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In the 7th grade, I went out for football. I was small: 5'8"; 150 lbs. wet. But so were the other kids. And I could run the 100 yard dash in "10 flat" and had terrific peripheral vision (I was never "blind-sided"). So, they started me at defensive guard.
But then, as the years went by, I didn't grow anymore. And the other kids did! So, by the time I was a high school freshman, I was demoted to linebacker and a year later to cornerback. And, as a senior, I was a safety. Yet, because of my speed, I got "all-state" recognition, even though my hands were too small to catch any kind of ball. Later, when I went to the university at Lincoln, I discovered that the competition was not only fast but two to three times my size.
At any rate, when I was the super-duper high school safety, our team played the best team in the State, an Omaha team. We'd had a good season and I was confident. Over-confindent. By the third quarter the Omaha running-back/receiver had burnt me five times for five touchdowns! ...I never saw him coming! One minute, he'd be standing on the Omaha line as a slot-back. The next minute, he'd be standing in the end zone, holding the football. ...I was crushed.
Later, at the university, having totally giving up any future hopes of playing football, I still liked watching the game. The TV room in my fraternity house had a pro-game on, which got my attention. Much to my dismay, there on the screen, scoring touchdowns, was my former nemisis.....Gayle Sayers. So, now I don't feel so "crushed".
As a footnote, the Nebraska U. teams in those days sucked. In the 1930's, the two biggest powerhouses of football in this part of the country were Nebraska and Minnesota. And the Nebraska alums were not at all happy with the way the program had deteriorated. One of the final blows was when Nebraska, supposedly, did not offer Gayle Sayers a scholarship. So he got one from Kansas.
The chancellor at Nebraska was not sports-oriented. He, naively, thought he could create another Harvard or Princeton. Supposedly, the old alumni rebelled and they called on him. And they asked him: "Mr. Chancellor, how long have you been the university chancellor......not counting tomorrow!"
And that was the beginning of a historic football chronicle. They hired Bob Devaney, an unknown coach from Wyoming. He didn't need to know the mechanics of coaching. He was personable, a "crowd-pleaser", and an outstanding salesman/recruiter. And he was wise enough to hire a brilliant replacement in Tom Osbourne. So, because of these two men, Nebraska again became a championship team and the stadium has been sold out for three decades.
Yes, the Nebraska team has dropped into the dumps the past few years. But this will change quickly with Dr. Tom Osbourne back in charge and the rabid Nebraska fan support.
More later...
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Posted by Gabby on 2008-04-01 19:55:00 | Rating: | Views: 36
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