BOO, aww what a great noise to hear ringing throughout the house at this time of year. The leaves are starting to fall, and ghosts are starting to appear hanging from trees, spiders and witches begin to pop up on household in your neighborhoods, yes its Halloween. Believe it or not Halloween is on my family’s favorite holidays. Everyone in my entire family gets dressed up and decorates the house, turning it into a scary, scary witches den. The witch of course being my mom. She loves to get her hat, big nose, and black long hair on every Halloween and wait for the little candy craving youngsters to stroll up to the door with their bags held open and yell, “trick or treat”, that saying is music to her ears. During Halloween every year my house is turned into an almost little haunted house. The excited, sometimes leery youngsters enter though the garage and make their way through a winding path with smoke rolling across they feet and scary, screechy, howling music plays in the background. When they get to the entrance of the house is where I come in. I sit in a chair as still as I can dressed like a scarecrow. The brave trick or treaters are not phased by the fake looking scarecrow (me) sitting by the door while the other leery ones stand and stand and stare. My technique for the most extreme terror is to let a few kids walk by and be as still as possible, making no noise and waiting for the best opportunity to present its self. When the time is right and the right kids are passing by I reach out and grab a youngster yelling “BOO!” and then letting them go and assuming my position once again. Once the kids make it past me and enter into the house they are greeted with more music and bowls of gumballs that look like eye balls other candy filled bowls all throughout the house. Before they get to leave the spooky trail through the house they must reach into the “bowl of brains”, which is actually jello in a bowl with paper over it and a slit in the top to let a hand of the brave trick or treaters reach inside. Inside the fish out a piece of candy and get to put it into their bag. At the end of the trail my mom stands with more bowls and candy and her witch outfit wishing everyone a happy Halloween.
When I was deciding where to attend college this past year I wasn’t sure where I would be headed. I was born and raised in town of just over one thousand people. A town where you know everyone and everyone knows you. I have relatives that lived in Lincoln and Omaha but I wasn’t sure if the city would be for me. When it came time to make a decision I choose Nebraska Wesleyan, but I was still a little leery about moving to the city. So far my time in Lincoln has been a lot of fun, however it’s when I can pick up the newspaper and read articles like the one I read today that makes me ask myself, “Do I really like it here”? The article I chose to write about is one dealing with the issue of gangs in Lincoln. The article goes into detail with one family in particular, one daughter that had once taken ballet, jazz, and played soccer for ten years, that chose to live a life of crime. The twelve year old girl was recruited by gang members when she attended Lux Middle School in Lincoln, and then North Star High School. It is amazing to me to think that kids as young as twelve years old, in a city in Nebraska are being recruited into gangs. I know there is crime in every city and that for the most part most cities are safe to live in but it really hits home to see what is happening in the city where I live, it is a scary thought. My home town, only two hours from here, has never had a problem like this and the kids, like me, coming out of it are almost blind to the fact that this is a real danger. I think that all Lincoln schools and surrounding areas should educate their young kids about the reality that is taking place in Lincoln. The threat of gangs is present and real and the only way to stop is to have the cities eyes opened to the problem.
A few weekends ago I went back to my home town for homecoming and saw a lot of old classmates and friends. It was wired to go back and see everyone that I used to see every day for twelve years. It was a lot of fun to sit down and talk about high school, that time that seems so long ago. We all talked about the things we did during those years and how much fun we had. A common thread that was talked about was the great memories that were made playing sports on those awesome Friday nights. It seemed like we all had great memories of playing football on those cold fall nights and taking the basketball floor after a week’s long preparation. It is definitely true for me that a lot of my great memories were made by being a part of teams and playing in high school sports. A lot of these memories flood back to me when I think about high school but I can pick out a few that really stick out in my mind. I loved heading into the locker room and strapping on my football pads next to my best friends that I had known since kindergarten. I can still remember the feelings that rushed over me when we made the walk to the football field to warm up. Walking out the door and seeing the fans already filling up the stands and the opposing players on the field already warming up. Thinking about that burst of energy I got when we rushed onto the field and the crowd went crazy still gives me goose bumps till this day. I remember every game I played in and the feelings I had every time but there was one game that had a more amazing feeling than any other. My team played in the state championship game at Memorial Stadium. When my teammates and I rushed onto the field in Memorial Stadium the feelings I had will stick with me for the rest of my life. The memories we made winning that state title for our town will be a lifelong memory my teammates and I will share.
If you have lived in Nebraska for long, chances are you love Saturday afternoons in Lincoln. For many people a like one of their favorite times in fall, is heading to Memorial Stadium to watch the Red and White take the field. With a restless night of sleep behind me and an exciting day ahead, I get dressed in my red, planning to match the other excited fans in Lincoln doing the same thing. It is on this brisk, sunny Saturday afternoon I stand in line shoulder to shoulder with all different kinds of people. With a group of rowdy, foam finger toting college students, with their painted chests and faces. With the older men who are wearing their radio-headsets listening intently to the pregame show, and the women with overbearing perfume and stickers of the husker mascot on their cheeks. Although we don’t know one another we are forming into one unit. Our conversations all start to form into one, talking to anyone and everyone about the exciting event just inside the gates. “I am so excited; this is only my second game.”, “We need our defense to come around this game.” are just a few topics swirling around me. Then in a loud unison chant the group of students’ turns and yell at the top of their lungs “GOOOO BIIIIG REEED” and in unison right on cue the rest of us excited fans shout “GO BIG RED”. Everyone is standing, waiting anxiously at our chance to enter the gates the roar of the people inside is finding its way outside to where we stand making the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end. I’m eager to get inside the gates and become a part of the most amazing fans in college football, eager to become part of the “sea of red”. When I reach the front of the long red line the excitement builds up inside of me even more. I am met by a burst of welcoming smells, popcorn, hot dogs and Runza’s all inviting me to stop for a quick bite to eat, its then that I stop and realize that I have finally made it to yet another husker game. When I make my walk up the ramp to the gleaming sunshine peering through at the top, I quicken my step hearing the consistent roar of the crowd build as I get closer. At the top of the ramp I step out into the sun light to finally lay my eyes on what I have been waiting for. The crowd is buzzing with excitement, chanting cheers and moving around, it is impossible to stand still. I make the walk up to my row and slide in front of other eager husker fans dressed in red high fiving every stranger as I go by. I don’t know anyone that I have passed but it dosent matter at this point. At that point I realize that we are a family, we are a close group will only one goal in mind. For the next four hours the only thing on our minds will be the football game about to kickoff. When I reach my seat I look down at the hard, cold bench that I know I won’t be sitting on for long. I take a quick look around I see numerous kinds of people. First the little boy who looks like he is attending his first game; standing on the bench holding his grandfathers hand and wearing his brand new bright red jersey with the number 5 on the back. I notice the permanent smile on his face and the looks of amazement he give his grandfather. Next his grandfather beside him who has been through many seasons, wearing a jacket which reads “Back to back Champions ’94-’95” and a hat covered with Nebraska ticket stubs and the words ’75 Champions embroidered on the front. Then there is the rowdy student fan already losing his voice, jumping up and down, high fiving everyone and acting as his job is to make the most noise in the stadium.
When it seems like I cannot wait any longer, and that the time would never come, the familiar sound of the “tunnel walk” begins to play and the noise in the stadium grows to an even louder roar. Again the chills flow throughout my body and I can’t help but let out a yell. “Let’s go red!” My eyes are glued to the jumbo screen in the far end zone, which is playing bone jarring hits and amazing plays of past and present. Tommy Frazier’s touchdown run against Florida,
Eric Crouch’s catch against Oklahoma, and pictures of the national championship trophy help up by Tom Osborne and his players. The tunnel walk which starts with the same repeated energized sound builds into the crashing loud music, lighting a fire in everyone inside the stadium. No one around can hold in their yells and the crowd noise grows in volume. The jumbo screen shows the team making its way down the tunnel toward the field and finally the doors to the field come open and the scarlet and cream rush onto the field. The loud unison chant of “Go big red” takes over the stadium. Then the first eleven players take the field in front of the 286th consecutive sellout, the 86,000 fans all hoping for and wishing for the same result. The hype is at its peak and all of the waiting is over. The kicker approaches the ball and the game begins. Watching the game unfold, I and the others beside me do our part to help the huskers win. The game is a huge part of the lives of all the 86,000 screaming, crazy fans for the next four hours. The sound of the harsh whistles cut through the roar of the crowd and my eyes move to the scoreboard, reading Huskers 10 and USC 7, Halftime. After peering at the score board for a short time trying to add a few more points to the Huskers side I glance at my watch. What seems like only a half an hour has become two hours and the game is half over. Everyone’s eyes are still peering toward the center of the massive structure as the figures on the field marching to forming a massive N across the field while plying sweet music to please the ears of all the fans. The tune of Mr. Touchdown and Football USA ring throughout the entire stadium. When I take a step back and look around at the neighboring fans, I can tell that although they seem entertained, tapping their feet to the beat and singing along with the band, I still catch them and myself glancing at the clock waiting until the game begins again.
When the band exits the field conversations start to arise all around me. The once strangers are now talking like they’ve known each other for years. Even some of the conversations shift away from football, to kids and family, but eventually all conversations end up back on the topic of the game at hand. After what seems like a lifetime the band clears and the players return to the field. Every moment speeds by and the clock seems to never stop running. Even when the tide turns into the other teams favor the crowd dose not budge. We all are still the “sea of red” and we still try and do our part in winning the game. But in the waning moments of the final quarter even the rowdy student fan cannot make the play on the field change. No matter how loud they get, or many chants they start the outcome is still the same. One of the worst sounds than screeches through every inch of the stadium it’s the final horn and my eyes move to the score board for the final time. Huskers 31 USC 49. For the last time I step back and take one final look around, the people around are no longer yelling and jumping but rather standing and staring at the field, wishing they could change the outcome. The walk out of the stadium is a slow, somber one and the excitement that once drew me into the stadium is long gone. There is no more high fives, no more chants of “Go Big Red”, just scattered conversations about the game linger in the air. What an amazing feeling it is to be a part of such a close knit, passionate group of people. You may not know anyone sitting close to you in the sea of red but it still feels like a family get together. There are not too many other places where you can have such a fulfilling experience than at Memorial Stadium on a fall afternoon. Whether the Husker win or whether they lose the experience is one that will last a lifetime. It’s the passion of those sitting next to you and the tradition that hangs in the air of the stadium that really makes it an awe-ing experience. How amazing it is to think about how 86,000 people come together all for the same purpose and who all share the same passionate feelings toward something that they really don’t have control over. To be able to attend a game in Lincoln, and feel the amazing hype, passion and camaraderie so easily is a great asset for the people of Nebraska. The way the passion for Nebraska football is passed on keeps the tradition at such a high level. Once you experience a game in Memorial Stadium it will be a definite lifelong memory, one that all should experience.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Searching You Tube for a video involving President Abraham Lincoln I found one recognizing his most famous speech—the Gettysburg Address. As I viewed it I couldn’t quite grasp how amazing of a speech this really was. At this time in history, November 19, 1863, this was the most influential speech ever given. As a sat watching this video I was blown away at the magnitude of President Lincoln’s speech. When I think about this address and the civil war itself I am truly amazed that our nation’s existence and our way of life came down to a war won by the “right” side. We sit today in a land or freedom, a land where there are no slaves and the thought of equality reigns supreme. President Lincoln’s address portrays the turning point of the civil war into the North’s favor. Where would we be toady if the south would have won the war? Would President Lincoln’s speech still be one of the most well known speeches in American history? Our lives would be totally different than the way we live them today. I still find it hard to comprehend that our way of life boiled down to one part of our country defeating the other.
I was lucky enough to visit the Gettysburg Cemetery where President Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address. The experience of being able to stand where President Lincoln gave one of the most influential speeches in history will stick with me for the rest of my life. The entire time I was standing there the only thought I had racing through my mind was how unbelievable it was to think about my life today. I am able to live my life the way I do because of what happened in the fields I was looking over. As I stood there I tried to fully understand the magnitude of what happened there. But yet I am still in awe today.
