-Isms: Views on life in rural America

If you know me well, or if you’ve read this column for years, you know how much Husker football means to me. Always has, always will.

Despite getting a breaking news alert during our grandson’s peewee football game that things were a little, um - frosty - in Lincoln Sunday morning.

Despite a horrible coaching record for Frost during his tenure.

Despite the oh-so-many close calls which left many fans feeling next week would be the turning point.

I’m not sure I believe in the Solich curse, but I remember the night of Frost’s first game as head coach, as a storm focused on Memorial Stadium, painting the sky brilliant blue as streaks of lightning spread across the horizon. That evening in the stadium, during a weather delay, 90,000 fans sang “Don’t Stop Believing” as the storm continued to threaten.

The ‘Skers and Akron Zips did not return to the playing field that night. Instead, a windstorm swept across 10th and O streets, sending gushes of rain to the ground, pummeling Tom Osborne Field and overflowing streets in the Haymarket.

For many fans, the night is a reminder of the impending storm that is Nebraska football and everything it entails, a bolt of raw energy from the football gods above who seemingly were saying, “This isn’t the right fit or time.”

That evening was also a reminder of what could have been - the golden boy next door returns home to save a floundering program, the hero player-turned-hero coach, stepping in to save the day, ushering the scarlet and cream back to the land of championships, reliving the glory days of the ‘90s.

I asked then, “What happens if he can’t fix this? What happens if he fails?”

Now, we know what happens. You meet with the athletic director on a blurry Sunday morning after a tough loss to a Sunbelt Athletic Conference team, collect $15 million dollars and walk away.

I get it. college football has become big business, where ratings speak louder than legacy football ticket donors, where the transfer portal opens wide for players to escape when things don’t go their way, where NIL contracts pull focus from a game.

Yet, I still love college football. And, I will always cheer for Nebraska.

Heck, I survived the Callahan years. This, too - although it feels bittersweet - shall pass.

As I listened to Mickey Joseph’s first conference this week, I couldn’t help but feel the excitement and energy he will hopefully infuse in his team.

It’s Oklahoma week, baby.

It’s “Send me back (to the ‘90s) Saturday,” where two powerhouse teams battle for pride and domination on the field.

A girl can dream, right? Go Big Red.