Remember When...
9 comments so far
May 15, 2007 by
The off season drones on. So, let’s wax nostalgic and play a little game called “Remember When…” which I am blatantly taking from one of my favorite sports guys, Steve Czaban.
The point of “Remember When…” is not to go for things from way back in the day that nobody can remember. But, it is to point out some of the funnier or more interesting things from Husker recent history.
Here are my offerings. Please offer yours in the comments.
Remember when Curt Dukes was going to be the next Scott Frost? Husker fans drooled over the Dukes and his muscle-bound physique. But, after a relatively short time with NU, he transferred to Duke (in his home state of North Carolina), changed positions to wide receiver or safety or something, and ended up out of football entirely.
Remember when Thunder Collins was destined to become the greatest Husker running back…like, ever? If there was a victim of Internet hype, it was Collins. He of the great name but skinny legs didn’t make a huge impact at NU. Sure he was a contributor, but he had off-field legal issues and left the team in 2002. At last report (2006), Thunder was back in Lincoln trying to finish his degree.
Remember when Herbie Husker was our official mascot... and fat? In the 1990s, Bill Byrne led a successful campaign to unify NU’s brand. Basically, it unified things under the block-type N logo, marginalized Herbie, and (gasp) gave birth to ‘Lil Red, who was supposed to appeal to kids and women. I like the N idea. But, mascot mayhem has ensued.
Steve Pederson – a PR giant (wink) – tried to revive Herbie’s image, making him a product of superior strength and conditioning, and ditching his overalls. He also made him dark haired for some reason. Apparently folks forgot to tell Steve that a fit (and jersey wearing) Herb presided as mascot over NU’s best teams in the 1990s. Anyway, can we please maximize Herbie and stop pointing the camera at the creepy, inflatable child.
Remember when Craig Bohl was supposed to improve on NU’s Blackshirt tradition? That didn’t work out so great. He was supposed to be a younger and more innovative version of Charlie McBride. Actually, his 2001 unit was stout until the 62-point blood letting at Colorado. And that was followed by the fairly ridiculous, can’t-get-lined-up-by-the-snap defense he led in 2002. Apparently Craig has landed on his feet after being run out during that ill-fated coaching staff shake up under Solich. He’s the head coach at North Dakota State, leading their surge in to Division I football.
Remember when Kansas State sucked? I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself. It wouldn’t be an off season unless I mentioned my yearning for their return to the abyss from whence they came. The 1980s were my formative years as a fan, and the 1990s were tremendous, obviously. And no team saw a greater change – pro or con – over that time than KSU. They went from the confirmed worst team in country to a top-10 program under Snyder. So great was Snyder’s success that he is now included in a book that details “individuals who undertook the impossible”.
Add your Husker flashbacks in the comments. Remember when...
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Brandon May 15 07
Remember when Mikki Moore average 8.6 PPG for his career at Nebraska. Now he's scoring 25 points in NBA Playoff games.
(Sorry for the basketball intrusion. Back to regularly scheduled programming.)
TxCornhead May 15 07
Remember when the coolest thing on earth were the tear-away half shirt jerseys of early 80's.
Josh Marshall May 15 07
Oh Darren, I love the K-State jab!! I hope they lose them all in 2007.
Randy May 15 07
Remember when in game after game Jamal Lord was scrambling for his life behind a leaky line and the fans were calling for Joe Dailey to replace him?
Remember when Frankie London was going to be the next Tommie Frazier?
Randy May 15 07
Remember when Dan Alexander was called the 'manimal'? Maybe Castille can fill that role now. Hope he can stay on his feet and not fall down as he rounds the outside corner.
Remember when Nebraska took Oklahoma's starting quarterback out of the game early on and Switzer's second string freshman came in and beat Nebraska anyway?
darren May 16 07
Remember when...Osborne flirted with the idea of the CU job. And, he couldn't beat Switzer. Then, he couldn't beat Miami or win a bowl game for a decade.
NU fans haven't just been spoiled by the 1990s run. We were all spoiled by perpetual 9-win seasons for quite some time. Some of the most "spoiled" N fans I know are in their 50s and 60s, not their 20s or 30s.
DT May 16 07
Great topic...I'll do it Letterman-style:
10-Remember when Wendell Wooten was going to be the next Turner Gill? Or was it McCathorn Clayton...or Steve Taylor...or Mickey Joseph...
9-Remember when the cop ran up the southeast stairs at the end of the third quarter?
8-Remember cup fights?
7-Remember the scene on O Street the night of January 1, 1995? (The bars still closed at 1:00, but I don't think the cops made people quit drinking and vacate the streets until 3ish...)
6-Remember the Irving Fryar jersey you got for your tenth birthday?
5-Remember when Terry Rodgers had his dad's number brought out of retirement so he could wear it?
4-Remember the "We-backs"?
3-Remember where you were when you heard that Brook Berringer had died?
2-Remember where you were when you heard that TO was retiring?
1-Remember the first Husker game you attended in person?
Gregory May 19 07
Darren, you've just exemplified what I enjoy about this "BigRedNetwork". The posters memories were great, too!
Remember when Tom just wanted to turn things around, (before he retired) after the 5th or 6th bowl loss in a row. Then, Tommie....
The "Tom and Tommie" show. That's how I'll always remember that era.
kalthalior May 21 07
May be dating myself but -
Remember when the Blackshirts ran a 5-2 defense, and had a "monsterback" in the seconday?
Remember when you could Bummeroosky, Fumbleroosky and Bouncerooskey?
Remember when Mike Rozier ran 60+ yards for a two yard TD score angainst UCLA?
On a less positive note, remember the all-white road unis? They definitely had to go.