Pittsburgh?

START UP?
Dear Husker Dan:
I have been reading your column since last year and have become a big Husker Dan fan. I would like to know how you got started and how long you've been writing.

Karen S.
Irvine, CA

Dear Karen:
Thanks for your very kind words. I started writing my Husker Dan column in '98, sending it to (forcing it upon?) my fellow Husker football fanatics. People who read my column kept sending me more names to add to the mailing list. The list continued to grow each year. A friend of mine turned me on to Huskerpedia and I quickly became a big fan of the site. In the spring of 2003, I sent some of my work to Huskerpedia. They said they liked what I'd written and began running my column shortly thereafter.

I am sending you an autographed copy of my new book, "Husker Dan's You Might Be A Cornhusker Fan If.." (Volume I). Thanks.

Dear Husker Dan:
Please see the attached picture. There are Husker fans across the world. There are two "Nebraska" restaurants in Madrid, Spain. Of course we had to eat there! This is one of them on one of Madrid's busiest streets. The owner is an old Husker Alum who moved back to Spain and decided to open these places.

John G.
Overland Park, KS

Dear John:
Thanks for the photo!

NEW HUSKER
Dear Husker Dan:
I have been reading your columns for quite some time and generally agree with what you have to say. I have a new granddaughter (Kallie) who just turned 6 months old and you can see the results of her living here in the same town as I do. She is a huge Husker fan-she just doesn't know it yet! (See attached photo.) Keep up the good work, Dan.


Jack M.
Cheyenne, WY
Class of '55

Dear Jack:
Thanks for the letter and the photo of Kallie!


GROANERS
TOO-SHAY
A Husker fan from Neligh was making his first trip to New York City. He was lost and needed to ask for directions.

"Pardon me, can you tell me where the library's at?," the fan asked politely.

"Sir, you're in the Big City now, and you shouldn't end your sentences with a preposition," the stranger instructed.

The Husker fan paused and then said, "Okay, then. Pardon me, can you tell be where the library's at, buttface?"

HUSKER STORIES
HUSKER FIRST
My wife and I attended the WIU game in Lincoln and enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime event. You see, even though I've been watching our beloved Huskers for 30 + years, and have not missed a televised game since the 1980 season, this trip to memorial Stadium was a first. I couldn't agree with you more regarding the feeling one gets walking the campus (also a first) prior to the game and listening to the band warm up. Strolling through the crowd of 70,000 like-minded people was an amazing feeling. I never really got the full effect of the "Sea of Red" until that day.

I already knew we had the greatest fans in the world of sports, but immersing myself in that throng of controlled hysteria was almost cathartic. Tom Osborne Field is to the Cornhusker faithful what Mecca is to Islamic faithful. You have to make the pilgrimage at least once in your life and you are forever changed by the visit.

To those of you lucky enough to experience this more often, I envy you and add my voice to the mix in good times and bad, even if it is only from my living room. To those of you who have never seen the Huskers play in our stadium, I would urge you to find a way to make it happen and bring relevance to your Husker fan status that can not be satisfied any other way.

GO HUSKERS!!!
Blake B.
Walsenburg, CO

AFGHANISTAN FAN
In July of '02, I was deployed as remember of the 82nd ABN DIV to Afghanistan to do my part for the war on terrorism. We didn't get many Husker games over there, but I knew the Colorado game was going to nationally televised. I went to the boss (who was NOT a Husker fan) and received permission to put together a viewing party. I then set off to get support for the party. I emailed everybody I could. The booster club sent T-shirts, the University sent a banner, fans sent hats and all kinds of stuff. It was great! I put up some fliers and got about 25 folks interested. The night of the game (3:00 a.m. for us over here) we packed the house with almost 50 guys. The chow hall even provided hot dogs, chips and soda. Regardless of the loss...it was a great time had by all and a nice touch of home to be with my fellow Husker Nation members. The boss even let us break uniform and wear the T-shirts over our uniforms during the game. He was even in attendance for the 1st quarter. It was the greatest game I ever saw ... in combat-thousands of miles form home, rooting for the boys.
All the way, and then some!

Jonathan L. Harvey
CPT, FA
AS3/Ammo MNGR, 82nd ABN Division Artillery

Readers: All of you have a Husker memory or story you need to share with Husker Pride Worldwide. Your story might be about the first Husker game you ever saw; it could be about the last Husker game you shared with a loved one, or maybe it's a story of what you had to do in order to get Husker tickets. It could be a funny story or just a memorable one. Whatever memory you have, send them to [email protected] and Husker Dan will post the best ones in his column.

HUSKER DAN SEZ
If you watched the Texas Tech-Kansas game Saturday, won by the Red Raiders, you know at least one thing: Both teams are better than the Pitt, er, Pittsburgh Panthers.

ENEMIES OF THE STATE
Like the first few questions of "Who Want's To Be A Millionaire?", the quality of this year's Husker opponents is getting more difficult each week. The Jayhawks who, like the Huskers, have been their own worst enemy, have missed golden opportunities to be at least 3-1 or even undefeated. This may be another Keystone Kops game, with missed plays and mistakes by both teams.

Saturday night's game in Lincoln may be decided by the team that makes fewer mistakes (duh!). But the Huskers may have one advantage. History may be on the Huskers' side because Nebraska hasn't lost to the Jayhawks since Tricky Dickey was in the White House. There have been some close games in the series, but there have been many Husker blowouts.

PRESSURE POINT
If the Huskers can reduce or eliminate their mistakes, this could be yet another Husker rout. My sense is, this will be a fairly close contest. The pressure will be on both teams to win. In KU's case, losing will send them into a tailspin at 2-3 while a loss by the Huskers would drop them to 2-2 with their wins coming over two very inept football teams.

THANKSGIVING
Keep in mind Kansas' brutal schedule: They faced Texas Tech last Saturday, face Nebraska this Saturday, then it's at home with K-State, then on the road at Oklahoma. Their last three games include at home against Colorado and Texas and on the road at Missouri to mercifully end their season. Husker fans should be thankful the scheduling gods were kind to the Big Red in Callahan's first year.

Last week, Joe Dailey, despite his 4th quarter interception, played perhaps his best game as a Husker. His passes were crisp and on the money, he ran well, he made good decisions and helped his cause by a nifty bootleg run for a touchdown.

The defense continues to play well, despite injuries to several key players like Adam Carriker, Fabian Washington and Lornell McPherson.

WHAT'S HAPP-A-NEEN?
So what's going to happen this Saturday night on what is expected to be a chilly fall evening?

Kansas is coming off a 6-7 season last year that ended with a 56-26 loss to N.C. State in the Tangerine Bowl. On the other hand, the Huskers with a brand new coaching staff and having to learn the complexities of the WCO, will have the benefit of playing at home, at night in front of 80,000 screaming red clad Husker fans-all this should be enough to propel the Big Red to a win. The margin of victory will depend largely on mistakes.

This week, look for the Husker offense to get untracked, look for the footing to be much better than at Pitt, er Pittsburgh. Look for the Blackshirts to dominate the inexperienced Kansas offensive line.

Look for a Husker win. And remember Husker fans, be thankful for any and all wins this year-especially early in the season.

HUSKERS 31
JAYBIRDS 17

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