Special Feature: Miss Nebraska USA 2016 Sarah Hollins

THIS.

images

First, can I get a ‘heck ya!’ for my fellow Shania Twain fans out there?!?!

A few weeks ago, I heard ‘Man, I Feel Like A Woman’ on the radio, and I proceeded to have a full-out car concert on my drive in to work. It’s probably been years since I heard it, and I still remember ever word, I still sing it with sass and attitude, I still LOVE it.

Maybe it’s one of the reasons I love Miss Nebraska week so much.. for a few blissful days in June, I’m surrounded by smart, funny, talented, powerful, BEAUTIFUL women. We get glammed up, we laugh, we hug and take pictures, we enjoy the show and that history-making final moment. Man, we feel like women!

THIS moment got me even more jazzed up for Miss Nebraska week..

12492043_10206787217936783_7926228851482681977_o

.. the crowning of Miss Nebraska USA 2016 Sarah Hollins just a few weeks ago.

“Since winning Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2009, becoming Miss Nebraska has been the real dream. I have thought about it at least once a day since taking off my crown,” Sarah told me recently. “I stood on that stage as a Top 5 finalist but walked away without the crown twice. It was rough. I worked to the bone this year to become the person I knew I needed to be to win in what is now a very competitive state! I was the lucky girl that walked away with the title.”

For pageant newbies reading this.. yes, there is a difference between Miss Nebraska and Miss Nebraska USA. All of the local titleholders I’ve been profiling throughout this series go on to compete for Miss Nebraska to qualify for the Miss America Pageant; Sarah will compete for the title of Miss USA .

Laurel Austin

Photo courtesy Laurel Austin Photography

“Both are the best of the best when it comes to pageantry,” explained Sarah. “I would say both America and USA systems are working for the same bottom line, creating leaders. The Miss America Organization puts more of an emphasis on academics and a talent portion. This is not to say that the Miss USA contestants aren’t some of the most talented and brilliant women I’ve met. The USA system concentrates on modelling and being a brand ambassador. We are like-minded organizations creating and cultivating strong women who are future doctors, political leaders, teachers and so much more.”

Sarah is an Omaha native and Burke High School graduate. She also attended Creighton University and the New York Film Academy before earning her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the Missouri School of Journalism (though she is quick to note: ” I never switched to the dark side.. GO BIG RED.”)

In addition to preparing for the Miss USA Pageant, Sarah will spend her year advocating for fitness and self-worth, a cause she is passionate about, drawing from her own personal experiences.

12418004_10206798586620993_3596021857513135702_n

Sarah posted this photo to Facebook the day after she was crowned Miss Nebraska USA. “Lights out, back in the gym! I didn’t bring home a title belt.. but I did bring home a shiny crown and banner!!”

“I am working with organizations like FitGirls Inc to spread a message of self love to our young generations,” said Sarah. “7 out of 10 girls are not satisfied with their bodies and would change something about themselves. I used to be one of these girls.”

12565571_10206817194366175_1622853224706556578_n

12646968_10206842778205755_8638992933768723959_n

UMMM, WHAT?!?! I see these pictures of Sarah, on stage and in the gym, and have a hard time believing this woman could EVER find a flaw in her body! So what’s her secret!?! How did she reach this point, and more importantly, how did she find confidence in herself? Sarah’s answers are also the same response she would give to anyone who criticizes the swimsuit portion of both the Miss USA and Miss America competition.

“To be as candid as possible, I have gone through periods of hating my body. Because of pageantry, I grew a love for fitness and pushing myself to my physical limits. It’s changed my life,” said Sarah (describing these photos as ‘strong is the new skinny’). “There is something about a woman confident enough to put on a swimsuit and say ‘look at the work I’ve done,’ that is incredibly powerful. To feel strong is to feel beautiful and to feel beautiful comes with great power. The motivation and drive I cultivated in the gym transcends all areas of my life. Life really is mind over matter and anything is possible.”

1534296_10206751202356416_5221065855938533653_n

No matter what she wears, Sarah is preparing to step into the national spotlight.. again. Many in the pageant world may recognize Sarah’s name and face from the reality television series Obsessed With The Dress, centered on Omaha’s Winning Crown Boutique.

“So many people take what they see on television and think they know exactly who you are,” said Sarah. “You can’t control how editing works and let’s face it, none of us would watch reality television without a little spice. Were there moments I watched myself and cringed? OH YES. But I was so proud to be a part of something so big for our city, a reality show based in Omaha and about pageants, two things I love. I thought it would give me and the cast an opportunity to show people how progressive and wonderful Nebraska is and shatter the many stereotypes about pageantry. I hope those who may not have liked a comment I made or something I did will let go of whatever they saw and get a chance to really know me.”

12508954_10206765845922496_4330913913152627683_n

Who is Sarah Hollins? She is a fierce competitor who spent much of her first social media post as Miss Nebraska USA thanking her fellow contestants, including 2nd Runner Up Sarah Summers, also a former Miss Nebraska Teen USA. “She is the definition of graceful. She is godly, beautiful, and I have no doubt in my mind she will be Miss USA someday.”

12736254_10207556413402039_1322702503_n

Photo courtesy Deyo’s Photography

She is a businesswoman, landing a gig hosting a soon-to-be-released game show, while securing numerous corporate sponsors during her reign as Miss Nebraska USA.. including her now former ‘boss’ at the Winning Crown, Michele Strom.

“They are an absolute stand up business and I wouldn’t be here without their coaching, impeccable taste in design and selfless persistence,” said Sarah. “My mentor and friend Michele always tells me ‘you ARE Miss USA until someone tells you otherwise.'”

11229820_10206926862067799_1985039991352473268_n

12669433_10206927342279804_6833213640873227085_n

She is a volunteer, just as eager to cook tacos at the Ronald McDonald House as she is to model thousand dollar gowns. And she is a confident woman, proudly posting selfies without makeup to show her 4:30am wakeup calls, the non-stop travel without stops or sleep, and sweaty gym sessions she’s putting on her calendar to represent our state.

12715780_1121990287834700_250660225127811899_n

From an airport bathroom in Chicago.. “You have to always remember to be thankful and grateful for what you have while working for what you want.”

Sarah Hollins wants to be YOUR Miss Nebraska USA, because man, she feels like a woman and is darn proud to show EVERYTHING that represents.

“I can’t take this wonderful gift lightly. I am so proud of our state and the people,” said Sarah. “I want to connect with them, tell my story, and encourage people to never give up on themselves. If you have something going on, an event, a cause you care so much about, a dream, or just need an ear, I want to hear it! I am here to serve the state and that’s what I hope to do. But most importantly, if you learn anything from me it should be NEVER give up on yourself. You could be so close to your dreams.”

12717423_10206963415621615_5195119092293765220_n

Photo courtesy Deyo’s Photography

***

CLICK EACH LINK to follow Miss Nebraska USA Sarah Hollins

on FACEBOOK, on TWITTER, on INSTAGRAM

***

PREVIOUS.. Miss Tri-Cities Outstanding Teen 2016 Ashly Helfrich!

NEXT.. Miss Kool-Aid Days 2016 Chelsea Arnold!

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2015 & 2014, click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

That’s What Friends Are For

Feb14

Over the last few months, I’ve tried to take a different approach with what I share on Facebook. I still try to tell our viewers what they should tune in for that night at 10.. and share links to the developing story online that could impact them.. but more and more, I’m trying to share things that just MAKE ME SMILE. Memes that make me laugh, links that have me giggling at my desk, and photos that warm my heart. Hopefully they make someone else’s day a little brighter, too.

A few weeks ago, I shared this beauty.

Photo courtesy Sherri Harnisch – Picture Taker

This is Macy. I used to work with her momma, who is also the incredible photographer who styled and shot this photo. Macy is sassy, smart, talented and SWEET.. she is also one of the national representatives for down syndrome awareness and support, featured on billboards in Times Square, and a frequent visitor to Washington DC for new legislation.

PLEASE CLICK HERE to watch Alex Hoffman’s story on KETV with Sherri Harnisch, about her family’s work to pass the ABLE Act.

Macy is showing the world that people with special needs bring love, joy, laughter and so many other things into the world and into our lives. They deserve our respect, our time and OUR love.

It’s a message Ashly Helfrich has known and advocated for since she was younger than Macy.

Photo courtesy Jenn Cady Photography

Ashly, a junior at Millard West High School in Omaha, is also Miss Tri-Cities Outstanding Teen 2016. She’ll compete to become Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen this June. The program is a preliminary competition to the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Pageant, described by many as the ‘little sister’ pageant to the Miss America Organization. Just like their ‘miss’ sisters, these teenagers spend a year promoting a cause they are passionate about; Ashly calls hers ‘The Positive Power of Inclusion.’

“Two of my cousins have down syndrome, so I have witnessed how inclusion has affected them while growing up,” Ashly told me recently. “[My platform] is focusing on creating inclusive environments in both schools and the community for people of all ability levels.”

Ashly is a student leader for Millard West’s West Friends club, an organization that twice a month brings together students with and without disabilities.

“I love spending my time with these kids, as they are some of the most genuinely kind people I know,” said Ashly. “They almost always have a smile on their face, and they always greet me like they are so happy to see me. For me, inclusion goes so far beyond just putting students of all ability levels in the same room. The objective of West Friends is to create long-lasting friendships between these students by making a safe, fun environment for all.”

Ashly and West Friends organizers are also creating a model for other programs across the state, as one of the first schools to participate in NSAA-sanctioned unified sports. CLICK HERE TO WATCH Andrew Ozaki’s story on KETV, featuring Ashly, about this new opportunity for special needs students to compete in sports.

Ashly also knows a little something about competition; she trained in tumbling and competitive gymnastics for 11 years and is currently a Millard West varsity cheerleader.

12670039_230615163939423_2258390914992493703_n

She’s also copy editor for her school’s yearbook, a member of the National Honor Society, a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and Student Ambassador for Millard West. Ashly has lettered in Academics, Cheerleading and Pole Vault.

WHAT?!? How could this girl squeeze one more activity into her schedule.. and why?!?!

Ashly answers by noting her role model is former Miss Nebraska local titleholder Chrissy Townsend. (Click here to learn more about Chrissy!)

“My grandparents were Chrissy’s host family during her pageant week in North Platte and for several summers I stayed there with her during that week,” said Ashly. “She really showed me how cool it was to be on stage, I always enjoyed getting to watch her do her favorite thing. She truly paved the way for my own pageants because she gave me a great example of how to be happy with whatever the outcome may be. I always admired the girls in that spotlight; I admired their grace, pose and confidence in front of all of those people, and I knew that someday I wanted to do that myself.”

Despite multiple surgeries on her Achilles tendon, Ashly decided this, her last eligible year to compete, she would try to become Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen. She revisited the piano, an instrument she played for years as a little girl, and won a local title last fall.

“I would tell someone who criticizes pageants that the girls who compete in them are not just focused on their appearance,” said Ashly. “Pageant girls are driven and compassionate, and they are more than ready to help anyone else out before themselves. They all have goals set for themselves and they are ready to do all the work that goes into reaching that goal.”

And THEN some, like in Ashly’s case. Since earning that crown in late October, Ashly has volunteered to ring bells for the Salvation Army, helped blind and visually impaired shoppers over the holidays, and just this weekend, took a VERY chilly plunge into Cunningham Lake for the Special Olympics.

12729072_10206947144711620_7008646850060554290_n

12742059_1687404414835175_8845592727406731854_n

At work (Omaha’s Vintage Financial Group), Ashly has earned the nickname ‘Miss America’ from firm President and Millard School Board member Pat Ricketts. Easy to see why with the sheer amount of self-lessness, talent and ambition this young lady has.

What’s even cooler to me is WHY Ashly wants all of this.. for her cousins, her West friends, and kids she’s never met, like Macy.

“I want to be the next Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen because I want to spread my message of my platform all around the state. I am so excited to be part of a team with some of my favorite people,” said Ashly. “I want to be someone that is a good role model for all teens, and someone who can be trusted with anything. I am very dedicated to the things that I commit to, and competing in this pageant is another step for me to get closer to reaching my goal of being confident in any situation.”

***

CLICK EACH LINK to follow Miss Tri-Cities Outstanding Teen 2016 Ashly Helfrich

on FACEBOOK, on TWITTER, on INSTAGRAM

For more information about the Miss Kearney/Miss Tri-Citites Outstanding Teen Pageant, visit THEIR WEBSITE,FACEBOOK PAGE, or follow ON TWITTER. For information on becoming a contestant, contact Director Megan Goeke at hello@beautifulbridal.com.

For more information on becoming a Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen contestant, contact Director Heather Edwards at heatheraloseke@gmail.com or Director Kali Tripp at kalinicoletv@gmail.com.

***

The 2016 Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen Pageant takes place June 10 in North Platte, Nebraska. Learn more on THEIR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK PAGE, or follow ON TWITTER and ON INSTAGRAM.

***

PREVIOUS.. Miss Omaha 2016 Aleah Peters!

NEXT.. Special Feature, Miss Nebraska USA 2016 Sarah Hollins!

To read more about this year’s contestants, or the Miss Nebraska/Miss Nebraska’s OT classes of 2015 & 2014, click the THERE SHE IS link at the top of the page!

A Moment Like This

Feb4

Well hello there, pageant friends.. we meet again!

Maybe you saw a link to my blog and were bored. Maybe you follow my series on Husker football players but don’t give two toots about pageants. Maybe you watch my work on KETV and thought, ‘what the heck.. I’ll check out this Miss Nebraska thing..’

For whatever reason you are reading this, I THANK YOU. And if you are a pageant nay-sayer, I hope to convert you to our club. Yes, IT’S TIME! This post kicks off Year #3 of my There She Is series, profiling the incredible young women and teenagers competing to become Miss Nebraska 2016 and Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen. For the next four months, you’ll meet the more than 30 contestants working hard in their classrooms, spending hours developing their talents and abilities, all while volunteering in their communities and inspiring those around them. They’ll all meet in North Platte, Nebraska in June for an unforgettable week, hoping and praying for a moment like THIS.

12003209_1702641956634391_4280688406546002391_n

Photo courtesy Getty Images

She’s 20, a Creighton University student, a frequent visitor to patients at Omaha’s Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, a gifted piano player, a beloved friend, sister and daughter. Alyssa Howell will also now, forever, be Miss Nebraska.

Every year I acknowledge the criticism of the Miss America program.. that it objectifies women.. that it’s sexist and archaic. In 2014, I responded by showing how successful a few formers are doing today. In 2015, I used myself as an example of the benefits of this program. This year, I give you the 2016 Miss America Pageant.

12274521_1649012178711521_3628256768399132352_n

Miss Colorado Kelley Johnson struck a chord with America and the nurses across our country who give us comfort when we are at our worst. Her non-traditional talent, a monologue talking about her REAL talent as a certified nurse, made #NursesUnite everywhere. Kelley finished 2nd Runner Up at Miss America, and soon after was invited to numerous programs and speaking events including The Ellen Degeneres Show. At last check, Kelley had drawn more than 35,000 followers on Facebook.

12195871_10153860010897573_5974413475380932231_n

Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell has won hearts across America.. including mine. (Photo courtesy Matt Boyd Photography) Full disclosure, Betty was not my pick to win the big crown that night, and Sweet Georgia Brown has she shown me just how wrong I was. Ask yourself… what should Miss America bring to the table? Talent? Compassion? Shouldn’t she be a person YOU want to be.. someone you want American girls to grow up to become?

PLEASE CLICK HERE AND WATCH THIS VIDEO.. showing Betty singing ‘Let It Go’ at an Atlantic City school soon after she was crowned Miss America. First, THE GIRL CAN SING.. HOLY CRAP, CAN SHE SING!!! And every time she’s asked to sing at a professional basketball game, or a college football game, or for a HUGE group of professionals, senators, or anyone else.. she’s bringing awareness to the Miss America Organization and thousands of other women taking part. But second, in this video.. Betty CONNECTS with a child, holding her hand and swinging her around the gym floor as she sings. It is a beautiful moment that reminded me of how such a simple thing can make such a huge difference in someone’s day.. or life.

12370721_10153945817242573_8763697139633661462_o

..just one of many meaningful acts from Miss America 2016. THIS happened right around Christmas. This ‘beauty queen’ chopped off her LONG, GORGEOUS HAIR.. to donate to a child, or children, who need it. She’s not just talking the talk… Betty Cantrell is actively DOING things to make a difference in children’s lives. She’s impacting not only them, but hopefully inspiring OTHERS to do more good, too; sparking a chain reaction that may be rippling across the country.

And finally.. THIS. SISTERHOOD.

12009653_1702576536640933_5704754642161941402_n

Yes, this is a competition… but THIS.. the smiles, the support, the hugs and jubilation in the moments Betty was crowned Miss America are NATURAL and REAL. We live in a world of competition, in the workplace, getting that job, winning that role.. this experience is a terrific way to show women a way to work hard and earn what you want by becoming the best version of yourself WHILE supporting (and receiving support) from other women.

I could go on and on.. about scholarships, about improving public speaking and interviewing skills, about networking… but instead, I hope you’ll follow along with this year’s series and see for yourself what this program and these women are made of. (Shameless plug.. you can sign up for email alerts notifying you of every new post!)

As a journalist, I see the bad nearly every day. Still, when people ask me about the biggest stories I remember in my career, the positive moments are at the top of the list. In a world with conflict, hurt and hate, we need good. We need inspiration. We need smiles and positivity and LOVE. Scroll back up.. look at Alyssa’s picture. Look at Kelley. Look at Betty and her sisters.

We need moments like this.. and a little sparkle doesn’t hurt.

***

Watch for this year’s first THERE SHE IS post.. Monday February 8!

To read more about the 2014 & 2015 Miss Nebraska & Miss Nebraska’s Outstanding Teen contestants, click the There She Is link at the top of this page!

Signing Day

Feb2

Does football season every really end in Nebraska?

No. No it does not.

There may be lulls in the action.. times that are quieter than other.. but there is ALWAYS something going on in Husker nation. Practices, Spring Game preparation and of course, RECRUITING. Tomorrow is National Signing Day and we’ll find out who will soon join the iconic Big Red.

It wasn’t so long ago a straight-A student at Lincoln East High School was counting down to this very day, ready to announce his intentions to stay in his hometown and play college football for the University of Nebraska.

OTVCOURBTNXMRJW.20090720222633

#56 Rob Zatechka, Nebraska Offensive Tackle 1990-1994 (Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics)

When you think of Nebraska Football in the 90’s, you think DYNASTY. DOMINATION. But when Zatechka came aboard as an 18-year old young man, perhaps the state of the team wasn’t all that different from today.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON DR. ROB ZATECHKA!

“At that time (in 1991), we hadn’t won a conference championship in three seasons,” Zatechka told me last fall. “In that era, it was considered abysmal. It was hot seat material for a coach at that time.”

tumblr_inline_nc4qgowYjF1qm0tji

Photo courtesy HuskerNsider.com

Zatechka was a red-shirt freshman that year, but played in almost all games, including Nebraska’s victory against Oklahoma. It was Zatechka who blocked the Sooners late in the game, clearing the way for Calvin Jones to get a first down, then a touchdown on the next play to win.

“It was one of those things you think about growing up as a kid in Nebraska, or growing up in Lincoln, for what you think about as classic Nebraska football,” said Zatechka. “Conference title on the line, playing Oklahoma, it was in a freezing rain, the weather was horrible. Come from behind, win the game, we won the Big 8 title and went to the Orange Bowl.”

pipeline

Photo courtesy Brendan Stai Golf Classic

Perhaps that was the beginning, a sign of what WOULD be for this powerhouse group that has become legendary in the history of Nebraska Football. Dubbed ‘the Pipeline’, Nebraska’s 1994 starting offensive line produced some of the best players Nebraska has ever had. (CLICK HERE to read more in my interview with longtime Offensive Line Coach Milt Tenopir.)

“You had Joel Wilks and myself over at left guard and left tackle,” said Zatechka. “Aaron Graham was very business-like as a center. Over on the right side of the line you had Zach Wiegert at right tackle; guy was a three time All-Conference, three time All-American, Outland winner. You had Brendan Stai, another All-American, and prior to Brendan you had Will Shields, again, another All-American and Outland Winner (CLICK HERE to read my interview with Shields earlier this season.).”

These guys were SO GOOD, they probably could’ve whispered their game plan to the opposing team and STILL won.

WAIT… THEY DID.

“About every third play of every single game they would line up and tell the defensive linemen what the play was, where the ball was going,” said Zatechka. “Again, you’ve got a couple Outland Trophy winners there, how are you going to stop it? Will Shields, Brendan Stai, Zach Wiegert; those guys were so good, the defensive players could know exactly where the ball was going and there really wasn’t anything they could do to stop them.”

A humble guy, Zatechka used the word ‘them’ throughout our interview, though he was a standout leader in that powerhouse group on and off the field. By 1994, Zatechka was named Team Captain and led Nebraska to the Huskers’ first national championship since 1971. The same season he racked up award after award for his athletic performance, he also nabbed nearly every academic honor available, including Nebraska’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year 1994-1995 and more than $50,000 in postgraduate scholarships. Zatechka actually graduated BEFORE his senior season on the football field with a biological sciences degree, becoming the first student athlete in University of Nebraska history to win the Student Leader of the Year award. He was also Coach Tom Osborne’s first graduate with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Photo courtesy Nebraska Medicine

Zatechka played for the New York Giants from 1995 to 1998, a way to continue his love for the game and pay for his venture onto a new playing field.. to become a doctor.

“I always waned to do medicine, I always had a strong interest in science, a big interest in biology,” said Zatechka. “It’s a great way to help people and work with people.”

Now as an anesthesiologist in the Omaha area, Zatechka and his wife Jennifer are also active philanthropists, volunteering their time and donating money to numerous causes including the Aksarben Coronation Ball, MemoriesForKids.Org, Omaha Performing Arts and the Rimington Trophy Award benefiting the Boomer Esiason Foundation.

12122562_10206549633412711_1312954087784308587_n

12540779_10207039888748788_2538266608359727584_n

And in his ‘spare’ time, Zatechka still talks football, stepping up to the mic every week with longtime Omaha sportscaster and friend Travis Justice.

11226052_914320561980905_4014568939139141006_n

The Husker Doc Talk podcast at HuskerMax.com draws in as many as 75,000 listeners a week, many tuning in to hear ‘Dr. Rob’s’ insight in today’s Huskers and what he envisions for their future (CLICK HERE for a complete list of the team’s podcasts.) Some of those same fans may argue Nebraska will NEVER have a team like the 1994 or 1995 Huskers.

(Travis: “What do you call the ’95 Huskers, Rob?” Dr. Rob: ” ’94’s backups!”)

Ironically, the guy who looks at that ’91 win over Oklahoma as his favorite Husker moment, points to this year’s upset win over Michigan State as a landmark moment.

“That was probably one of the best offensive performances we’ve seen out of Nebraska this year, especially in terms of offensive line production,” said Zatechka. “I love what I’ve seen from Coach Cavanaugh (Offensive Line Coach). You’ve got to have hope, especially with a new staff. I’m one of those guys where I’ve said, historically, you gotta give a new guy at least three to five years.”

HOPE. A great word on the eve of National Signing Day. Tonight, as he does most days of the year, football season or not, Dr. Rob is online fielding tweets and messages about this year’s prospects and NEXT year’s possibilities. And to the Recruit Class of 2016 and current Huskers, a message from Dr. Rob Zatechka, member of the Nebraska Recruit Class of 1990 and one of the best to ever play at Memorial Stadium..

“Keep doing what you’re doing,” said Zatechka. “You’ve just got to find that spark a little more consistently and I think those guys will.”

zatechka&ryan

Photo courtesy Nebraska Medicine

***

PREVIOUS POST.. Class of 2012, Rex Burkhead!

For a FULL LIST of 2015 Throwback Thursday Huskers, CLICK HERE!

When Good Guys Win

Nov19

We’ve done it! Two Husker wins in a row! In a season that’s been, at times, one to forget, most Nebraska fans will celebrate every victory and milestone with enthusiasm and a smile. In fact, in our Sunday poll on ketv.com, a majority of voters said they think the Huskers will BEAT the #5 undefeated Hawkeyes on Black Friday! Who knows!!

For KETV producer Jay Roberts, the secret to Nebraska’s recent success is pretty simple.. I’m NOT covering the games.

I was in LA when USC beat Nebraska in 2006.

I was at Memorial Stadium when Nebraska BARELY lost to Texas a few weeks later.

I was in Kansas City when Nebraska lost in the Big XII Championship game that December.

331105_258913344147155_1924201494_o

I was at Camp Randall when Wisconsin crushed Nebraska 48-17 in 2011.

And I was at Ohio Stadium when the Buckeyes blanked the Huskers 63-38 in 2013. Actually, I think it was at this game I shared my 0-5 Reporter Record with Nebraska wide receiver Kenny Bell, who then responded ‘maybe you shouldn’t go on the road with us anymore!’

Assistant News Director Vonn Jones, hasn’t let me cover the Huskers since.

BACK TO OHIO STATE… I will always remember a handful of moments from that trip. The Buckeyes Athletic Department, for whatever reason, provided FREE McFLURRIES IN THE PRESS BOX, and I think I gained 19 pounds in 3 hours. While I am a HUGE fan of the Pride of Nebraska Husker Marching Band, the Buckeye Band was downright PHENOMENAL, performing a halftime show based on old-school Nintendo games. INCREDIBLE.

Finally, the professionalism and kindness exhibited by Nebraska star Rex Burkhead.

JSHXJTOVUOAZDTV.20130130210221

#22 Rex Burkhead, Nebraska I-Back 2009-2012 (Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics)

Burkhead had a hell of a game that day. He recorded the longest run of his career, pushing his own total at Nebraska to 3,046 (only the 7th Husker in history to reach the 3K mark), and he marked the 13th 100-yard rushing game of his career. Then, in the 3rd quarter, Burkhead went down, badly injuring his left knee. Even up in the press box, we could see that Rex, who’d taken hit after hit throughout his time at Nebraska, was hurting. The following week, he started against Northwestern, but left the game.. and didn’t return for the four following games.

After each game I covered, I tried to find players or coaches willing to do a live interview with Jon/Andy during our Big Red Zone post-game coverage. Burkhead was a clear fan favorite and had talked to us several times before. Looking back to Ohio State, I wonder how much pain Rex Burkhead was in both emotionally and physically, perhaps already worrying how much of his senior year he would miss because of his injury. Not knowing at the time how bad it was, I once again approached him after the game. He could’ve just ignored me. He could’ve cussed at me, or shot me a dirty look. Rex Burkhead APOLOGIZED, saying he was sorry, but wasn’t up for it.

A moment for me that revealed character and maturity, probably isn’t even a blip on this guy’s Husker Memories radar. He was the Team MVP, Team Captain his senior AND junior year, a Sports Illustrated Honorable Mention All-American, a Doak Walker Semifinalist, Guy Chamberlin Trophy winner, and a First-Team All-Big Ten member.

Those are just his awards for his work ON the field. 2011 in particular was a remarkable year for Burkhead, still arguably one of the best rushers in Nebraska history.

Click here to watch KETV’s Throwback Thursday feature on #22 Rex Burkhead!

“Probably my favorite [moment] was the Ohio State game my junior year,” Burkhead told me recently. “It was our Big Ten opener and we were down by a hefty margin. I think, at the time, it was the biggest comeback in school history. We came back and won in the final few minutes. The crowd was going crazy; it was just an unbelievable atmosphere that night.”

Burkhead also loves that game because a friend of his got some national attention for the first time.

Jack-Hoffman

KETV’s Thor Tripp was interviewing Burkhead for a profile story, and asked why he was wearing a ‘Team Jack’ bracelet on his wrist. Burkhead told him about a little boy with brain cancer who had asked for an autograph; instead, Burkhead invited him to Memorial Stadium to look around. An incredible gesture, one that to this day, Burkhead doesn’t take credit for.

“Really, it all started with Coach Pelini taking him in, allowing him access to practice, then putting him up in a suite during a game and really, Jack just becoming another teammate with the guys,” said Burkhead.

KETV OCTOBER 2011: Click here to read about Jack’s first Game Day, and how the Huskers all became Team Jack fans.

Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics

Pelini, a father of 3, and Burkhead brought back Jack and other children with pediatric brain cancer, to take part in team activities and traditions. Through that, Nebraska fell in love with these kids.. and we also learned the terrible truth about this horrific disease. Isaiah, the little boy in this photo with Jack doing the ‘Tunnel Walk’ with the team before the Wisconsin game in 2012, died just a few weeks later.

KETV MAY 2012: Click here to learn about Jack Hoffman and his family’s mission to spread national awareness of pediatric brain cancer.

8-million people and counting saw what happened next.. the Nebraska Cornhuskers rallied around Jack, bringing the pint-sized player onto the field during the Spring Game in 2013. Wearing his friend Rex’s #22, Jack Hoffman ran for a touchdown, cheered on by 60,000 fans. In the weeks and months that followed, the Hoffman family was invited to the White House to meet President Obama, they won an ESPY for Best Moment of 2013, and best yet, THE WORLD was talking about pediatric brain cancer.

Click here to read my blog about Jack’s incredible moment at Memorial Stadium: See Jack Run.

Nebraska Fullback CJ Zimmerer (another Throwback Thursday Husker!) was the brainchild behind that magical moment, but the connection, THE FRIENDSHIP between this little boy and Nebraska football players and coaches began because of Rex Burkhead. He was named Captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, a 3-time member of the Brook Berringer Citizenship Team and the 2012 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion. Since Rex Burkhead responded to the Hoffman family’s request in 2012, just asking for an autograph, the Team Jack Foundation has raised more than $2 million dollars for pediatric brain cancer research.

MF61450

“Myself and Jack and Andy and his family never would’ve thought it would expand like it did,” said Burkhead. “It’s been unbelievable just to see the expansion of the Team Jack Foundation, how much support is still out there, not just in the state of Nebraska but across the country as well.”

CQfKRIoVAAAh0J1

Rex and Jack still keep in touch, the Hoffmans even going to see Burkhead’s new team play. After graduating from Nebraska, Burkhead was drafted by the Cincinatti Bengals, a team that’s only lost ONCE so far this season.

“I’m really enjoying it, it’s a great team and a great bunch of guys on our team who love the team camaraderie aspect of the game,” said Burkhead. “It’s a lot tougher to do that in the NFL, just because of the business aspect.”

Burkhead also follows his alma mater, and calls Nebraska’s firing of his coach, Bo Pelini, very tough.

Rex Burkhead #22 is greeted by head coach Bo Pelini prior to his final home game against Minnesota on Nov. 17, 2012. Photo by Scott Bruhn for Hail Varsity.

“Bo was a huge reason that I went to the University of Nebraska,” said Burkhead. I just loved everything about him. I loved the character he was instilling in the program with the players. How he taught me not only things on the football field but off the field as well. Very disappointing and sad to see them make that move, that switch. Even though I may not have agreed with it, I’m still always going to support the Huskers no matter what.”

Burkhead adds that he met Coach Mike Riley in the spring and that he seemed like a great guy. Fitting, coming from a guy I once heard described as ‘the most beloved Husker football player since Brook Berringer.’

To the Huskers fighting to the finish line of 2015, Burkhead says keep going forward and stay positive.

“Keep fighting, you never know what can happen toward the end of the year,” said Burkhead. “Just know the former players have your backs and we look forward to Saturdays every weekend.”

DFXOGUDGGQTIBIV.20120202193843

And to all Nebraska fans, from the Hoffmans watching from Atkinson, to the parents who named their baby boys ‘Rex’ (we met two of them!), to the journalists who remember a star athlete and all-around nice guy, Burkhead says he’s honored you DO remember.

“Definitely an honor, a privilege,” said Burkhead. “That’s Husker football for you. The support there is unbelievable.”

CSftR7rUkAAhUWg

(Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics)

Click here to read more about #22 Rex Burkhead via his bio with Nebraska Athletics!

Click here to learn more about the Team Jack Foundation on their website; Click here to connect with Team Jack on Facebook

***

PREVIOUS POST.. Class of 1982, Dave Rimington!
NEXT WEEK.. Class of 1994, Dr. Rob Zatechka!

What’s In A Name?

Nov12

RIMINGTON.

What do you think of when you hear that name?

The Rimington Trophy. The Nebraska Football legend. All-American student AND athlete.

How about the man who has raised more than $100 million dollars to fight cystic fibrosis and find a cure?

100-MILLION DOLLARS. Scratch that.. Nebraska Athletics journalist (and legend in his own right) Randy York puts that fundraising total closer to 105-MILLION. Randy’s recent profile of Dave Rimington, inducted as the first football player to be part of the inaugural 2015 class of the University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame, is nothing short of jaw-dropping. It’s a reminder of how one person, any of us really, can CHANGE THE WORLD.

#50 Dave Rimington, Center, 1979-1982 (Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics)

Rimington is a local guy, an Omaha South High graduate, who made the college football history books in his time at Nebraska. He is the only player to win the Outland Trophy in consecutive years and in 1982, he also won the Lombardi Award. That dedication to excellence continued in the classroom; Rimington was a two-time first team academic All-American, an NCAA Top 5 student athlete and a College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete.

Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics

Yet Rimington was still humbled to be selected as the first football inductee for the Huskers’ new Athletics Hall of Fame.

“It’s awesome,” Rimington told KETV’s Andrew Ozaki. “For all of the fantastic athletes that have been here, from the football team and every sports team, to be in the inaugural class is quite an honor.”

Click here to watch KETV’s Husker Throwback Thursday feature on #50 Dave Rimington!

When Rimington returned to Memorial Stadium to be honored for his induction, his status in Nebraska was clear.. fans surrounded him on the sidelines to shake his hand, snap a photo, and for a few moments, talk to a Husker legend.

“I remember all the players. I remember the struggles, the good times and the bad times together,” said Rimington, who also told Ozaki about his favorite moment at Nebraska. “I think the first time we beat Oklahoma my freshman year. I actually wasn’t playing, but it’s still my favorite moment because it was the first time Coach Osborne beat Oklahoma. It was a really big moment.”

Photo courtesy huskermax.com

Rimington had his share of big moments, including seeing his own jersey be retired at Nebraska his senior year, making history winning the Big 8 Offensive Player of the Year as a lineman, and being chosen in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft. He played in the pros for seven years before accepting a new job.

“A good friend of mine is Boomer Esiason,” said Rimington. “He has a son with cystic fibrosis and he’s got a foundation. I’ve been running his foundation in New York City for the last 22 years, so I’ve been pretty busy with that.”

PRETTY BUSY?!?! Rimington told York about the Boomer Esiason Foundation’s most recent accomplishment, donating $10 million dollars to help develop a drug that was approved and appears to have provided a cystic fibrosis CURE for 4-percent of those affected by the disease.

Allow me to sidetrack for a moment.. in April of 2013 I profiled an Omaha family, including two sisters who battle cystic fibrosis daily. I will NEVER forget watching Alexa, then 7, and Presley, then 17-months, stopping their game of cards to strap on corded life jacket-like devices which literally SHOOK the mucus from their lungs and digestive tracts. Alexa told me about how much she coughs. Their parents told me about their fears, seeing the side effects of this disease take a toll on their girls, and reading stats about treatments and life expectancy. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE HALL’S STORY.

It is wonderful to advocate for a cause. It is inspiring to host events and give of your time and energy to help others. But Dave Rimington and BEF may be on the CUSP OF A CURE for people, for CHILDREN just like Alexa and Presley Hall. That is absolutely incredible.

Kind of makes football seem like an insignificant afterthought.. but in case you’re curious, Rimington backs his Huskers, losing season or not.

“We’ve just got to have some patience,” said Rimington. “We’ve got a new staff in place. We’ve just go to give them time to produce.”

To wrap up our interview, Andrew asked for advice for today’s Huskers. When you read what Dave Rimington said, I hope you take it to heart as much as I did, football player or not.

‘Just work hard,” said Rimington. “Every day, you’ve just got to try to get better.”

That’s what I’ll think of now when I hear RIMINGTON. To work hard, and every day, try to be better. Two little girls in Omaha may not know much about football or Outland Trophies, but someday to them, RIMINGTON may also mean a long, healthy life.

Click here to read more about #50 Dave Rimington via his biography with Nebraska Athletics.

Click here to ready Randy York’s recent profile of Rimington: “Why Dave Rimington Was The Inaugural HOF Choice”

Click here to visit the Boomer Esiason Foundation website; click here to visit the BEF Facebook page.

The 2015 Rimington Trophy presentation, honoring the nation’s top collegiate center, will take place at Lincoln’s Rococo Theater on January 16th. Click here for more information.

***

PREVIOUS POST.. Class of 2003, Curt Tomasevicz!

NEXT WEEK.. Class of 2012, Rex Burkhead!

Going For Gold

Nov5

Every week, as I write and visualize my next Throwback Thursday Husker feature, I inevitably bother three people EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Photojournalist Tyler White… because he’s not busy enough shooting and piecing together daily news stories, or shooting Nebraska football games on the sidelines every weekend.. he’s also a GENIUS when it comes to editing these Throwback stories. He KNOWS the game; he KNOWS Nebraska Football; he KNOWS where every, single shot is in our archives. He now RUNS from me when I start walking his way on Wednesday or Thursday.. but I will CHASE him because he’s just that darn good.

Producer/Editor/Photographer Josh Gear… because, simply put, THE GUY IS A GENIUS. If you have a technical question about ANYTHING, from YouTube conversions to graphics to format, Josh is THE MAN to help you. And he does it with a smile and positive attitude 24/7… even though he may be cursing on the inside because I bother him so much.

Sports Anchor/Reporter Matt Lothrop… because he is A VAULT of Nebraska football information. A VAULT. The dude knows every stat, every inside story, every little-known tidbit of info about the program. He can also find EVERYTHING I need when it comes to highlights and archive video. Yesterday, I asked for two clips from games in 2003 and 2001.. Matt brought them to my desk within 10 minutes. Folks, we just moved buildings–the fact he even knew where these tapes were is INSANE to me!

When Matt came over to my desk, knowing I needed the material for a Throwback story, he asked who I was featuring.

#35 Curt Tomasevicz, Fullback/Linebacker, 1999-2003 (Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics)

When I told him it was Curt Tomasevicz, Matt said, “I really hope that guy never gets into broadcasting. He’s good at everything he does!”

PROOF: 3-time Olympic Bobsledder, winning gold for the USA in 2010. Holds a Master’s in Engineering and is working on his PhD WHILE teaching students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Plays guitar with his own band, and was even invited up on stage to play with legendary front man Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam.

Seriously?!?

Click here to watch KETV’s Throwback Thursday feature on #35 Curt Tomasevicz!

I first heard about Curt YEARS ago through one of my friends, Mike Tomasevicz. Every time I’d see him, he’d tell me about his cousin, Curt, and the incredible things he was doing with the US National Bobsled team.. that they were winning events left and right and might make it to the Olympics. In 2006, THEY DID, representing America at the Turin games.

Maybe it’s like eating one Lays potato chip.. you can’t just have ONE, you want MORE.

Tomasevicz and Team Night Train continued to compete, winning the World Championship in 4-man bobsled in 2009. Together, they traveled north to Vancouver to vie for Olympic Gold.

(Photo courtesy http://www.tomaseviczbobsled.com/)

February of 2010, Tomasevicz and the USA 4-man team ended a 62-year gold medal drought, winning Olympic Gold in the Vancouver Games. They’d return to the Olympics four years later, winning Bronze at the 2014 games in Sochi. By the time Tomasevicz retired from bobsledding in 2014, he’d earned a total of 11 world medals, including 9 World Championships in addition to his Olympic hardware. (And in case you are wondering, that gold medal IS HEAVY.. Tomasevicz says, weighing about 19 ounces!)

Click here to watch KETV’s story from Dec 2013: Small Town Shows Huge Support For Olympian

Click here to watch KETV’s story from Jan 2014: Curt Tomasevicz Heads to Olympic Games in Sochi

Click here to watch KETV’s story from Feb 2014: Olympian Returns To Nebraska With Bronze Medal

An incredible feat, no doubt. What is also impressive to me is the way ‘Nebraska’s Olympian’ has handled his success… humble, gracious and down-to-earth. From the get-go, as KETV followed Tomasevicz’s success, he has responded to every text, every phone call, every email. He’s never ‘too busy’, or ‘too big’ for his home state. He’s a Shelby, Nebraska native who has never forgotten his roots, even if a few Husker fans may have forgotten that before he hit the bobsled track, he was a walk-on at Nebraska hitting the field at Memorial Stadium.

“I think the walk-ons that go through this program have an enhanced sense of pride when they come here,” Tomasevicz recently told KETV’s Andrew Ozaki. “A lot come from central Nebraska, small farm town communities, and they grew up watching this team.”

Tomasevicz started at fullback, then moved to linebacker his junior year, playing in five games. He had a huge moment his senior year against Colorado in the opening drive of the game.

“That was definitely a highlight because when I hit Jeremy Bloom, at the time we were both football players, later on we were both Olympians,” said Tomasevicz. “He’s a downhill skier I met, and reminded him of that moment at the 2006 Opening Ceremonies. He went on to play in the NFL, so he had the last laugh.”

Tomasevicz’s favorite moment came two years earlier before Nebraska’s game even began. The Huskers’ game with Rice was moved to a week night, just days after the attacks on America on September 11, 2001.

“I think we were one of the first sporting events that took place, they moved our game up,” said Tomasevicz. “When we played at Memorial Stadium, we didn’t do the Tunnel Walk. We silently walked out onto the field and we had members of the armed services, as well as firefighters and police officers, they did our Tunnel Walk. That was a pretty incredible moment, being a part of that. I think that moment, at that time, made me realize there are things that are a lot more important than sports.”

Click here to see the 9/11 Tribute Tunnel Walk via HuskersNSide Production on YouTube.

Off the field, Tomasevicz earned Bachelors & Masters degrees in Engineering, making the Academic Honor roll all eight semesters of his college career. He was also named to he 2003 Brook Berringer Citizenship Team for his work in the community, especially with kids. Those volunteer efforts continued long after his time at Nebraska ended.

Photo courtesy Sammy’s Superheroes & Amanda Polacek

Click here to read KETV’s story from Feb 2014: Olympian Posts Message For Little Boy With Cancer

Tomasevicz has been a longtime supporter of causes like Sammy’s Superheroes, raising money for children with cancer and their families. He not only sends them personal messages, he takes part in their events and fundraisers. He also speaks to schools across the state, sharing his story and advice with any class that invites him. (Click here to learn more through his website.)

Recently, Tomasevicz also took on a new role: professor. He’s teaching several engineering courses at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln while working on a PhD in biological systems engineering. In the classroom, Tomasevicz doesn’t want to be known as the Olympian or the former Husker; he just wants his students to see him as their instructor.

“I just hope they think I have enough experience that I know what I’m talking about,” said Tomasevicz, who used much of his engineering education, including aerodynamics and biomechanics, during his bobsledding career. “A lot of [what I do] is introducing engineering topics and concepts and kind of disguising it in an exciting way through sports. If you can find a way to use real life, real world situations, it usually gets them a little more excited.”

As for today’s Huskers, there’s no scientific formula to fix the problems that have plagued Nebraska this season. (“That’s a sophomore level class, I’m sure,” joked Tomasevicz.) Still, this Husker, turned Olympian, turned professor, reflects back once again the experiences, often stemming from sports, that have helped shaped him.

“We had some highs and lows, too. You just have to wait out those lows,” said Tomasevicz. “Being patient is a big thing. Everybody makes mistakes. Time will tell. It puts into perspective Nebraska is not that guaranteed victory they used to be. Nebraska will have to work hard for those wins. Eventually they will come.”

Tomasevicz, a season ticket holder and self-described huge Husker fan, will keep on cheering for his team either from the sidelines or from wherever he is performing Saturdays.

Yes, performing.. he’s ALSO a guitar player, and his band, Blinker Fluid, plays at weddings and events across the state.

Click here to watch Blinker Fluid playing at a recent event in Lincoln!

From science, to sports, to music, to LIFE.. here’s a guy who does what makes him happy, works hard at every challenge before him, and has found remarkable success on several fronts. He’s not just an All-American guy, he’s All-Nebraskan, and proud of it.

I think Matt Lothrop was on to something… Curt, next time I bump into you at a Pearl Jam concert, I may try to convince you to join our team here at KETV. You’d fit right in with Tyler, Josh and Matt. Husker, Olympian, Teacher, Throwback Thursday expert? I’m no scientist, but the idea is clearly GOLD.

Click here to read more about #35 Curt Tomasevicz via his bio with Nebraska Athletics!

Click here for more information about Curt Tomasevicz on his official website, on his official Facebook page, and on Twitter.

***

PREVIOUS POST.. Class of 1990, Lt. Gregg Barrios!

NEXT WEEK.. Class of 1982, Dave Rimington!

Supporting Red & Blue

Nov1

Some weeks.. I just need a giant PAUSE button. Those times when my to-do list just gets longer and longer. Those nights when I’m lying awake, thinking of everything I need to get done the next day.

We have had one of the most exciting adventures of our careers in the last month here at KETV, moving into our new home at 7 Burlington Station. Along with planning, boxing up desks, and rehearsals in our new space, we were also keeping up (or trying to) with day-to-day news operations. YOWSA–I think I speak for all of us when I say we were READY to move in and get back to normal!!

I tell you all of this… because I did not give this week’s Throwback Thursday Husker his much-deserved blog post in association with his story. However, HE is so busy, I’m guessing he’s got more important things he’s focused on.. like keeping Omaha safe, and recruiting a new generation of heroes to do the same.

#44 Gregg Barrios, Nebraska Kicker, 1987-1990

Lieutenant Gregg Barrios is one of the highest ranking officers to serve with the Omaha Police Department. He’s active in his church and community, and he’s the father of eight children. Barrios is also known for the four years he played football for the Huskers.

“Some people, when they get my name, they’ll recognize it, or ‘are you related to that guy who used to kick for Nebraska?’ I get that once in a while,” Barrios told me recently. “Probably the most avid Nebraska fans, they can remember that far back.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON #44 LT. GREGG BARRIOS!

Barrios is a Nebraska guy, born and raised. The Creighton Prep remembers listening to the Huskers as a kid, a boy with big dreams early on.

“Playing football in the backyard, listening to Lyell Bremser and all that, wishing that someday I could play for Nebraska,” said Barrios. He still remembers his first game, one he got to suit up for, a privilege allowed to a few, select freshmen.

“I’m nervous, some hot shot California upperclassmen is like, ‘what are you nervous for? You’re not even gonna play.’ Some Nebraska guy’s like, ‘you don’t get it,'” said Barrios. “I remember running on the field, it was a night game against Florida State. And at the end of the game, I ended up getting to play.”

Barrios’ favorite game came the following year, when #2 Nebraska played #10 Texas A&M to kick off the 1988 college season.

“I found out the night before I’d be starting. I was like ‘oh my gosh!'” said Barrios. “I’m put into the game, had a really good game. I kicked three field goals and there were three records for the Kickoff Classic, including longest field gal in a game. Then, we won, of course.”

Off the field, Barrios’ was interested in law enforcement, a curiosity sparked by having a dad in the military and by a professor specializing in criminal justice. He joined the Omaha Police Department in 1996.

“I started uniform patrol like everybody else did,” said Barrios. “I also worked in the warrants unit, working in training, worked in investigations, and now in backgrounds and recruiting. This department is one of the best in the Midwest, by far. We have a lot to offer for candidates.”

Barrios says there are many parallels between being a Husker football player and being a police officer (or firefighter, as his friend across the street, Asst Fire Chief John McCormick told me last year! Click here to read more!) We are living in post-Ferguson times when police officers nationwide are facing increased scrutiny; similarly, today’s 3-6 Huskers are criticized, insulted and coached from couches across Nebraska.

“There’s the whole expectation that we are role models in society and we need to live up to a certain standard,” said Barrios. But the Lieutenant is also quick to point out moments like Officer Kerrie Orozco’s funeral procession, when thousands of people in the Omaha metro area lined streets in the rain to pay their respects to Orozco and law enforcement officials everywhere. People have brought food to local precincts, have posted messages showing their support and have held countless fundraisers for not just Officer Orozco and her family, but for other officers when they need it.

“That’s what makes the job a really fulfilling job and rewarding,” said Barrios. “For the right person, it’s that service mentality. We get to go out, do a job and we get a lot in return for it.”

And no matter what Nebraska’s record is, Barrios wants today’s players to know fans will be on their side. He’s one of them.

“I will stick with them no matter what,” said Barrios. “No matter who the coach was the last few years, I try to be a fan the best I can.”

Photo courtesy CoachTomOsborne.com

Barrios remembers seeing Coach Tom Osborne’s reaction when other programs around the country rolled through coaches and administration every few years.

“He was frustrated by that because he saw it’s difficult to build a program, to build up your recruits and instill your game plan and everything you’re going to do with a program,” said Barrios. “I think over time, Nebraska will be back. It’s just going to take the right fit, the right recruits, to put it all together.”

Barrios’ advice for the 2015 Huskers is the same he gave his son, ALSO a collegiate kicker. (Russell Barrios graduated from Omaha Gross and is currently playing football for the Colorado School of Mines.)

“I always talked to him about something that kickers do, keep your head down, follow through,” said Barrios. “That’s something about life. Keep your head down, stay humble, keep focused on what you’re doing and follow through. You make a commitment, you stick with it.”

Editor’s note… this advice works for working mommas as well as football players. Deep breath. Shut out the noise. Head down and focus. Follow through.

***

CLICK HERE for more information about becoming an officer with the Omaha Police Department!

***

LAST WEEK.. Class of 2008, Zach Potter!

THIS WEEK.. Class of 2003, Curt Tomasevicz!

Calling The Shots

Oct1

It’s a historic moment in sports history.. Babe Ruth steps up to the plate, points at the outfield fence, then delivers.. home run. I do this at softball then strike out; the only guy who can actually do it is KETV meteorologist Kyle Gravlin (also the reigning Media Homerun Derby champ–watch the proof here).

In sports today, what would happen if an athlete called his shot? Just imagine, switching sports, what would happen if a D-1 college football player addressed reporters and said ‘we’re going to win a national championship!’

Ladies and gentlemen, #42 Jerry Murtaugh.

Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics.

Heading into his senior year, Murtaugh was already a 2-year starting linebacker, had broken school records for total tackles and was a unanimous All-Big 8 pick in 1969. Nebraska had never won a national football championship, but Murtaugh knew something big was on the horizon.

“I remember before the season I predicted we were going to win it all, in front of reporters,” Murtaugh told me recently. “Devaney found out about three minutes later, sends Jeff Kinney over, Jeff grabs me, takes me back, says ‘Murtaugh, you can’t keep your mouth shut!’ But at the end of the year, we ended up with this.”

Murtaugh held up his hand, curled into a fist, a giant ring reflecting off his finger.

“A national championship. So the prediction did come true.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S THROWBACK THURSDAY FEATURE ON #42 JERRY MURTAUGH!

Dan Schneiss, Coach Bob Devaney and Jerry Murtaugh, taken in 1970. Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics

That conversation symbolizes so many things about Murtaugh and his time at Nebraska. He’s an outspoken guy to this day who recently published the book, ‘If These Walls Could Talk’. Murtaugh bluntly writes about everything from his volatile relationship with Bob Devaney, to his ‘near-jail’ experience in Mexico his junior year, to his time at Colorado’s Playboy Mansion for a college football photo shoot.

Adventures aside, Murtaugh is proud to say he was a Nebraska football player, part of a long history of talent and tradition.

“Being a Blackshirt, the older I get, which I’m old now!, I can’t describe the word. It’s an honor. It’s an honor to have earned a black shirt,” said Murtaugh. “I thank all of the players before me because I think the world of the Frank Solich’s, the Barry Alvarez’s, the Mike Kennedy’s. I could go on and on, great football players before us.”

Photo courtesy FanBase.com

Murtaugh is also proud to be an Omaha native, a triple-sport athlete for Omaha North High School in the 1960’s.

“Expectations were high from fellow Omaha kids at Nebraska. Bobby Churchich, Denny Morrison, Dicky Davis,” said Murtaugh. “They said, Hey, we have a standard here. You better keep it high. So we tried.”

So does Murtaugh still hold that bar high for today’s players? After all, it’s been 18 years since Nebraska players have earned national championship rings like Murtaugh’s.

“People have to remember, 1968 & 1968 we were 6-4 and I was part of that,” said Murtaugh. “They wanted to run Devaney out on a pole. I had threatening calls, things like that. It was nasty. These young men now, they do the best they can. It’s a game! We forget about that.”

Murtaugh DOES expect all of the Huskers to give 110%. Today, he reaches out to athletes who have done just that, given their all despite their challenges. Murtaugh is the President of the Nebraska Greats Foundation, offering financial assistance to letter-winning athletes from colleges and universities across the state facing medical expenses. Recipients include Nebraska football player Dave Humm, wheelchair-bound due to multiple sclerosis; Creighton basketball star Josh Jones, who faced multiple surgeries due to a career-ending heart condition (see more here); and Jim Unger, the first gymnast in UNL history to receive All-American honors.

Jim Unger, Nebraska gymnast 1972-1975. Photo courtesy the Nebraska Greats Foundation.

“About three years ago riding his bike, [Unger] hit a pothole, hit a tree, paralyzed neck down,” said Murtaugh. “Things like that, we come in and help with their medical expenses, what the insurance doesn’t pay or if they don’t have insurance.”

Longtime Nebraska Coach Ron Brown and Murtaugh. Photo courtesy Nebraska Athletics.

So what’s Jerry Murtaugh’s prediction this time around, as a new Coach takes the reigns and Nebraska starts a season 2-2? Murtaugh, who talks Husker Football on his weekly Legends Radio Show in Omaha, says he DOESN’T predict.

“I’m going to sit there and watch and hope for the best for these young men,” said Murtaugh. “They’re still inexperienced. It’s going to take them awhile. All I ask is give 110-percent.”

Murtaugh supports Coach Riley, Shawn Eichorst and all of the players. Most of all, just as he did in another time and another place when he called his shot before his historic senior season began, he loves Nebraska fans.

“The excitement. The loyalty. The niceness. The–EVERYTHING,” said Murtaugh. “Greatest fans in the country.”

For more on #42 Jerry Murtaugh, click here to read his complete bio from Nebraska Athletics.

Click here for more information about the Nebraska Greats Foundation via their website; click here to visit the organization’s Facebook page!

Click here for more information about Murtaugh’s book, ‘If These Walls Could Talk’ by Murtaugh, Jimmy Sheil, Brian Rosenthal, George Achola and Brian Brashaw.

***

WEEK FOUR.. CLASS OF 1992 WILL SHIELDS!

NEXT WEEK.. CLASS OF 1991 CURTIS COTTON!

This Is How A Heart Breaks

Jul7

We’re just the narrators, the storytellers. We are the witnesses who relay the facts, the who what when where why.

WHY.

What if there IS NO why.

What if we, as journalists, are among those asking why.

His name was Lawrence Bolden III. A big name for such a little boy. Most of Omaha (and beyond) knew him simply as Baby Lawrence, a cherubic toddler, grinning from his hospital bed as his mom and nurses encouraged him to smile. I went to his funeral this afternoon.

Her name was Kayla Hebenstreit. That smile.. stunning, and GENUINE. When we shared Kayla’s story last December, how she was diagnosed with cancer for a fourth time just one month after delivering her first baby, hundreds of thousands of people were touched by her fight. Kayla passed away Sunday morning.

WHY.

They were two people who just GOT life, who did everything right. Lawrence exhibited pure love and strength. At just two years old, all he knew was how to love. He scanned a room for his momma no matter who else was there. He grinned for his daddy while sitting on his lap in the hospital. He cooed for the Children’s Hospital nurses who cared for him for so long. He just LOVED.

Kayla didn’t dream of money or yachts or Jimmy Choos.. she treasured every kiss from her husband, every moment cradling her baby girl, Kendall. Her message to her daughter, back when we spoke in December, was that she just wanted her to know how hard she tried to beat this, and how much she loved her.

And their families.. Lawrence’s mom, Shalina, a woman who got up early every single day to get her little girls to school, work full time, then rush her family every single night to her baby boy’s bedside at the hospital. Joe Hebenstreit didn’t leave his wife’s side in her final weeks, working from home a few hours a day so he’d always be there for his best friend and love.

Why did two such incredible people and their loved ones have to face such unimaginable fights? Why did Kayla’s cancer come back when she’d beat it so many times? Why didn’t Baby Lawrence’s transplant, a miracle in itself, work?

WHY.

PREACHY ALERT from a mom who listened to One Sweet Day today, while watching a home video of Lawrence crawling in his hospital room. Go home tonight and look, really look, into the eyes of your babies, husbands and wives, and loved ones. Smile. Hug them and kiss them. Laugh. When the tiny little things we let ruin our days come up.. remember, they are NOTHING. Everything? LOVE. I guess that’s what I’m trying to take from this. That even though my eyes are sore from crying, and my heart is breaking for these families, I will try to pass on what Lawrence and Kayla taught me. TO LOVE deeper and to put aside the crap that doesn’t matter. As one of Lawrence’s family members said at his funeral today, if a 2-year old can go through all of the surgeries, procedures, needle pokes and pinches, and still just SMILE… WE certainly should. If a new mother, facing painful, grueling treatments just for the chance at life with her family, can still SMILE, WE should. Be thankful for every GOOD moment, celebrate LIFE and time together. LOVE.

Lawrence and Kayla, your legacies will live on. Those who knew you are better people because you were in their lives. You don’t have to fight anymore, no more pain and suffering. I pray you have found peace.

I know you found love.

To learn more about Kayla Hebenstreit, join her thousands of supporters in Kayla’s Crew; click here for the Kayla’s Crew Facebook page, and click here for the website. You can also read my first blog post on Kayla, You Think You Have Time.

To learn more about Lawrence Bolden III, click here to visit his Facebook page. You can also read my blog post about Lawrence and his journey, Saving Baby Lawrence.