Husker fan seeking team he doesn't hate for tonight's title game
20 comments so far
January 7, 2010 by
Here we are. The last college football game of the season. Seems nearly impossible given the recent temperature here, but it's about to get even colder in Nebraska. That's what happens when college football is over. Everything that happens between now and August--good or bad--is a little bit worse due to the absence. Starting Friday it's a long eight months of scavenging for tiny scraps of football related information to sustain us until August.
Knowing that, I hope to enjoy tonight's title game tilt to the fullest. To do that, I need a rooting interest. Problem is, I don't want either team to win. As a Nebraska fan, I'm having a hard time seeing any benefit to either Texas or Alabama adding to their title total but it's going to happen for one of them so a side must be chosen.
Normally this isn't a problem for me. I'm a black belt when it comes to picking a side for any random game that might be on TV. Tuesday's Orange Bowl was any easy one. I went with Georgia Tech because a win for the option is a win for Nebraska by proxy (particularly when it happens in Miami). A&M v. Georgia? I don't really subscribe to the conference pride school of thought when it comes to bowl games, but I do like Texas barbecue better than Deep South barbecue. Go Aggies. Missouri v. anyone? Always anyone.
It's usually so easy but none of the usual angles fit for this game. My dad is a devout proponent of rooting for the team that beat you. By his thinking, this makes your team look better and I can see that angle. If Texas wins the national title game then we can say that Nebraska was one second away from beating the best team in the country. When Virginia Tech drubbed Tennessee it made me happy because that was another loss on the schedule that, with one more break, could've been a Nebraska win.
But I have two problems with that line of thinking: 1) It doesn't change the fact that Nebraska DIDN'T win those games, and 2) It's just a little too good-natured for my tastes. It smells a lot like sportsmanship which tastes a lot like health food: good for you, the right choice, but not very fun.
If anything my gut reaction is to hope that Texas experiences the heartbreak Nebraska did back in December. That makes sense to me. After the decade of defeats the Longhorns just handed the Huskers it's hard to find any reason to root for them. If it were Texas Tech, Oklahoma State or even Oklahoma, I could, as a last resort, play the conference pride card but not with Texas.
So I guess I'm going with Alabama, right? I thought so initially. The Crimson Tide don't summon up any real visceral hate on my part the way Texas does. The Huskers and Tide haven't played a game in my lifetime, therefore they've never been the source of any heartache for me. They were just Alabama.
But then Mark Ingram won the Heisman. It wasn't that he beat out Suh, though that didn't help. Rather, after the ceremony I was suddenly faced with the rich potentially getting really richer. Their first Heisman Trophy winner and their 13th (or 17th depending on who you ask) national title, as so many 'Bama fans had prophesied when Saban was hired, in the same season? The idea makes me ill. I don't hate Alabama with my heart, I hate them with my brain.
At the heart of this dilemma is ego, both that of the respective schools and my own. Alabama is the proudest, most football-mad state in the union. Another national title is like gasoline on the fire. But Texans aren't exactly bashful either. Call them bashful and you're likely to get punched in the face. (And then they'll buy you a beer. They're fair like that.) A win for the Longhorns would be their fifth national title, tying Nebraska. That's where my ego comes in.
For the majority of the aughts, all I had to fall back on as a Nebraska fan were the glory days. It was sad and pathetic but it got me through. That's the great thing about college football. It's one big ol' pissin' match and Nebraska can hold their own with just about anyone in that respect. While the Huskers can't claim a victory over Texas since 1999, they can claim one more national title than them. Do I want that to go away?
I think I've decided that I do, and it has more to do with the future than the past. There's only one team in this game that Nebraska's guaranteed to face next season. Might as well have them be the defending champs, right? The Huskers are in dire need of a marquee win so go Texas. Hook 'em Horns.
Just don't forget that your "1970 national title" looks a little shady. When all the games were played, I think we won that year. Yes, I'll split hairs if I have to.
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Major Glenn Baker Jan 07 10
I like the subject of the article. I am having a hard time liking anyone in this game and frankly I hope they kill each other and no one wins but that will not happen. I was stationed for four years in Alabama and I could not stand their fans. I want Texas to crush the life out of them. I hate Saban because he is a lier and a crybaby who couldn't hack it in the NFL when his ego said he could. Texas fans suck and maybe this game will drop that little punk Mcoy lower in the draft. If Texas wins doesn't that make more money for the Bid 12? Go Horns I guess.
Mike in Austin Jan 07 10
I live in Austin, however the Huskers are whom I figuratively live and die with.
I have no problem with rooting for Texas here. Granted the Big 12 Title was like watching the movie "Friday Night Lights," a somewhat overmatched team, valiantly staying competitive, only to come up just short.
Texas is in the category of Oklahoma, Miami, USC, Florida, etc, where although you want to beat them, they demand your respect, considering the football tradition exclusively.
I have a problem more with teams that are classless, do not know their place, and don't act like winners. (ie. Misery, the Lubbock Raiders, Boulder Beef, its whats for dinner, etc.)
So for tonight, I respect the talent that Texas puts on the field, only to yearn for such a team on our sideline this decade. Go Big 12!
Matt Jan 07 10
Mike--I do, and I'm not that far from you.
Their fans are almost as obnoxious as Tech or Colorado fans, their fans typically have no sense of college football history, and the only thing they respect is themselves, even if they are the crappiest thing on the field.
Heck, if you just want to **** around with a Texas fan, ask them who they beat to win the NC they claim from 1970. (And for the Texas fans that happen upon this site, it's a trick question--Texas didn't beat anyone, they actually lost to Notre Dame in their NC game; they were simply awarded the NC prior to the NC game by the AP...something they stopped doing soon after).
After the Big XII Title Game fiasco/snow job, I have no problems wishing ill on Texas--it's not like we're going to be seeing much money from their bowl, and if we do...well, it's going to be the same whether or not they do well.
For the Big XII to succeed for the whole of the conference, it needs a Texas that is put in its place and isn't wielding it's ill-gotten 'Texas Tea' money around like a legitimate weapon to dispatch teams with.
A blowout win by Alabama would help squelch any ideas of Texas remaining a powerful force in the Big XII. And while Alabama isn't exactly a team I care for (or their 6 Na...er...12 NCs? WTF?!?!), I'd much rather they beat Texas...just like we did in the Big XII Title Game, until the UT-alum-led referees took (stole) the game from us.
Illya in New York Jan 07 10
As a husker fan that has suffered one too many losses to Texas, many which we were the better team I can only hope that Bama destroys Texas.
A Texas loss will do more for us by sending Texas into the off season with some negative vibes and a string of two games at the end of thier season where they did not perform well.
Go Bama for just one game.
jason in misery Jan 07 10
I'm going for alabama by default. They simply steal fewer recruits from NU. Recruits are the backbone of most programs (e.g. USC, tu, UF, etc.). Just look at Pete Carroll...he can't coach a lick, but he sure can recruit.
Given the level of assumed talent that Pelini has worked with over the last few years (average class rank over the last 5 years is 22.8, according to scout.com), he's doing quite well. Just wait until he starts recruiting like Osborne did late in his career.
jason in misery Jan 07 10
I'm going for alabama by default. They simply steal fewer recruits from NU. Recruits are the backbone of most programs (e.g. USC, tu, UF, etc.). Just look at Pete Carroll...he can't coach a lick, but he sure can recruit.
Given the level of assumed talent that Pelini has worked with over the last few years (average class rank over the last 5 years is 22.8, according to scout.com), he's doing quite well. Just wait until he starts recruiting like Osborne did late in his career.
Kent Jan 07 10
This article is actually very helpful to me.
I've never been a big "root for the conference" guy: why would I want one of the teams we compete against year in and year out enjoy the benefits of a national title?
So I was prepared to root for Alabama, but multiple exchanges with Tide fans regarding the Heisman race left me with a bad taste in my mouth; as a group, they're a pretty arrogant bunch, possibly more than Texas fans.
In the end, rooting for Texas because we'll have a chance to knock them off next year is as good a reason to root for them as any I can come up with for Alabama.
nu-isu-fan Jan 07 10
I find it comforting others spend as much time on this as I do. It’s proof for my wife I’m not crazy. I could probably write an article as long as Brandon’s on the topic, though not nearly as eloquently. I’ll just raise two points:
1. I live in central Iowa. I see people with hats, shirts, flags, etc. supporting primarily four teams – Iowa State, Iowa, Nebraska, and (as much as I hate it) Texas. Where do these Texas fans come from? I see high school kids wearing Longhorn caps. I know they’re not from Texas. I think they’re just kids who jump on the bandwagon. And that bugs me. In fact, it ticks me off. Therefore I can’t route for Texas. (Though NU has a similar national following… That makes me almost respect Texas for it… Oh, wait… Now I’m diverging from limiting to only two points.)
2. The media has taken a turn in recent weeks. It seems they don’t respect NU for giving Texas a game. Maybe it’s just me, but I get the impression they’re counting Texas out of the Alabama game BECAUSE they barely beat the lowly Huskers. Therefore, I have to route for Texas.
I guess I’m leaning toward Texas. When all else fails, I may resort to flipping a coin. I find if I make a random decision, my heart will kick in and tell me if it was a correct decision. So if the coin says Bama, and I find I’m disappointed with the coin’s results, I’ll switch.
Brandon Jan 07 10
nu-isu-fan,
Can't speak for the media overall, but Ivan Maisel wrote an excellent piece about how Suh's dominating performance raised a bunch of questions about Texas' o-line heading into the title game.
Ultimately I think this is a big advantage for Texas. After Nebraska took them to the wire and 'Bama crushed Florida, the Longhorns became the easy underdog. But I don't think the teams are actually separated by much on the field. Before championship weekend, it looked like Texas was the team rolling while 'Bama looked a little sluggish.
PSW Jan 07 10
I can't root for Texas. I just can't. Not after the decade we have had with them. How did McCoy get more votes in the Heisman after Suh made him his b*tch? Even if they are defending champs next year they have so much to replace including McCoy they will be a shell of the team they were this year. I hope Bama destroys them.
I feel the power in the Big XII is about to shift and the North with NU will be a force for the next several years. I do not think the North will be a doormat any longer. Let Texas begin the decade with a beatdown for good measure.
Brandon Jan 07 10
One more angle that just occurred to me. There's a "best defense in the country" angle here too. You can't ignore Florida and we won't have anything close to a direct comparison there, but we'll have one with Alabama after tonight.
James Moore Jan 07 10
Hate Texas and all the entitlement that comes with them. For what Texas is designed to do they could not have had a worse opponent than Alabama (Nebraska being the worst matchup possible where if you played that game ten times we would do the same or if possible shut them down even more). Alabama's front four is not as good as ours but I give them a SLIGHT edge at LB and although our Secondary has very comparable coverage skills it's their ball awareness that separates them from ours. I thought that some of the PI's in the Big 12 Championship Game were questionable but Saban corners just won't get caught in scenarios where they could catch flags like that. No press with ball awareness, no playing time. Throw in that Saban can completely out X-and-O Brown and it just adds up to a bad, bad, bad set of circumstances for Texas. Add to the mix that Alabama can score some points being "multiple" (maybe our future product as a "multiple" team ourselves?) & for good measure take into account that they have played a much tougher schedule. Wouldn't surprise me if this one turned out to be a second edition of USC/Oklahoma. I'm honestly hoping for a massacre out in Pasadena BUT. . .
Nick Saban is The Dark Lord of The Sith and Alabama is truly one program that nobody can like if you're not with them. There is perhaps no team in The United States that rouses the emotion that they do. In many ways the same qualities that I dislike about Texas are magnified ten-fold with Alabama. So what's one to do in such a scenario?
Get your wings, extra bleu-cheese and watch it. It's the last football game of the year until next season. Ugh, Roll Tide. . .
J Dub 007 Jan 07 10
Although I was born and raised in Nebraska, I reside in TX now and have for some time. I live in north texas and have found that most of the TX fans here are fairly level headed (unlike the ones from Austin). I only heard praise after the Big 12 Champ game. They knew they were lucky. A texas win gets us two things.
1) A big 12 win, which helps the conference.
2) Shows the whole country who the best defense is.
Be proud Husker Fans.
My vote goes to Texas 27-10. Hook'em Horns.
kw Jan 07 10
As much as I hate the jawing about the SEC and their dominance, and as much as I don't want to hear about it for another year, or how down the Big 12 was this year...it's still not enough pull for me to route for Texas. Like Brandon said, Alabama has never caused me any heartbreaks in my lifetime, and I've had little to none experience with any 'Bama fans. I have no doubt that they are probably as obnoxious as TX fans, but I can't go off of other peoples' experiences. Mark Ingram didn't deserve the Heisman, nor did Colt McCoy deserve to finish ahead of Suh...so that's a wash. 13-17 titles for Bama...so what's one more? We're not even close to that. But the thought of Texas having 5 NCs (even with one of them being totally bogus) tied with us, that I just can't stomach. I'll admit after reading this article I had to give the issue a second look and for a mere second I may have been leaning towards TX. But I'm stubborn and strong in my convictions. I lived in TX for almost 3 years, in the Austin area; and I HATE Texas to no end. I hate their sense of entitlement, and their fans are snooty with little actual knowledge to back it up. I don't want to give them one more thing to support their Texas sized egos. Even if a TX win might make us look better, it's not going to make us a top ten team win the final polls come out. Nor will it have any bearing on next season. And as Brandon said, it won't turn those losses into wins. Conference alliances be damned! Roll Tide!!!
kw Jan 07 10
I shouldn't lump all of the Texas fans into one category. Many could do the same with our fan base, as every fan base has a few knuckle heads or in some cases many. J Dub is right. TX fans from the Austin area are far worse than those from other areas of the state. And I also had many experiences with some TX fans that reminded me of our own fan base. Level headed, knowledgeable, and gave credit when credit was due. But living in the Austin area, those experiences were few and far between and I just can't get the ignorant fans out of the forefront of my mind. Plus, Alabama did something this year that made me pull for them a little more. They beat Florida! Another team I've despised since the spurier days! Went to the Fiesta Bowl in '95. Talk about obnoxious fans and confrontational to boot. Nebraska fans just kept biting their tongues and let the game do the talking. How sweet it was!
kw Jan 07 10
I promise this will be my last post on this issue, but I had another thought. Would another NC for TX only add to the Big 12 already catering to TX? They don't need any more help.
jason in misery Jan 07 10
More reasons not to cheer for tu...
http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2010/01/07/everyday-should-be-bamaday-why-you-should-root-against-texas/
Includes a nice picture of colt mccoy's boyish, junior high mustache.
nu-isu-fan Jan 07 10
Thanks for the link, Brandon.
I've decided. I'm flipping a coin. I guess as long as I have a beer in hand and it's not a blowout for either side, I'll enjoy it.
Matt Jan 07 10
I really can't say I like either team but I hate Texas so much I have to pull for Bama even though Ingram won the heisman over suh. I just hope Colt McCoy has a good game against Bama's defense so that it makes Nebraska's defense look better and hopefully get some deserved respect. And I hope that Texas loses because Colt McCoy accidently takes too much time just like what happened in the Big 12 championship game.
omarhuskerfan Jan 08 10
So now that it's over. Props to TU and I have to say that I was like most here...indifferent. However Watching nick saban run it on that last touchdown made me a saban hater for life.