Hail To The Chief

Nov6

One of the coolest things about this Throwback Thursday Husker series we’ve been sharing this football season is seeing how many different paths these former players have taken since leaving Lincoln. I’m not sure why I’m so surprised. Think of the people in your graduating classes from high school and college and ask yourself, where are they now? Of the 100+ players on the roster every season at Nebraska, there are bound to be any number of careers and futures these young men pursue.

Today’s featured Husker didn’t dream of or plan for the career he ended up in, but he calls it ‘great’, and has risen to one of the highest ranks in his department.

Assistant Fire Chief John McCormick (thanks to Nebraska Athletics for the photo!)

By our guess, there are seven or eight men on the Omaha Fire Department who played football at Nebraska. Ironically, the highest ranking member of that small club has kept his time as ‘Captain’ a secret at work.

“Most don’t know,” McCormick told me in a recent interview. “Most of the guys on the fire department weren’t even a twinkle in their dads’ eye when I played.”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH KETV’S THROWBACK THURSDAY SPECIAL ON JOHN MCCORMICK!

1987, John McCormick was in his senior season, his third year starting as Nebraska’s right guard. That year, he was named Team Co-Captain, First Team All-American, First Team All-Big 8 and an Academic All-Big 8 player. McCormick’s Huskers earned respect by playing some of the biggest names in football that season.

“Arizona State, UCLA, South Carolina, big power teams,” said McCormick. “But all the hype was usually around Oklahoma. That was always a big rivalry back then.”

Screen grab from our friend Jake Jacobsen at HuskerTapes.com; watch his clips of the 1987 NU vs OK game here!

McCormick, an Omaha native and graduate of Gross High School, is still passionate about today’s Huskers. His favorite: Nebraska’s star running back Ameer Abdullah.

“I think he’s a quality person, he has good character,” said McCormick. “And he’s a very good running back. I think he’s going to do well in his life.”

So has McCormick, who is now saving lives as an Omaha firefighter. A quick search of the KETV archives shows McCormick was one of the first responders at Molotov cocktail fires, at 2-alarm house fires, at scenes where firefighters risked their own lives to save strangers.

January 20, 2014 was no exception.

Then Battalion Chief John McCormick was one of the first firefighters to arrive at the International Nutrition plant minutes after the building collapsed, trapping workers inside.

“We had to rely on training and on our experience throughout our career to do the best we could,” said McCormick. “We were able to get a few people out. Sad that we couldn’t get everybody out.”

Two men died that day. Firefighters rescued at least nine others who were hurt, but survived. I remember anchoring our coverage that day while reporters Kyle Gravlin and Amanda Crawford reported from the field, and none of us knew how many were trapped or lost inside. We did know firefighters were inside, trying to find them, NOT knowing how stable the plant was or what could happen around them at any moment.

Just last month, seven of those firefighters were given Medals of Courage and/or Lifesaving Medals for their heroic efforts that day. At the same ceremony, Battalion Chief John McCormick was promoted to Assistant Chief.

“I consider it to be a lot like football in that it’s a team sport,” said McCormick. “It’s a team job. You need to accomplish a lot by using other people. The old cliché, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.”

And as the Huskers are hopefully gaining strength during this bye week, preparing for new Nebraska rival Wisconsin, McCormick offers this advice.

“This is such an important part of their life, but it’s only a short part of their life,” said McCormick, now a married father of eight in addition to his duties with the fire department. “Play hard, practice hard, prepare well and leave everything out on the field.”

***

Click here to Throwback to the Class of 2003, Jammal Lord!

Next week’s Throwback Thursday Husker.. the Class of 2003, Brett Lindstrom!

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.

***

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!

***

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.

***

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!

***

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.

***

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

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

A Cinderella Story

Sep26

Recently, KETV aired one of the most powerful stories of my career.

Do I have your attention?

In my 13 years here at KETV, I’ve seen some incredible things and been honored to share some amazing stories. There are a handful that will always stick with me. Derek Ruth, a teenager who suffered a traumatic brain injury on the junior high football field, sharing profound lessons much wiser than his 13 years. Clayton Hildreth, losing his face and parts of his body to a fire as a toddler, overcoming all challenges to become an Eagle Scout as a young man. Kayla Wilkins, a teenager who I never got to meet, though the love of her family and their grief after her death in a car crash, shook me to my core.

2014. Add Gina Giaffoglione, excuse me, Gina Springhower, to that list.

Let’s state the obvious. GINA. IS. GORGEOUS. (Sorry, John, but your bride steals the show in this picture!)

I’m biased, having met and spoken with this incredible woman, but you can almost see through their engagement photo the sheer joy, happiness, and positive energy that spreads from Gina.

What you can’t see in this picture is that Gina is paralyzed from the belly button down.

It hasn’t always been that way. Gina grew up in her dad Gary’s tumbling center in Glenwood, Iowa. As the only girl and the youngest, Gina and Gary were athletes together, always in the gym.

March 22, 2008, Gina was in Wayne, Nebraska. The car Gina was in flipped. She was partially ejected and partially pinned. The crash broke Gina’s back and changed her life.

Meeting Gina more than six years later, I wonder if she ever grieved for what she lost or allowed herself to be swallowed by self pity or sadness. It’s really hard for me to picture because as you’ll see in our story, Gina is RADIANT. She never stops smiling, never stops lifting up those around her. When I asked her about the decision that sparked our story, she said it happened the day after her accident, March 23, 2008. The moment Gina decided paralysis or not, someday, she was going to walk down the aisle.

***

Fast forward to December 14, 2012.

Gina had reconnected with a guy she knew in high school, John Springhower.

“He was a senior when I was a freshman, so he was just that older, hot guy I just kind of looked at when he walked through,” Gina told me, of course, with a smile on her face. “I never would’ve had a chance with him because I had braces and.. it was just a disaster!”

The guy who led Gina and John to each other.. her dad, Gary. And on a surprise date right before Christmas, John proposed.

“He’s taken on this whole disability thing like a champ,” said Gina. “He’s just that wonderful guy, that he doesn’t see the chair. He just sees me for me and forgets about how I get around.”

Gina said yes, on one condition. Their wedding would have to wait.

***

Almost immediately after Gina’s accident, she turned to physical therapists and support groups at CHI Health Rehabilitation at Immanuel Medical Center. She made friendships and inspired nearly everyone she came in contact with, and over time, learned exactly what she wanted: to maintain her independence. Alegent Creighton, now CHI Health, even profiled Gina in September of 2009.

Physical Therapist Diana Palm was working with Gina when she met John, and was there the first time Gina returned to therapy after her engagement.

“She shows up, day one, and she’s like, ‘I’m getting married. I have to walk 90 feet. With just my Dad. On one crutch. In grass. In a big dress.”

What was once a dream was now a goal. Gina was going to walk down the aisle.

***

August of this year, I pulled up to Immanuel’s Rehabilitation Center for a story shoot. We were meeting a paralyzed young woman, in therapy three days a week, trying to learn how to walk down the aisle for her wedding. I walked into the huge room, filled with patients, family, friends and therapists, and immediately saw a stunning brunette, with a thousand-watt smile, warmly welcoming me to her session. By this point, Gina had been working toward this for more than a year. After sitting for so many years, Gina spent months in therapy just to stretch her body tall again. Every accomplishment meant more work, more therapy. Sitting to standing. Standing to a walker. From a walker to a forearm crutch. Walking in tulle to get used to moving in a dress.

“I mean, I’ve had days where I’m like, this isn’t going to work! I’ve been working at all this for nothing!” said Gina. Gina says John, close friends and her family propelled her to keep going. Her biggest inspiration was also right at her side; her dad, Gary.

“[This walk] is our moment. That’s the last time that I’m a Giaffoglione and I’m on his arm,” said Gina. “He deserves it.”

“I told her whether we roll down that aisle, or whether we walk down that aisle, we’re gonna do this,” said Gary. “Whichever way we have to do it, it’s been her dream. Obviously, it’s a Dad’s dream of having the honor of walking your daughter down the aisle.”

Gary joined Gina at therapy for the last several months, working on every, single detail. Helping Gina stand. Locking her brace. Right step, left step, too far, stop!! Turn.. slower.. hold hands, step again. Gary, his hand clenched tightly around his daughter’s, stared straight forward with a mix of pride and intense concentration on his face. Gina positively glowed; grinning ear to ear with every step. Joking with her therapists, looking at her feet and the reflection in the mirror of herself on her dad’s arm.

I stood in the corner of the center, holding back tears and trying to ‘remain professional’, in awe of what I was witnessing. I also thought, wow, these two have been here, over and over, several days a week, at home, at the venue, inside, outside, all for ONE MOMENT.

“If she’s doing it for us, or she’s doing it for herself, she’ll never tell us,” said Gary. “She always has that big smile on her face, so we don’t know. All I know is we’re gonna do it together, and we’re gonna love the moment.”

And here’s the catch… the Giaffogliones knew about Gina’s goal. John knew. Their close friends knew. To the rest of Gina’s guests, this dream becoming a reality, was a moment NO ONE ELSE KNEW ABOUT before the wedding.

Even Gina and Gary, who planned and worked so hard for months, were anxious about how everything would go… on grass.. on a hill.. in front of guests.

“There’s so much to it,” said Gina. “It’s going to be kind of crazy and I think, when it’s over, it’s gonna be like, AAAAAH, LET’S EAT SOME CAKE!”

***

September 13, 2014. The day Gina would walk down the aisle.

This is where I stop. Yup, that’s all you get for now. Because despite 13 years in television news writing stories, nothing I can type out will adequately describe what happened that beautiful Saturday in Pacific Junction, Iowa. Thanks to photojournalists Dave Hynek, Ashley Nodgaard and Tyler White, you can witness it for yourself.

Click here to watch Gina’s Cinderella story with KETV

I truly hope you make time to watch this one. It will take your breath away, and leave you in tears. Happy tears.

gina

Gina is a reminder that fairy tales can become reality, dreams can come true. And since I don’t have the words, I will leave you with Gina’s.

“I look at it as I might be having a bad day, but I’m HAVING a day. I’m here. I’m having a day. This walk down the aisle might not be what I always envisioned it would be, but we’re having a walk down the aisle. It’s happening. You’re here. You’re blessed. And if I can help somebody in some way to maybe look at their life a little bit differently and be blessed to have their own day, that’s why I’m having a day in my eyes.”

***

Gina has a blog and is available to speak for groups and events. Check out her website, Perfectly Imperfect Gina, or visit her on Facebook!

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!

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.”