Husker football kick off

Tomorrow is opening day for the Huskers. It's the first game of the year, and strangely enough, it's the first home opener I've missed in about 10 years. There's just something about Lincoln on a home game day. Guess I'll have to settle for watching it on TV.

There's just something about coming over the overpass at 9th and O....or if you're coming in on 9th street from the north, seeing Memorial Stadium standing proudly against the horizon, glancing over at Haymarket Park and - even though it's football season - your mind temporarily glimpses the spring baseball season, catching the wafts of the grill at hundreds of tailgate parties, and being bombarded with the wave of red, or scarlet, in the case of the Huskers.

There's this energy, this electricity, filtering through the air and the Husker faithful (and even the not-so-faithful) and you just want to be a part of it and feel it energize you.

And no trip to Huskerland would be complete without a trip to Sidetracks to listen to Paul and Joyce, and even if you've heard them for years, you still get caught up in the hype and the singing and the beer all over the floor....

And you can't miss the party at Embassy Suites the night before the game when the pep band plays and free drink tickets come with the room...and everybody is wired.

Heading north to the stadium, seeing scalpers hawking their tix for high prices - if it's a good season - and high prices even if it's Bill Callahan's first season - wondering how much people really pay for the chance to experience Memorial Stadium. (I pay face value, unless they're from my dad, and then they're free! Usually!)

Walk past the music building and listen to the drum line pound out that rhythm, and wait just long enough to walk along side the band as they wind their way to the field, singing and playing Hail Varsity.

Husker Vision. Tunnel Walk. Practice snaps. Gotta be there at least an hour before kick off; sometimes we're there even earlier, depending on who goes to the game with me. It's just part of the game, part of the experience.

Yeah, I'm gonna miss not being there tomorrow. But it's two weeks and counting to USC, baby!
I think I can wait!