Quantcast HuskerMax

H U S K E R    D A N

NEBRASKA VS. HOUSTON-LITE
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

As many of you know, this Thursday (September 1st), was the night the Huskers were to have played an away game with the Houston Cougars on ESPN.

But last winter, the "deal" fell apart at the last minute, leaving both sides pointing the finger at each other (okay, so Houston A.D. Dave Maggard was using his middle finger). So, not to be caught empty-handed, UNL's A.D. Steve Pederson quickly put together an eleventh hour deal with the University of Maine Black Bears for this Saturday's home opener.

According to Maggard, the poor Cougars were seduced and abandoned by Pederson. Maggard had egg on his face and is probably still fuming. (I'll go out on a limb and say that Steve is no longer on Davey's Christmas list.)

But where there's a loser, there's usually a winner, and that would be the Maine-iacs, who are more than happy to play the part of sacrificial lambs by traveling Lincoln this Saturday, and are ecstatic at the thought of being able to waltz out of Memorial Stadium Saturday night with a cool $300 grand stuffed in their little northeastern, ice hockey playing, lobster loving, "pahk the kah in the Hah-vud gah-roj" pockets.

Not a bad night's work.

BIG BUX
The other big winners are the City of Lincoln, the State and University of Nebraska, and the owners of the many bars, hotels and restaurants near downtown Lincoln who are salivating over the bonus bucks they'll make with the extra home game. It's estimated that $3 million is dropped in Lincoln during each Husker home football game.

That ain't chump change. All those business owners should send Husker A.D. Steve Pederson cards, letters of thanks, flowers, candy and maybe even name one of their kids after him.

Okay, so that last one is a bit of a stretch, but you get my drift.

MAINE AND THE PLAINS
And so Rex sings to Eliza:
By George, I think she's got it!
"The game with Maine's
Played mainly on the Plains.
Yes, the game with Maine's
Played mainly on the Plains!"

A MUST WIN
If you don't think this is a must win for the Huskers, think if the Huskers were to lose. I know, you're going to tell me that the Black Bears are a Division 1-AA team and will get be lucky to get out of Lincoln alive. You're probably right, but what if...?

If my uncle had breasts, he'd be my aunt, you'd say.

Some Husker fans quickly point out to us over confident Husker fans what happened last year when da Bears beat a Mississippi State team on the road that beat Florida in 2004.
NO UPSET
Look, upsets happen each year, but in Lincoln this Saturday night, I don't think it's going to happen. No way. First of all, this isn't the same Maine-iac team they had last season.

The Huskers will be jacked up and the crowd will be rockin'. (Night games are a thing to behold at Memorial Stadium!) The Big Red has much better talent than they've had in several years. It's true, much of that talent has not been tested, but the newcomers and vets should be good enough to embarrass the Black Bears.
A TASTE OF RED
Callahan will play a lot of players-get them some game time experience and let them get a taste of what it's like to play in front of 80,000 red-clad, screaming Husker fans.

Coach C won't pour it on, so the final score will be closer than it could be. Look for the debut of such players as Taylor, Lucky, Glenn, Ganz, Dillard, Bowman, Octavien, Beck (?), Leon Jackson, Hardy, Pasteur, Wilson, Dagunduro and Ndamukong Suh. The crowd will be a-rockin' and the Huskers will roll.

HUSKERS 48
MAINE-IACS 10

HUSKER DAN THROWS IN A BONUS QUIZ AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!!

Okay Husker Fans, it's time for Husker Dan's Husker Pre-season Football Quiz! Good luck!
1. This year, the Huskers will:
a.) Beat Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas Tech and K-State, for sure.
b.) Beat everybody except the Sooners.
c.) Beat everybody except Maine.
d.) Be lucky to beat Maine.

2. This year's Huskers bowl game will be played in:
a.) Pasadena, CA
b.) Miami, FL
c.) Shreveport, LA
d.) The Cook Pavilion

3. This season, Frank Solich's Ohio Bobcats will:
a.) Win 10 games.
b.) Win 9 games.
c.) Win at least 7 games.
d.) Win more games than Callahan did in his first year at Nebraska.

4. This season, Zac Taylor will:
a.) Be the starter for sure in '05.
b.) Will lose his starting role to Harrison Beck.
c.) Will lose his starting role to Jordan Adams and Joe Ganz.
d.) Will transfer to Duke.

5. In 2005, Kevin Cosgrove will:
a.) Have a defense ranked in the Top 10.
b.) Have a defense that will be in the Top 50.
c.) Have a defense that will be in the Top 100.
d.) Transfer to Maine.

6. The Huskers will win a national championship:
a.) No later than 2007
b.) When Jammal Lord starts at qb in a Super Bowl
c.) When Jammal Lord starts at qb in a Super Bowl and the opponent's qb is Joe Dailey.
d.) When Tom Osborne bartends at Hooters.

7. This year, Marlon Lucky will:
a.) Win the BT Freshman of the Year Award.
b.) Will split time with Cory Ross for the starting running back position.
c.) Will see little action.
d.) Will transfer to Duke.

8. In 2-3 years Bill Callahan will:
a.) Lead the Huskers to Top 10 ranking.
b.) Lead the Huskers to a Top 25 ranking.
c.) Still have a losing record.
d.) Will transfer to Duke.

9. In this year's game with the Sooners, Bill Callahan will:
a.) Send the Sooners flowers, candy and a letter apologizing for the off-color comments he made after last year's game in Norman.
b.) Have a beer with Bob Stoops after the game.
c.) Try to beat the holy be-jeezus out of the Sooners.
d.) Will try to set the Sooners' team bus on fire.

10. In this year's game with Texas Tech, Bill Callahan will:
a.) Be lucky to win the game.
b.) Have some surprise plays for the Raiders.
c.) Try to lay about 95 points on those *&^%# Red Raiders.
d.) Try to set Mike Leach's ego on fire.

HUSKER DAN SPEAKS!!!!
Don't miss Husker Dan live and in person at the following events this fall:
The Nebraska Parking Meter Conference
Friday, September 16th
6:00 p.m.
The Hilton Convention Center
Rose, NE

Actors With Tractors
Sunday, October 9th
Noon
The Gabby Hayes Inn
Bakersfield, CA

The Tri-State Corn Detasslers & Bowling Association
Friday, October 22nd
7:00 p.m.
Edith's Pretty Good Steakhouse
Grand Island, NE

The El Segundo-ians, Redondo Beach-ians and Palos Verde-ians For Nebraska
Wednesday, November 2nd
7:00 p.m.
The Lighthouse
Hermosa Beach, CA

If you would like to have Husker Dan speak at your event or you would just like to send him an annoying letter, click here. For past Husker Dan columns click here.