Comeback Kid

Oct29

I’m no sports reporter. There are days I WISH I was.. like today.. at ‘the K’… cheering on the Kansas City Royals in Game 7.. yes, this is one of those days 🙂 Yes, sports reporters get to witness some incredible moments from amazing vantage points, but they are also some of the hardest working guys in TV News. Andy Kendeigh, Thor Tripp and Matt Lothrop shoot their own material, write their own material, write their own sportscasts, and are often on set, anchoring, after working all day covering games and stories out in the field. They don’t ‘sit back and watch the game’; they are keeping track of stats, editing while the game is in progress, and thinking about how they’ll present it all. While fans watch and enjoy, sports guys (and ladies) work 20-hour days to bring those moments to the rest of the world.

They also know a RIDICULOUS amount of information about sports. I’d like to think I know the game of baseball.. I love gymnastics.. I like football a whole lot.. but I’m no sports reporter. I’m a sports reporter wannabe at best.

When I started profiling former Huskers as part of this Throwback Thursday series, I turned to our sports guys and my husband, ALSO a former sports photojournalist in TV News, to see who they wanted to hear from.

SEVERAL gave me this guy’s name.

#5, Nebraska Quarterback Jammal Lord, photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics

Even if you don’t know the ins and outs of this game, you can see this guy was impressive on the college football field by looking at his stats. Lord made the record books for total offense in a season and in a career. He set a record at Nebraska for a rushing quarterback in a single game and in a season. His name appears among Nebraska’s greats at the position, Eric Crouch and Tommie Frazier.

Nebraska’s last true option quarterback also marked the end of an era. As he left Nebraska at the end of 2003, so did his Head Coach Frank Solich, fired after a 9-3 season.

WHAT IF? What if they didn’t have that 7-7 season in 2002? What if there hadn’t been a coaching controversy? What if Lord, who only had 2.5 seasons on the field after a torn PCL in his knee, had gotten all four years as starting QB?

Lord tells me he has no regrets about his time as a Husker.

“No, not at all. I had fun at Nebraska,” Lord told me by phone last month. “I loved the coaches I had from Coach Solich to Coach Gill. Those guys were role models. They showed me tough love and I needed that.”

Thanks to Lord’s alma mater, Bayonne High School, for the photos

Husker nation again had high hopes for Lord as a pro player, drafted in the 6th round in 2004 by the Houston Texans. He played safety, wide receiver, cornerback, eventually retiring from pro football with the Abilene Ruff Riders of the Indoor Football League in 2007.

Lord then returned to his roots and the place where he developed his passion for football. He became a football coach at his Alma Mater, Bayonne High School in Bayonne, New Jersey. COACHING became his new passion, a role that eventually brought him back to Nebraska, coaching at Concordia High School alongside his friend, Steve Warren.

“I miss it every day, everything about football,” Lord told me. “I miss coaching, the kids, helping the kids out. Just seeing them grow.”

During those coaching days, even now, it’s hard to not miss PLAYING the game, too. Lord says his favorite game came his junior year at Texas A&M. John Oakey’s Aggies had the Huskers on the ropes in the 3rd quarter, down 31-14. Lord and Nebraska charged back and WON 38-31, at the time, tying the school record for the biggest comeback in football history. Jammal Lord was named Team Captain the following season.

“Just going out, playing hard and winning games,” said Lord. “I miss my friends, mainly.”

Today, Lord is a long way from the friends he made in Lincoln, Houston, Bayonne and Omaha; he’s working in the oil fields of North Dakota.

WHAT?!?! For anyone asking the same question I did when I heard that, a quick Google search reveals the average annual salary of an oil worker in ND is more than $110,000.

“A friend of a friend had a business here, offered me a job,” said Lord. “I said never! Then I caved in.”

It’s hard not to like this guy in talking to him on the phone. In that answer and in so many others, he laughed throughout. You could ‘hear’ his smile on other end. Jammal Lord seems like a guy who truly enjoys life, whether he’s making a comeback on the football field or anywhere else. He has a passion for life, just as he does for football.

And he still has that love for the Huskers.

“I like all of them,” he said of today’s players. “I like Ameer, he’s doing his thing right now. I like Tommy. I’m biased for the quarterback position, you know what I mean?”

What about Coach Pelini, Lord’s then Defensive Coordinator who took over head-coaching duties in Lord’s last game with Nebraska at the Alamo Bowl?

“LOVE him. Love him,” said Lord. “Just the passion, he has passion for his kids. He has passion for the game of football.”

Finally, to Husker fans who, like so many sports guys do, remember Jammal Lord and hold him as a Husker favorite, he’s got a message for you, too.

“I love you. You’re number one in my book,” said Lord. “I had fun down there. It was a great time. I love the fans, I love the stadium. GO BIG RED!”

CHECK OUT KETV’S HUSKERS THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON JAMMAL LORD!

For more on #5 Jammal Lord, check out his bio courtesy of Nebraska Athletics.

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Click here to Throwback to the Class of 2013, CJ Zimmerer!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday Husker.. the Class of 1987, John McCormick!

More Than Words

Oct22

“Actions speak louder than words.”

A classic quote, teaching all of us to LIVE what we preach, follow through on what we promise and that we will send a message by what we DO, not just by what we say.

This week’s Throwback Thursday Husker is basically stamping that statement all over Nebraska and beyond. What’s more, you have likely seen the impact of his efforts without knowing who was behind the work.

Meet CJ Zimmerer, Nebraska Fullback, Class of 2013. (Photo courtesy of Nebraska Athletics.)

Zimmerer was the mind behind one of the most touching moments in Nebraska Football history, and is now working to make life better for kids throughout Sarpy County. Despite his efforts, his picture’s not flashed around and his name doesn’t usually make the headlines.

Zimmerer wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I don’t need any praise for anything,” Zimmerer told me in a recent interview.

You be the judge.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S HUSKER THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON #31 CJ ZIMMERER!

Photo courtesy of CJ Zimmerer and Huskers.com.. love the cameo from KETV photojournalist, Tyler White on the left!

Remember this amazing moment? Jack Hoffman, the little guy faced with a BIG fight against pediatric brain cancer, running for a touchdown at the 2013 Spring Game in front of 69,000 fans (many, including me, in tears!) The video, posted on YouTube, has been viewed more than 8.6 MILLION times and won an ESPY Award for Best Moment. Take another look and you’ll see #31 CJ Zimmerer alongside Jack the entire time, getting him ready, clearing his way to the end zone, and finally lifting up young Jack when he scores. This moment was all Zimmerer’s idea, and became what he calls ‘a whirlwind’.

“Coaches are calling me late at night, we’re calling other players, planning the whole thing, and it just turned into a huge thing,” said Zimmerer. “That’s what it’s all about.”

With worldwide attention from that incredible moment, the Team Jack Foundation raised more than a million dollars, with the goal of reaching $2 million by the end of this year. Jack caught the attention of ESPN, President Obama, and some of the biggest names in sports. Zimmerer was honored with the 2014 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Award, the FBI’s Hometown Heroes Award in 2013, and one of only 11 college football players named to the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

Most importantly, MORE AND MORE people are talking about the disease that has taken and impacted countless lives: pediatric brain cancer.

Zimmerer still wears his Team Jack bracelet on his right wrist. On his left, he wears a Sammy’s Superheroes bracelet for awareness of all pediatric cancers, in honor of little Sammy Nahorny in Columbus. And just as so many of us, touched by Jack Hoffman’s story, Zimmerer says he was heartbroken to hear Jack’s tumor had returned earlier this year.

“You wish you could trade places with him, but all you can do is pray, continue to raise awareness,” said Zimmerer. “The guys in Lincoln are doing a great job carrying on that legacy, and you’ve just got to hope for the best.”

Zimmerer’s great connection with kids extends beyond Jack and Sammy. Soon after graduating from Lincoln, Zimmerer became a Juvenile Probation Officer in Sarpy County. He works with kids and teenagers who are in trouble with the law, hoping to get them back on the right track.

“Really trying to work with them and their families and providers here in the community to make constructive change in their lives,” said Zimmerer. He told me once in awhile, a kid will look up in his office and see a picture of Zimmerer with his fiancé, taken while he played for the Huskers. He smiles as he describes watching that realization that yes, he played Nebraska Football.

Zimmerer also has a shared bond with these kids; he’s a Gross High graduate and grew up in the same place they did.

“I was very blessed to have great parents and I think that’s where it comes back to,” said Zimmerer. “Just taking the time to find out how your kids’ day was, to getting them involved in sports, to being there at their events or plays or Academic Decathlon, whatever the case might be. That constant support and structure, a lot of kids don’t get and it’s sad to see.”

Zimmerer might give even more kids that support, as he’s considering coaching in the future. Right now, he’s having a ‘weird’ time adjusting to his ‘armchair quarterback’ role this first year away from Memorial Stadium.

“I don’t know where to sit on the couch, or do I want to watch it at a bar or a restaurant,” said Zimmerer. “It definitely has been weird. You feel yourself coaching on the couch, ’cause you think you know everything but really, I probably don’t know anything, it’s all changed since I’ve left.”

Not everything; some of Zimmerer’s close friends are still putting in work on the field, including fullbacks Andy Janovich and Harrison Jordan.

“That’s the best thing, even the smaller schools like Andy [from Gretna] and I are from, guys don’t get as much recognition,” said Zimmerer. “But there’s a lot of smaller town guys on the team and it’s great to see them doing well. They just have that hard work attitude that some guys can’t seem to figure out.”

To those players, Zimmerer says do everything now, don’t waste any time. He looks back on his favorite moments on the field, like watching the snow fall among 100,000 fans, before he and his teammates returned a kick for a touchdown against Penn State.

“That’s what you dream about growing up. Going to big games like that and being in that situation,” said Zimmerer. “Everything you do is important, on and off the field. It’s never too early to realize that.”

Zimmerer continues to live that message; that everything we do is important. And maybe THAT is the key to happiness for all of us. Zimmerer told us, he’s enjoying every minute of his new job, in his hometown, planning for his wedding to fiancé Kim Wees next summer.

Zimmerer said in our interview he doesn’t need praise for anything. Again, I’ll let you decide for yourself, and I’ll leave you with another classic quote:

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

To read more about #31 CJ Zimmerer check out his bio from Nebraska Athletics!

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Click here to Throwback to the Class of 1998, Jay Foreman!

Next weeks’ Throwback Thursday Husker.. the Class of 2003, Jammal Lord!

Captain America

Oct16

If you’ve ever checked out my blog, THANK YOU, and you have likely noticed that I follow the Miss America organization and our local representatives. When it came time to write this week’s Huskers Throwback Thursday blog post, I came EVER so close to calling it ‘Mr. America’. I didn’t, because… it’s probably not very cool for any dude to be called Mr. America… I didn’t want this week’s former Husker to get teased.. because he’s still an athletic guy.. a fight could break out.. and so on, and so on. (These are the kind of random scenarios that go through my head on a daily basis. Don’t judge.)

Now, CAPTAIN AMERICA, on the otherhand, is a national hero. So we’ll go with that.

Ladies and gentleman, NEBRASKA’S CAPTAIN AMERICA..

..or as he’s known on the streets, Jay Foreman. (Pictured here with an awesome lady I’m sure would agree with me, Beth Pfeffer with Nebraska Medicine. More from Beth to come.)

Foreman was a starter on two national championship teams at Nebraska. He played in the NFL for eight years, team captain for three. He earned his MBA from HARVARD, WHILE playing for the NFL. Who does that?!?!?

And most impressive to many, he is now working towards something that offers little financial compensation for himself, but means the world to those battling a debilitating illness. Foreman has founded the Foreman Foundation to make life better for those with diabetes, a disease Foreman himself does not even have.

The Foreman Foundation contacted me several weeks ago, hoping as part of our Huskers Throwback Thursday series we could touch base with Foreman and more so, share his non-profit’s mission and goal; to ultimately find a cure for diabetes.

Foreman, #44, heads to the locker room to celebrate Nebraska’s 1997 National Championship. Photo courtesy of Josh Harvey & Scout.com.

To throwback to Foreman’s days at Nebraska is to remember Glory Days in Lincoln. When the Huskers crushed the Tennessee Volunteers in the 1997 Orange Bowl, Foreman started in his second national championship game.

“You know, what’s funny is while we were doing it, I don’t think I appreciated it as much as I should have,” Foreman told me recently. “Probably, to be on the team that’s maybe the best of all time is something not a lot of people can say. Only 22 people can say they started on the team, so I feel special just to say that. That alone is good enough for my career.”

The following year, Foreman would be named a semi-finalist for the Dick Butkus Award, and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in just 3 1/2 years with a BS degree in Business Administration. While playing eight years in the NFL (including five consecutive seasons in which he logged more than 100 tackles,) Foreman ALSO earned his MBA at Harvard University. AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. And as if that didn’t keep him busy enough, Foreman, as a professional football player, began to devote himself to public service. While playing for the Houston Texans, Foreman created ‘Foreman Friends’ to assist abused and underprivileged kids in group homes. He also reached out to families battling a disease he’d seen nearly all his life, diabetes.

“A lot of people in my family were affected, ARE affected, by diabetes and have actually lost their lives to it,” said Foreman. He describes relatives who literally seem to wither away. He says the effects impact their bodies, their moods and their energy levels. One of Foreman’s loved ones affected by diabetes, his father, 5-time Pro-Bowler Chuck Foreman.

Photo courtesy of FootballsFuture.com.

“He’s always been in somewhat good shape,” said Jay Foreman. “For him to have the episode he had to where he had his big toe cut off, that hit me pretty hard. It was something that hit home, and I knew I needed to do something.”

In 2013, back in Nebraska, Foreman DID do something, forming his own 501c3 non-profit organization devoted to the cause.

In February, the Foreman Foundation hosted its first big event, a Bowl-a-Thon to ‘Strike Out’ diabetes.

The event raised $6,000.

Foreman and his foundation have since reached out to area businesses, applied for and won grants, and are planning the first Foreman Foundation Gala. So far, they have raised an estimated $32,000 for groups like Nebraska Medicine’s Diabetes Center, the Heart Ministry Center in North Omaha and the People’s Health Center in Lincoln.

The donations make a huge difference to patients Beth Pfeffer sees everyday. That’s Beth in the first picture in this post; she’s the Director of Diabetes Services with Nebraska Medicine (formerly the Nebraska Medical Center.)

“Diabetes is a very expensive disease,” Pfeffer told me. “There are medications, testing strips, monitors, meters, pumps, all kinds of supplies.”

Pfeffer adds that many patients, just like Chuck Foreman, need many different doctors, as diabetes affects eyes and feet among other things. All of this can be overwhelming for patients who may or may not have the ability to pay for supplies, care or education. The Foreman Foundation helps cover that gap.

“Being a former Husker football player means a lot, especially to younger patients,” said Pfeffer. “It’s a pay-it-forward type scenario to me.”

Paying forward KINDNESS. A novel thought.

I asked Foreman WHY. With all his success in football and business, why doesn’t he just take what he’s earned and live an easy life in a beach house in Malibu?

“Well first, I’m from Minnesota, so it would be a cabin on the lake,” Foreman joked. “Life is short. I want to have an impact and reach as many people as I can.”

Jay Foreman is certainly reaching people. Through TV, when he flies back to Texas for analysis of both college and pro football. Through radio, when he fills in on friend and former Nebraska teammate Damon Benning’s sports talk show on 1620 The Zone (and here’s hoping the Mr. America reference NEVER comes up on Sharp and Benning in the Morning!) And through his iconic 90’s Nebraska football teams that still make Husker Nation smile.

But perhaps, Jay Foreman’s legacy will not be all the tackles he recorded on the field, but the work he’s doing now tackling this horrible disease.

It’s a mission he hopes today’s Huskers continue, for whatever cause hits home for them.

“It does feel good for people to recognize you for your hard work, and that’s all you want as a football player,” said Foreman. “I figured if I could use a little bit of my notoriety to help people, bring some knowledge and obviously raise funds to hopefully find a cure and get people educated, that’s the least I can do.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S HUSKER THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON #44 JAY FORMAN!

Click here to learn more about the Foreman Foundation on their website and on Facebook.

You can also email the Foreman Foundation at foreman.foundation@cox.net or call (402) 830-9269.

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Click here to Throwback to the Class of 1977, Monte Anthony!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday.. Class of 2013, CJ Zimmerer!

Forever Young

Oct8

Think back to something you did when you were 17 years old. How about 18?

When I was 17, I was in Grease at Papillion-La Vista High School (along with Adrian Whitsett!). At 18, I saw my first Atlanta Braves game in person at Chase Field in Arizona.

At 17, Monte Anthony became one of Nebraska football’s leading rushers, a rare true freshman starting at a perennial powerhouse. He did all of that while taking 27 credit hours worth of classes at Nebraska, according to national broadcasters during the 1974 Sugar Bowl.

MONTE ANTHONY WAS JUST 17 YEARS OLD.

Hard to imagine the pressure this man faced at such a young age. KETV’s Andrew Ozaki asked Anthony about it a few weeks ago, when Anthony was inducted into Bellevue East High School’s Hall of Fame.

“It was fantastic,” said Anthony. “Actually, Coach Osborne, I see as a father figure. He taught me perseverance, team work, and that you can get out there and get it done if you want to get it done.”

The night before the Sugar Bowl, Coach Osborne also taught Anthony a tough lesson about responsibility. Anthony told me he was out with his family and missed curfew. He still clearly recalls what Coach Osborne told him.

“You’re a freshman, you can’t do that!” said Anthony. He remembers running laps and then riding the bench in the first half of that big bowl game.

It had to be torture watching this one from the sidelines. At the half, Florida had shut out Nebraska 10-0. Coach Osborne came out of the locker room with a new plan.

“Tom called upon me,” said Anthony. “I was totally shocked and stunned.”

Photo courtesy of HuskerMax.com!

Anthony was ready to deliver for his team and in the 4th quarter he had his chance.

“Tony Davis (Husker fullback) took me by the face mask when the play was called and said ‘we are taking this in’,” described Anthony. “You knew the entire team was one.”

Anthony dove into the end zone and scored Nebraska’s only touchdown of the game. It was enough; that drive sparked two more field goals and Nebraska beat Florida 13-10.

Click here to watch Anthony’s 1974 Sugar Bowl highlights, thanks to Jake Jacobsen & HuskerTapes.com.

One of my favorite parts about these highlights, aside from the SMASHING 1974 broadcast journalist attire, is the commentary.

“Many college football players are fine students, but few if any can equal the dual performance of Nebraska’s Monte Anthony on the field and in the classroom,” said ABC’s Don Tollefson. “In the classroom, he was piling up 27 semester credits while excelling in different courses like calculus, chemical engineering and computer science.”

“I actually received 10 hours of calculus credit my first semester by taking the 3rd semester math course,” Anthony told me. “In reality, I was only physically taking 17 hours and got credit for 27.”

If you’ve been in college, you know 17 hours is STILL an incredible commitment for any student, let alone a student athlete. But THAT is part of the message Monte Anthony wants high school and college athletes to take away from his time at Nebraska.

“I would say make sure you’re prepared. Not only physically, but mentally,” said Anthony. “Really, it starts in high school. Align yourself with good people. Make good decisions and your first couple of years, really get the program down as far as academics.”

Anthony was pretty darn good ON the field as well as off. He was Nebraska’s leading rusher from 1974-1975, racking up 1,310 yards in just two seasons. He was drafted in the 8th round in 1978 by Baltimore. Still, it was ultimately that academic foundation that would come to use in his career, as he came back to Omaha when his playing days were over. Anthony is now in project management at First Data. He has two daughters and speaks to young kids about the lessons he’s learned and his favorite moments as a Nebraska Cornhusker.

“Of course, I wish we would’ve had a lot bigger linemen as they do today!” Anthony joked. “It was really the experience, the fans, the team. But scoring is always the best.”

And while Monte Anthony can certainly look back at that 17 and 18 year old Husker with pride, he’s not living in the past by any means.

“Just loving Omaha, loving Nebraska and living the good life!” said Anthony.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S HUSKER THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON #49 MONTE ANTHONY!

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CLICK HERE to Throwback to the Class of 1971, Larry Jacobson!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday.. Class of 1998, Jay Foreman!

A Nebraska Legend

Oct1

When the KETV Sports Team signed off on the idea of a Throwback Thursday Huskers edition, I started compiling a list of potential players we could catch up with. Players I remember the most, players that have been Husker Nation favorites over the years, and the legend, the names and faces that are synonymous with the storied history of Nebraska Football.

One of my ‘long shots’ was a guy named Larry Jacobson. Arguably one of THE BEST in Husker history. Nebraska’s first Outland Trophy winner. One of the stars of the Game of the Century in 1971. A starting tackle on the 2-time national champion team. I tracked him down, half expecting I would never hear back if I left a message.. I mean, he’s LARRY JACOBSON.

Larry was one of the FIRST to call me back. Hilarious, outgoing, HUMBLE. Proud to be a Husker and so grateful Husker Nation remembers him.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S HUSKER THROWBACK THURSDAY SPECIAL ON LARRY JACOBSON!

Photo courtesy of Nebraska Athletics & UNL Photographic Services

At one point in our phone conversation, I think I asked, ‘is this THE Larry Jacobson?!?’

Jacobson is now retired, enjoying his time reading, hunting, fishing and spending quiet evenings on the Platte river with his beautiful wife, Kathy. This fantastic couple welcomed us to their home a few weeks ago to talk football.

Photographer Dave Hynek and I pulled up, and the first thing I saw was an older model porsche with the license plate 71 OUTLN.

AWESOME, and just a preview of what we would see. The first thing that greets you upon walking into the Jacobson home is an enormous Outland Trophy displayed on the fireplace mantel. AN OUTLAND TROPHY. And it has company.

“And this, I just got two years ago, the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award,” said Jacobson, who then picked up a photo. “The #1 overall pick of the draft this year was JaDeveon Clowney. He was a classy guy; we had a good time with him two years ago.”

Jacobson, on the right, accepting the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award in 2012. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Athletics, Randy York & NU Media Relations.

Jacobson wasn’t bragging and he wasn’t arrogant in showing off his collection. It was almost like he was just as much in awe of all of the hardware and moments as we were!

He then led us upstairs to his ‘man-cave’ if you will.. a room he’s painted red and nearly every inch of space decorated with a Nebraska football memento. (I believe his wife, Kathy, gets much of the credit for that 🙂 There’s a collage featuring all eight of Nebraska’s Outland Tropy Winners, all signed. You see photos of Jacobson alongside some of the most talented college football players of the last 40 years. Hanging on one wall, tickets to the Game of the Century in 1971 signed by Devaney, Osborne, Switzer, Fairbanks. The room is A MUSEUM of Husker memorabilia, each item cooler than the last, and Jacobson has a story for every piece.

Take the football, signed by Bob Devaney, who coached Nebraska in that epic game against Oklahoma.

“You say, sometimes you wish people could have the feeling once in their life that we had after that game,” said Jacobson. Then, laughing: “we brought our own food down because we were afraid they were going to poison us!”

Turn to a black and white photo of the ’71 Huskers with President Richard Nixon.

“We were drafted while we were at the White House,” said Jacobson. “When we came out from visiting in the Oval Office with Nixon, they handed us a piece of paper. I went to the Giants and Jeff [Kinney] went to the Chiefs.”

Hard to imagine the excitement a young Jacobson must have had about his future. Little did he know, less than four years later, his playing days would be over.

One play. A nasty injury. (“My ankle did a ‘280’ on me,” said Jacobson, comparing it to Sean Fisher’s leg break in 2010.) Still in his 20’s, Larry Jacobson was forced to retire from football.

Jacobson, an Academic All-American at Nebraska, became a stockbroker, a career he would devote his life to for about 30 years until his retirement.

“I saw, as I was working, too many of my clients that worked and worked and worked, finally would retire and within two or three years, they died,” said Jacobson. “I didn’t want that to happen to me.”

Jacobson and his wife, Kathy, at an Angels Among Us fundraiser in 2010. Photo courtesy of Angels Among Us and Mike Downey.

Jacobson now follows the Huskers from his season ticket seats in the south end zone, prompting a popular question from many Husker fans, ‘uh, his name is DISPLAYED ON MEMORIAL STADIUM. Why does he need tickets?!?’ Jacobson just laughs.

“You look up, and you can’t believe it’s there,” said Jacobson. “You know, my Dad lived a good life until he was 85. I wish he would’ve lived a couple more years so he could see it up there.”

And maybe Dad could’ve weighed in on the debate that seems to present itself every time another team makes a run at repeat national titles. Would any of today’s teams have beaten the 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers?

“There are a lot better athletes now, but as far as an organization, as far as a team, I don’t think there’ll ever be one like the ’71 Cornhuskers,” said Jacobson.

They were the only team to beat the #2, #3, and #4 teams in the country in the same season. 25 of the men on that team went on to play professional football. The Sporting News named their team the BEST EVER.

Jacobson, who still keeps in touch with many of his teammates, calls himself ‘fortunate’ to have been a part of it all.

“People remember Johnny Rodgers. They remember Jerry Tagge, Jeff Kinney, Rich Glover and a lot of times, they remember me,” said Jacobson. “And that really makes me feel good.”

To read more about #75 Larry Jacobson, check out his bio courtesy of Nebraska Athletics.

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CLICK HERE to Throwback to the Classes of 1971 & 1997, Bill & Jesse Kosch!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday.. Class of 1977, Monte Anthony!

Lords Of The Rings

Sep24

Usually, I try to start each blog post with something clever, witty, catching.

Today, all I need is this.

two rings

The guy in orange is Bill Kosch. The guy in black is Jesse Kosch. They are father and son. And they are wearing ALL FIVE of Nebraska Football’s National Championship rings.

As I put together these Huskers Throwback Thursday stories over the last two months, I’ve heard about the Kosch family several times from both viewers and former players. Having fathers, sons and other family members all play for Nebraska happens often (check out my Throwback to Bo & Barrett Ruud!), but to have two involved in ALL of Nebraska’s championships?!?

“I think somebody was like, ‘are you the only father/son to have all the championship rings?'” said Jesse, during a recent trip back to Lincoln. “I was like, ‘well, maybe!'”

Click here to check out KETV’s Huskers Throwback Thursday feature on Bill & Jesse Kosch!

No doubt this is special. It’s no coincidence either; these two produced REMARKABLE numbers while at Nebraska.

Bill Kosch played for Nebraska in the Devaney Era, the starting defensive back on both the 1970 and 1971 teams. This photo shows Kosch, #24, intercepting the ball against Texas A&M in 1971. (Thanks to fanbase.com for the photo!) He played in both national championship games and the Game of the Century. His favorite game, however, was during his junior year, playing USC at the Coliseum in 1970. USC was then ranked #3 and Nebraska had largely been ignored by the national media.

“Playing under the lights in Los Angeles, I picked off Jimmy Jones in the end zone,” Bill told KETV’s Andrew Ozaki last week. “Wasn’t exactly sure where I was, I brought it out to the 25-yard line. We didn’t win the game but we didn’t lose it either, a 21-21 tie. We got a lot of notoriety out of it, and it kind of got us going toward #1 in the 1970 season.”

Click here to watch Bill Kosch’s interception, thanks to Jake Jacobsen and HuskerTapes.com!

As for Bill Kosch’s favorite championship; it’s the first one his son, Jesse, won for the 1994 title against Miami.

1994

The now iconic image of players lifting Coach Tom Osborne off the field after winning the 1994 National Title, Osborne’s first. Thanks to Nebraska Athletics for the photo!

“It’s just so dramatic. So rewarding. It’s so relieving, so tense,” said Bill, who watched the game over again in the days leading up to this year’s matchup between Nebraska and Miami. “We just shut ’em up. And it was terrific.”

Jesse clearly remembers those moments being behind 10-0, a deficit Nebraska cut to 10-7 by halftime. He remembers the now legendary Tom Osborne speech in the locker room that inspired his team to capture the title.

“To come from behind and win it the way we did, FINALLY, was very rewarding,” said Jesse. “A lot of us were walk-ons from Nebraska. You get there and you learn a lot from the guys who have been there a year or two before you. You just keep kind of passing that along.”

When you add that year’s totals to ’95, ’96 and ’97, punter Jesse Kosch accrued 4,234 yards in 101 kicks at Nebraska. He’s still on three of the Huskers’ record lists; for Top 10 Longest Punts (74-yards), Top 10 Season Punting Average (44.7) and Top 10 Careers Punting Average (41.92).

One of Jesse’s proudest moments came in his last game as a Husker, playing Tennessee for the 1997 national championship.

“I was like, ‘oh, boy’, standing with your back to the end zone with 20,000 orange people yelling at you,” described Jesse. “I had one of my best punts of my career right there.”

There is no shortage of football talk at the Kosch dinner table during family reunions. (I’m guessing KETV Lincoln Bureua Chief Andrew Ozaki could’ve stayed there talking football all day!) Father and son had a few days for that last weekend; Jesse took part in the Tunnel Walk last Saturday paying tribute to the 1994 team. He then headed back to work in Colorado, running his Husker merchandise store, Big Red of the Rockies, in Estes Park, Colorado.

Thanks to Big Red of the Rockies for the photo!

One viewer who contacted us said: “Jesse is a true Nebraskan with his hospitality and generosity. For example, he opens his door up to my family to come watch the games in the store when we are in town. Also, he will take all the time he can to talk with Husker fans when they come into the store and reminisce about the current and past Husker teams.”

The Bill and Jesse Kosch say their history is just fun to talk about; again, it’s special. Bill Kosch wants to make sure people know his teammates Jerry List and Joe Blahak each had sons on those 1990’s teams. But no other duo has all five rings like Bill and Jesse do.

“You think, wow,” said Jesse. “We were part of something that so far, has never been duplicated.”

During our interview, a precious little blonde with gorgeous, big eyes climbed up onto Jesse’s lap. As a mom myself, I’m guessing she’s more into Sophia or Dora than Ameer or Kenny. Should we dare to dream of ANOTHER championship ring in the Kosch family?

“This is little Tatum,” said Jesse. “She kicks the soccer ball around pretty good!”

Mark your calendars; Tatum will be Husker Football eligible in 2030.

For more information about Big Red of the Rockies, visit their website, on Facebook and on YouTube.

***

CLICK HERE to Throwback to the Class of 2007, Corey McKeon!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday.. Class of 1971 Larry Jacobson!

A Tale Of Two Teams

Sep18

I used to work with this guy named Matt. He was really funny. No, I mean REALLY funny.

Did you see his story, In Carl We Trust, on KETV in 2008? Let’s just say when Carl Pelini was later hired by Florida Atlantic as their new football coach, the University started printing T-shirts reading CARLFENSE. Seriously–KETV photographer Tyler White bought one. And it is awesome. And now Matt Schick is an anchor at ESPNU. Yeah, he’s kind of a big deal.

A few years earlier, Matt also put together a story called West Coast Defense, featuring Nebraska Blackshirts Corey McKeon, Stu Bradley and Bo Ruud. Just a few games into the season in 2005, the Husker defense had scored HALF of Nebraska’s touchdowns. Four huge Pick 6’s. Matt’s look into this trio’s ‘secret to success’ on the field was HILARIOUS–one of my favorite stories of the season.

#13 Corey McKeon, photo courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

Combine that humor and explosive play on the field and Husker Nation became well acquainted with this guy, Corey McKeon. McKeon had a monster season as a sophomore in 2005, leading Nebraska with 98 tackles and at the time, earning his spot as second-best in school history for tackles for loss. This was the best of times; success on the field alongside the Blackshirts who were also his best friends.

“We had so much fun doing it, that’s what really mattered to us,” McKeon told me in a recent interview. “If we can go out and have fun and make those kinds of big plays, that’s what Husker Football is all about.”

CHECK OUT KETV’S HUSKER THROWBACK THURSDAY SPECIAL ON COREY MCKEON!

Ironically, McKeon’s most memorable game was not one of those fun plays, it was the heartbreaking loss to Texas Tech in 2005.

“At the end of the game they were going for the game winning drive, we were up by 4 and I tipped the ball right in the red zone,” said McKeon. “Our defensive lineman, I’m not gonna name his name because he’s still a lot bigger than me and could come whoop me, he intercepts it. In those situations, you’re just supposed to fall down because the game is over. He runs by me, you see my hands out on the field telling him to stop, he runs by me, their running back forces a fumble, they get the ball back, they get the next touchdown.”

McKeon says that loss, while tough to swallow, was against a great team; a game that came down to the wire. That, he says, is what you remember the most.

In a way, it’s fitting the Texas Tech game stands out for a player like Corey McKeon, a guy who ended his career at Nebraska in the midst of controversy and arguably, one of the darkest eras of Nebraska football. In 2007, the Huskers lost 7 games (they went 2-6 in Big 12 play), Head Coach Bill Callahan was fired and McKeon often took a stand, never mincing words defending his teammates and coaches. This was the worst of times.

“The best part about Husker Nation is also the most difficult part,” McKeon said, noting he doesn’t regret his outspoken nature while with the team. “They are so involved, we need them so much and the second they’re not there for us, even an inkling, it takes it’s effect because Husker Football is as much about Husker Nation as it is about the players and coaches.”

McKeon also told me at the height of the controversy, he consulted the sports psychologist, frustrated about everything going on, especially with his Defensive Coordinator, Kevin Cosgrove.

UM05WL13

Photo courtesy of the Lincoln Journal Star

“Coach Cosgrove fought for us year after year, he did so much for us,” said McKeon. “He was a player’s coach and no, his schemes didn’t work out the best all the time, but he was always there for us personally. Even if we weren’t performing well on the field, he always had our back. I think that’s what got to me the most.”

McKeon has two pieces of advice for today’s players; one is to cherish the good times on and off the field. Those same buddies he had two-a-days with, who went through the same losses he did, remain some of his best friends.

His other suggestion is to realize the impact all Huskers can have, both now and in the future. It’s something McKeon sees firsthand as an Ollie Webb Center board member and Executive Vice President. His wife, Erika, organizes the annual fundraising gala.

Both, associates with McKesson Pharmaceuticals, say they came to Ollie Webb hoping to learn more about something they didn’t have much experience with, people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. When we followed around the McKeons for our interview at Ollie Webb, they shook hands with students, checked out their artwork, and joked about which Huskers they like best. (One student’s, no surprise, Ameer Abdullah.)

Thanks to the Ollie Webb Center for the photo!

The teenagers and adults get to be with friends for art activities and events, to learn computers and programs, and to work on life skills like how to keep a budget. Erika McKeon calls their interaction with Ollie Webb life changing.

“Seeing the families that are [at the gala] and seeing the kids come up and perform on stage and just show us how happy they are and how appreciative they are for what we are doing, it’s just amazing,” said Erika.

Ollie Webb’s AJ Taylor performing at the 2014 Fundraising Gala

The McKeons stress how powerful Nebraska football can be and how they hope players from all eras, especially the 2014 squad, use that to make a difference. Corey notes that when he reaches out for auction items or other help, former players and the University are often the first to step up.

Autographed portrait donated for the 2014 Ollie Webb Fundraising Gala

“You’re going to come back to your community and want to impact it,” said McKeon. “Husker Football is the number one way to do that.”

And THIS is how Corey McKeon hopes to impact you now, years after his name covered message boards and newspaper articles across Husker Nation. When I contacted him about being part of our Huskers Throwback Thursday series, he agreed, IF we also made the story about Ollie Webb. Shoot the story there, let he and Erika talk about what the organization is and how it’s helping people in our community, and hopefully draw some attention to THOSE names and faces, like the young woman at Ollie Webb who smiled and waved when Corey McKeon recognized her from the gym.

It’s not the kind of story we always get to share, but in this post of best of times and worst of times.. it’s certainly GREAT.

The Ollie Webb Center is always in need of donations and volunteers. If you’d like to help, or would like to learn more about programs and services, contact them online or via Facbook.

To learn more about #13 Corey McKeon, check out his bio with Nebraska Athletics.

***

CLICK HERE to Throwback to the Class of 2003, Pat Ricketts!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday.. Classes of 1971 & 1997, Bill & Jesse Kosch!

Brothers In Blue

Sep10

I was very lucky a few years ago (OK, MANY years ago..) to become friends with a guy named Jeff Nathan. I was the only student from Papio-La Vista at speech nationals, and for whatever reason, Jeff and his teammates from Millard North ‘adopted’ me and let me hang out with them. As fate would have it, Jeff and I had a broadcasting class together in college at UNL and again, his close circle of friends took me in like they’d known me for years. I remember one night in particular, Jeff asked if I wanted to come to their intramural softball game on campus; all the players were his friends from Millard North. If you follow me on Twitter, you know I LOVE softball, and was totally game. When I showed up, the guys were already on the field practicing, including THIS guy.

Thanks to Nebraska Athletics for the photo!

My first thought, “holy crap!! That’s Pat Ricketts!”

My second thought, “ummmm.. is he allowed to play intramural softball?”

Yes. Yes he was. And their team DOMINATED everyone they played against.. mostly because of Jeff’s Cy Young quality pitching. (You’re welcome, Jeff.)

In the early 2000’s, Millard North was well-represented not only on the softball field, but at Memorial Stadium. Eric Crouch, Mike McClaughlin, Judd Davies and Pat Ricketts.. they all played together in high school, were recruited together to come to Nebraska, and played together as Huskers.

“It was really neat to go from high school to college, to bring that work ethic,” Ricketts told me in a recent interview. “We had a lot of pride, and still do have a lot of pride, as Millard graduates and especially as Mustang graduates.”

Check out KETV’s Throwback Thursday Husker feature on Pat Ricketts!

Each player made an impact during his time at Nebraska (Crouch going on to win the Heisman Trophy), and Ricketts was no exception. The cornerback was a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week his junior year in 2002, and as a senior, was part of the defense that set a school record, leading the nation with 32 interceptions. One of those in 2003 was by Ricketts against rival Colorado.

Still, Ricketts’ favorite moment as a Husker came off the field.

“My sophomore year, I earned a Blackshirt,” said Ricketts. (Blackshirts are an iconic symbol awarded to members of Nebraska’s defense for strong performance and leadership.) “That was the first Blackshirt I was able to earn, it was right after practice. It was a complete surprise.”

Photo courtesy of John Peterson Photo/Hail Varsity Magazine

Ricketts’ advice to current players is to have a good time, because it goes by way too fast. In a way, he always knew that, and knew what path he would take when his playing days came to an end.

“I worked in several financial institutions, and with the family starting TD Ameritrade in town, that’s what I grew up around,” said Ricketts. He worked hard in the classroom at Nebraska, landing on the Honor Roll nearly his entire college career. Today, he is President and CFO of Vintage Financial Group offering investment advice to both his clients and the public as a frequent guest on KETV First News Weekend.

Ricketts married his college sweetheart, Kirstin (who also came to those softball games!), now a fellow Vintage associate; together they have three children.

Ricketts also remains committed to the school district that helped shape him as a kid. He is currently President of the Millard Public Schools Board, playing a key role in guiding the future of 23,000 students. He hopes to someday see some of those kids wearing red ‘N’ jerseys (maybe even his own boys!)

family in front of stadium

“It’s extremely important to get those in-state kids down to Lincoln, down to the University,” said Ricketts. “Those are bonds across the state of Nebraska, those small towns to large towns, to know that’s their boy down at the University. It’s fun; they’ve watched that kid grow up, and to be able to go on to college, that creates that fan base that is unique to Nebraska. It’s important that Nebraska keeps that tradition going.”

Ricketts says this fall, like every other year, he’ll be watching Nebraska’s Blackshirts, a group he calls a fraternity. I’m guessing once or twice, he’ll catch a game with his other brothers, his longtime friends from Millard North.

Here’s to a great season, and to friendships that stand the tests of time, change, and intramural softball.

Learn more about Pat Ricketts via Nebraska Athletics or on Vintage Financial Group’s website.

***

CLICK HERE to Throwback to the Classes of 2004 & 2007, Barrett & Bo Ruud

Next week’s Throwback Thursday Husker.. Class of 2007, Corey McKeon

A Family Affair

Sep2

If you watched a Nebraska football game in the 2000’s with a visiting friend or someone who doesn’t really follow the Huskers, maybe you experienced this. A HUGE sack by one of Nebraska’s Blackshirts. The QB on the opposing team loses yards. And 80,000+ Nebraska fans BOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

“Why are they booing??” your confused friend asked.

That’s when you explained that the fans weren’t booing, they were saying RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUD!!!

Yes, years before that one guy, Ndamukong Suh, made the response legendary in the NFL, two brothers from Lincoln created a legacy within Husker Nation, inciting tens of thousands to yell THEIR name after one of their hundreds of combined career tackles. Their names: Barrett and Bo Ruud.

Thanks to Nebraska Athletics for the photos!

“It started happening with my brother, then me,” Bo Ruud recently told me in an interview in Lincoln. “Like I tell Suh, he owes us some money because that’s ours, he stole it. It was copyrighted, trademarked.”

All jokes, of course. Those moments, listening to a crowd going crazy because of something he did on the field, were simply ‘an amazing experience’ according to the younger Ruud. Bo played for Nebraska from 2003-2007, racking up an impressive resume of accolades including First-Team All-Big 12, a multi-game Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week and winning the Nebraska Guy Chamberlin Trophy. Arguably his most impressive moment came against Iowa State his senior year, when Bo intercepted the ball and returned it 93-yards for a touchdown. At that time, it was the third longest in school history and the longest ever by a Husker linebacker.

Click here to watch the KETV Throwback Thursday story on Bo Ruud!

Still, it’s hard for Bo to pinpoint one standout moment in his career at Nebraska.

“It’s such a large collection of just great moments, it’s like a feeling almost,” said Bo. “Nebraska football, that was a dream growing up for me. I’m a Lincoln guy.”

Bo lived about five minutes from Memorial Stadium and was surrounded by the Nebraska Football dynasty all of his life. Great-grandfather Clarence Swanson played for Nebraska from 1918-1921. Uncles Bob Martin and John Ruud were Huskers in the 1970’s. Dad, Tom Ruud, earned All-Big Eight honors with Nebraska from 1972-1974. Combine Tom and his boys, and you’ve got three of the top 30 tacklers in Nebraska school history.

Bo, now a medical rep working in Lincoln and traveling across the state, will be keeping a close eye on the position tied so closely to his family.

“Always watching the linebackers, that’s always first,” said Bo. “You’re always watching and rooting for those guys to do well. Randy Gregory’s a standout, I think he’s going to be really good.”

Bo also calls running back Ameer Abdullah the ‘heart and soul’ of the Nebraska team.

Brother Barrett Ruud may not be able to pick any favorites on this year’s squad; he’s one of their coaches. Barrett Ruud is officially a ‘Football Intern’ as part of the Nebraska Football Support Staff.

Photos courtesy of Nebraska Athletics

“I’m excited, really excited,” said Bo, when asked about watching his brother on the sidelines. “It’s going to be different. Different for him, too, but the whole family’s excited for him.”

And no doubt his players can learn a lot from their new coach. Barrett Ruud played for Nebraska from 2001-2004; a team Captain, on the Butkus Award Watch List, and the 2004 Nebraska Defensive MVP. He was a second round NFL Draft pic, and played several years in the pros. Before Nebraska’s game against McNeese State, Barrett Ruud will officially be inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.

***

14 years ago, these brothers were in Lincoln, playing under the Friday Night Lights for Lincoln Southeast. They dreamed of high school state championships and maybe, just maybe, playing in front of tens of thousands in the stadium they grew up hearing about. Now, they are back in Lincoln, each showing how their time as Huskers impacted their lives. Barrett Ruud, by coaching a new generation of players. Bo Ruud, by proudly wearing red every Saturday, and once in awhile offering commentary via sports talk radio with long time best friend (and Creighton Basketball legend) Nick Bahe.

With that, Bo Ruud has a message for today’s Huskers.

“Everybody’s going to tell them, but you’ve got to soak it up!” said Bo. “Every second, enjoy it. It’s the best years of your life, it really is.”

It may be awhile before Nebraska fans again here the rattling RUUUUUUD reverberating through Memorial Stadium, should the family legacy continue. Bo Ruud is grateful for the fans who remember him taking down a quarterback and making that growl happen.

“It’s an honor, if that’s the case,” said Bo. “Just continue being great fans and supporting the Huskers, because I will continue to do that, too.”

Click here to learn more about Bo Ruud, via Nebraska Athletics

Click here to learn more about Barrett Ruud, via Nebraska Athletics

***

CLICK HERE to Throwback to the Class of 2006, Zac Taylor

Next week’s Throwback Thursday Husker.. Class of 2003, Pat Ricketts

Throwback Thursday

Aug28

I love Throwback Thursdays. It’s a trend on social media that’s taken on a life of its own, a chance to look back and share a photo, a video, a memory from years past.

Kind of like this..

September of 2006. On the road with the KETV Sports Crew covering the Huskers in Los Angeles at the Coliseum.

All of my friends in this picture, photojournalists Mike Richard and Jim Healey, and legendary sportsman Jon Schuetz, have all since moved on to new adventures! But I can still remember, eight years ago, Assistant News Director Vonn Jones coming up to me in the newsroom and asking ‘you want to go to LA and cover the USC game?’

YES. YES I DO.

Covering the Huskers has been one of my favorite parts of my job at KETV. There’s just something magical about the minutes before the game starts, positive energy radiating from tens of thousands of fans, and literally feeling vibrations from the roar of Memorial Stadium after that first touchdown.

This year, as part of our award-winning Big Red Zone coverage with Sports Director Andy Kendeigh, Thor Tripp and our Husker experts Sean Callahan and Damon Benning, I get to share a series of stories we are dubbing ‘Throwback Thursday: The Husker Edition.” Who are your favorite Nebraska players? And where are they now?

I’m hoping to cover all the eras, the big names you know and remember. Some, like Damon, have become well known off the football field years after hanging up their cleats. (Damon, for example, is currently a sidelines reporter for the Big 10 Network and a Sports Talk Radio host on 1620 The Zone with Gary Sharp.) Others have moved on in less public ways, off Husker Nation’s radar but certainly not out of fans’ memories. Kenny Walker, who made national headlines at Nebraska when he became one of only a handful of deaf players to play in the NFL, now coaches hard-of-hearing high school students in Colorado. Lawrence Phillips, famous for his athletic ability at Nebraska and infamous for his criminal activity, is now serving a 31-year prison sentence for assault in California. CJ Zimmerer, the brainchild behind the now iconic ‘Team Jack’ touchdown run that brought millions to tears, is a juvenile probation officer in Sarpy County.

We kick off Throwback Thursdays with a Husker Fan Favorite in recent years, 2005-2006 quarterback Zac Taylor.

Thanks to Nebraska Athletics for the photo!

When I first pitched this crazy Throwback Thursday idea to Andy, along with a list of potential former players to follow up with, Andy noted this about Zac Taylor: Tough (NFL Assistant). Taylor is in the beginning of his third year coaching quarterbacks with the Miami Dolphins. Still, Zac Taylor was the first former Husker to respond when I contacted him.

“I wish I would’ve been able to meet more people,” Taylor told me by phone from Miami. “Just to travel out in the state and get more opportunities to affect more people.”

Click here for KETV’s Throwback Thursday piece with Zac Taylor!

Taylor only played two years at Nebraska, but in that short time, arguably made a huge impact on the team and the program. During one of his favorite games, against Texas A&M in 2006, Taylor broke both the all-time career passing record and the single-season touchdown pass record. He would later be named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Nebraska won the Big 12 North that year, a highpoint of the Bill Callahan Era of Nebraska Football. Taylor, who still holds several individual offensive records in passing at Nebraska, was the team leader.

His passion for the game never dwindled after college; Taylor moved to Texas and was hired as an assistant coach at Texas A&M. He calls his move to the NFL a few years later ‘exciting’.

“I hadn’t played in the NFL, only been briefly associated with the team, really didn’t know what to expect,” said Taylor. “What I’ve learned is this team and this organization is full of professionals who love football as much as I do, so it’s been a real pleasure working with the Dolphins.”

Taylor says he still watches Nebraska football, whether it be from a hotel on the road with the Dolphins, or at home with his wife, Sarah, and their two boys. The University and the football team will always have special meaning for the couple; it’s where they met ten years ago. Back then, Sarah Sherman was a grad assistant in media relations. Taylor still remembers seeing his wife for the first time at his first practice at Nebraska.

“She would come to practice, after practice, and grab players for interviews,” said Taylor.