Husker Gameday Experience: Pre Game Festivities
6 comments so far
August 3, 2007 by
Part of the fun of attending a Husker football game is enjoying the spectacle that is downtown Lincoln before the game. Everyone is wearing red and there is a buzz in the air. Kickoff is still a couple hours away. So, what do you do?
Everyone has some sort of pre-game ritual when they're in Lincoln for a Husker game. What's your's?
To kick things off, I'll share my pre-game routine for enjoying a Saturday in Lincoln.
I try to arrive in Lincoln at least a couple hours before kickoff. Traffic and parking shouldn't be too much of an issue yet. First stop is an out of the way bar in the Haymarket creatively named Jack's Bar.
It's not as crowded as many of the other bars in the area, so it's a good place to ease your way into Game Day. After a Bloody Mary in the beer garden, it's time to make our way to the stadium.
I'm not a big time donor, so I can't score the prime tailgating spots across from the stadium. But, I'll cruise through the parking lot and eventually find someone I know and crash their party. Even Nebraskan hospitality has its limits, so after a beverage it's time to move on.
No Husker game day experience is complete without a Runza. Luckily, there is a stand right outside the stadium that sells these hamburger-and-cheese-filled-pastries-from-heaven. I'll munch on one of these and take a lap around the stadium.
By now it's getting close to game time, so I head back to the west side of the stadium to catch the Cornhusker Marching Band shuck and jive their way down the street.
No time to waste now. I've got to hustle to my seat to catch the Tunnel Walk.
What's your pre-game ritual when you're in Lincoln?
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OU7times Aug 03 07
Awesome topic! I personally don't qualify for an NU ritual but, I havebeen to 2 OU-NU clashes that took place in Lincoln (1986-87). Strangely enough the games for some reason were consecutive years. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't show up at least 2 hours before the game you've really lost out. Take in the atmosphere and all the smak talk that goes with being caught wearing your teams gear, in the "land of corn". I'm sorry to say that I had not (at that time)partaken in a Runza. But I saw alot of them being sold. I did see 2 amazing sights in Memorial Stadium, though. On the ground level was a really cool clock in the stone wall (appeared to be inop)obviously forgotten and probably built around and the other amazing sight was the sight of at least one person with a seat that was behind a pillar! I mean this guy had to lean sideways to even catch part of the field. That's hardcore.Now, this has been 20 years ago but if someone can varify these observations, please do so.
ze Aug 04 07
Jonas Gray's verbally commited to Big Red as of Friday!!!
Jason Aug 04 07
Thanks for sharing that OU. I don't think I have seen the clock you're referring to. They have made some major upgrades in the past 20 years so there is a chance that it's gone now (unfortunately).
The obstructed views are still there though. Now they have some TVs under the balconies to help those poor souls, but it's not much of a consolation. I guess that's just part of the charm of an old stadium.
Jeff Aug 06 07
Jason I think he's referring to the clock that was on the top of the old Field House right above the visiting lockeroom doors. It was there before they did the north stadium expansion. That clock is still around -- they preserved it but I don't recall where they put it.
Husker Mike Aug 06 07
The clock was demolished when they demolished Schulte Field House to make way for the new complex. However, they built a replica in the new mezzanine leading to the seats in the North Stadium. It's kind of cool to keep that little bit of history going. The clock was an old-style rotary game clock.
My pregame ritual depends a lot on the time of the game. 11 am kickoffs rush things, so generally we just park and head straight to the stadium. 2:30 and later kickoffs usually mean tailgating, unless the weather looks nasty. A little touch football in the parking lot and some good burgers or brats get the mood set. The goal is always to be in the stadium as the band is hitting the field.
doombob Aug 06 07
Living in the dorms on campus was the best way to prepare for gamedays! Morning or early afternoon gamedays started with no alarm clock (dangerous, I know). But I would be awakened to chants of GOOOOO! BIIIIIIG! REEEEEED! BoBigRed! I would then take my girlfriend (who is now my wife) to Lamar's donuts on 16th & Q. No better way to start off a gameday. Late afternoon and evening games would mean lunch at one of the many fine student union establishments, unless of course I planned on having a Hot Dog, Runza, and Valentinos pizza, with a cool Mt. Dew to wash it down at the game. We would always try to meet our friends at least two hours before the game in front of the student union to walk over as group and watch the band march in.