Huskernomics

Commentary by HuskerPedia™ reader Brett W. Fowler
Submitted 10/14/08

Last night as I watched the stock market drop below 10,000 I thought about the pain myself and many other Americans felt watching our investments over the years deplete into nothingness. I looked at my daughter and my wife who both saw a future of uncertainty. To calm myself down I decided to retreat to my den and indulge myself in one of the few things that brings me up … Nebraska Football.

There is a series of videos on YouTube that illustrates the stages of Nebraska football from its early years to present day. It is a wonderful compilation of some of the great teams we have had throughout the decades. While I watched the stream of plays from the days of Turner Gill and Mike Rozier, MSNBC displayed a flow chart of the American economy since 1980. Looking back and forth at both of them I was hit by the irony of how the American economy and Nebraska Football mirrored each other.

The days of the 1980s where the United States was in a silent fight against the Russians for control of the strategic world. The U.S. economy is stronger than ever; jobs are good and with the onset of “Reganomics” America seems poised to bring down the “iron curtain”. All the while Nebraska is one of the winningest teams in the land and coach Tom Osborne finally defeating the big red bear that was Oklahoma. Nebraska fans were proud of their team and people were proud to be Americans.

With the economic down turn of the early 90s Nebraska witnessed a drastic drop in the talent that they were accustomed to. Even though the teams of the early 90s where not “bad” they were not the elite teams that Nebraskans had come to expect. Much with the same as most Americans had become accustomed to 89¢ gas and a sense of job security never before witnessed. The early 90s tested the American economy and it tested the faith of the Husker nation constantly asking the question: “Will we ever win the big one?”

After the election of Bill Clinton the economy of America began to shake itself out of its funk and so did the commander and chief of the Husker nation Tom Osborne. The mid to late 90s where a state of perfection for the American economy as it was for the rolling machine that had become Husker football. The U.S. economy had completely taken over the world market and to follow in suite Nebraska the college football world. The nations of the world stared in awe as the symbols of American might were prevalent in every hemisphere. Visiting teams shook in their pads at the site of tens of thousands of football crazed zealots worked themselves into a frenzy and 300 lb juggernauts that where the instruments of that passion.

After a series of prominence that has yet to be surpassed; both America and the Cornhuskers had similar catastrophes that shook the pillars of their worlds and showed everyone that they were not invincible.

The infamous day of September 11th and the 62-36 loss to Colorado both equally made every American weep and every bleeding red Husker cry. Both events coming within three months of each other, changed the landscaped of their respective worlds. The world realized that America is no longer the indomitable nation that they were believed to be and the Big Red machine was taken apart piece by piece. As the Husker faithful bound together to pick up the scraps that were its torn nation a Hurricane from Miami swept in and completely obliterated every aspect of the once powerful program leaving only the resolve of its fans.

As with all great nations most of them are not destroyed from an attacking enemy but by decisions of the very people who lead it. The phrase “sliding into mediocrity” comes to mind as we watched our storied program and the American global reputation slope further into irrelevance.

The experiment that was Bill Calahan and Co. accompanied with the firing of Frank Solich marked an event that single handedly created a schism in the Husker Nation. Remarkably the elections of 2004 and the election of Democratic house created a similar separation in the minds of the American people.

We have all watched the down turn of the Nebraska football program and I have seen people point fingers at everything from Steve Pederson; to blaming the installation of “Lil Red” as the mascot. On the flip side you can see every excuse in the book on the evening news to who is to blame for massive inflation that has hit our proud country. Call it a “recession” if you want; but either way you look at it the American economy and the Husker nation had seen better days.

Now we have Bo Pelini and staff coming in to rebuild the pride of the Husker nation and bring our football team back into the national spotlight. Likewise the men/women on Capitol Hill are working on bailing us out of the economic turmoil. The last two weeks losses have been massive setbacks to both the American stock market and the Husker nation. The rest of the story is unfolding in front of our eyes.

In closing I believe our resolve as Husker fans and Americans must remain steadfast. Through support for our team/country and a lot of hard work we will once again regain that seat on top of the hill that has since been a decade removed. But if you think the Huskers are going to get beat on any given game day, you might want to think about pulling some of your investments.

God Bless America and Go Big Red!

-Brett W. Fowler

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