Getting Back to Why We're Here

Oh sure, the first column after some well-deserved time off is easy to write. It’s the second one that is a bitch. Just as the bombardment of my neighborhood finally comes to a close this holiday weekend, I figure I better get back into the swing of things before I slip back into a deep Husker-induced sleep.

Anyhow, in order to better understand why I started to labor at finding anything relevant to talk about over this past off-season, I went back into the archives to see if there were any direct differences between my style of thoughts back then, and the way I present my ideas now. (If you have a chance to go through the archives, I’d recommend it. Not because I said anything spectacular, but the replies from many of the Husker freaks who visit this site are absolutely priceless. ‘Wake will win the ACC book it!?!?’ Are you kidding me?)

However a few things stood out to me as completely different. Foremost, I completely got off track and started writing for you rather than for me. Early editions of this blog were hate-filled, mean and almost evil. Somewhere along the way, I confused myself with Rick Riley and tried to get cute by trying to bring up topics in a way that hasn’t been done before. Well, the Huskers sucking donkey sack isn’t exactly new anymore, so there’s no use trying so damn hard to stand out.

Seriously…I even cut back on my swearing, just so some of you wouldn’t be offended. Well hell, it’s not my fault some of you liken blogs to actual mainstream sports news. I’ve said this before, but it is worth repeating: Blogging is nothing more than a journal for all the world to see. If you want fair and balanced reporting, where only Boston and New York teams still matter…watch ESPN. If you like to see farked pictures of Bob Stoops, then you go check out one of 50,000 blogs dedicated to the same subject I write about for the most part…college football. Some of them are even..dare I say...outstanding.

But regardless, my writing became boring to me because I stopped writing about what I care about, and started writing about what I thought you wanted to read. Well no offense, but if you want to read something…start your own damn blog. Don’t get me wrong though…I honestly appreciate each and every person…in good spirits or in anger…who stops by and hits this site. But in the end, blogging for your readers is silly, because there are simply so many ways to attack a subject. (Unless of course you want to name some lame award to college football programs named after a fat Tennessee coach, and then have 50 million people refer to it as some sort of gospel and 11th commandment that says…’Thou Shall never question EDSBS’. If that’s the case..then I can’t help you anyway.)

Anyway, as we move into the last 50 days of the off-season, I’m going to make it a point to stop trying to make some sort of philosophical statement, and simply throw down words off the top of my head. It will be easier on my soul, and odds are..it will make better reading anyway.

OK, glad we got that straight.

**
Here’s a subject I normally wouldn’t hit on lately, but it’s really got me somewhat pissed. It seems the ego-driven jackasses who run the city of Omaha, somehow forgot to tell the Omaha Royals that they had to rip up their sweetheart lease at Rosenblatt, and dip their pen in blood, and sign up to be Roger Dixon’s personal bitch for 10-15 years or whatever.

Anyway, I understand it was important to keep the College World Series. I understand, it’s the only reason ANYBODY from the outside world would even step foot in Omaha, let alone consider it some sort of destination for anything. (Don’t get me started on the lack of lakes and outdoor stuff to do here again. I went camping this weekend and I’m still fired up about it.) And yes, I see how the Mayor’s office had to do whatever it takes to keep the NCAA from pulling out early and leaving without so much as a wet-nap and a note.

Now granted, if this year’s College World Series is any indication, the NCAA baseball National Championship tournament will last the entire summer anyway. But do the leaders of this city actually think North Downtown will grow with only 16 nights of activity? (minus a couple of Creighton games…which lets face it…as long as there is something shiny and new..and as long as the beer isn’t domestic..they’ll be there in droves.) I mean, didn’t they realize the Royals might say, “Screw this circus” and pack up for Houston or Grand Island or wherever?

Don’t get me wrong..the Royals are not innocent victims here either. They’ve bitched and moaned for 10 years about (boo hoo) how they play in too big of a stadium, all the while sneaking in 17,000+ fans several times a year. (Double that of the largest crowds of most other PCL teams) They’re also the same out-of-town yokels who decided that baseball couldn’t sell itself in this town…instead wacky bat races and Blues Brothers imitators was the way to go.

Either way, you’ve got Idiot vs. Idiot in a battle over who is going to destroy this city fastest. You can either: a) Allow the Royals to stay…watch them go broke and listen to them bitch for another 10 years. Or b) Tell the Royals to kiss the city’s ass, and watch a $150 MILLION dollar stadium sit absolutely empty for about 320 days a year.

Which one is it?

Just when you thought everything was worked out, the dipshits who run this joint find a way to screw it up again. Should be interesting to see if/how they’re going to get out of this one.

**
I haven’t read Jason’s Peter’s book yet, but I plan to. I’m sure it will be hard-hitting…shocking (you mean those players DRANK ALCOHOL in school?) and will slobber on the knobs of Husker fans something fierce. However, I’ll hold judgment until I read the whole thing. Stay tuned on that.

**
Speaking of books, I may as tell you now before one of you yayhoos finds it. I was approached to contribute to a book on Husker football for the 2008 season. Now, I realize this sounds a bit odd; however the collaborators of this material somehow thought that there was enough flak caused by the 2007 season that they better at least address those who don’t exactly feel the world is full of Red-colored lollipops and sugarplum fairies.

So with that, I wrote a small couple of pages in rebuttal to my good friend Husker Mike on just why the ‘Greatest Fans in the Nation’ are a fraud and a joke. Now, I’ve only seen some advanced early PDF’s of the book, but I’m hoping they’ll keep my words in context and let me say my fair piece. Regardless, it’s not really that hard to rebut when somebody says, “Can you reply in your own words why Nebraska MAY NOT have the classiest fans in America?”

Uhhh..how much time you got?

Anyway, you can purchase the book on Amazon soon or some other local outlets. You can read a preview of it here.

I normally don’t advertise my collaborations with Husker writers, whether it be in blog or book form…however like I said: They were nice enough to ask me to contribute…and if you want to spend your hard-earned money on looking forward to a soon-to-be 4-8 Husker football team…be my guest. I’m guessing I won’t be buying 100 copies for my family, nor will I be appearing on any talk-shows talking about the blatantly obvious factors surrounding the world-class farce that is the whole “classiest fans” thing. But still, it’s nice to see you can go from jotting down some thoughts to being considered a “published author”…even if your real name isn’t anywhere close to the byline.

Still working on the previews…the off-season is coming to a close quickly. Better get your game face ready to go.

AJ