There is no place like Nebraska

Editor's Note: This is a guest post that originally appeared in the St. Helena Star. The author is Vince D'Adamo, a graduate of the UNL School of Journalism and a native of Napa, CA. It is reprinted here with permission.

Simplest pleasures are often the best.

Well, I've been to Disneyland but that was about a quarter-century ago. I have never been to Europe but I'd like to do so someday. That trip, however, might have to wait deep into my middle-age years.

This past weekend I visited my college hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Since I am a Napa native (with extended Upvalley ties), Napa is my hometown.

Lincoln is my college hometown, having graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1997.

I moved back to the Valley in 1998 and made my third trip back to Lincoln past this weekend (first since 2001) for the Cornhuskers' first game under head coach Bo Pelini — a 47-24 win over Western Michigan.

The Cornhuskers are like a fallen champion trying to rebound after the ill-fated era of athletic director Steve Pederson and head coach Bill Callahan.

Two seasons without a bowl game in four years? That would be like Tiger Woods not making the cut.

Tom Osborne, who was Nebraska's head coach for 25 years, returned as the athletic director. The revered Osborne is playing the role of being a grandfather that the state can lean on during hard times.

This trip represented the opportunity to see old friends and co-workers as well as watch the Cornhuskers on Saturday. It was also a chance to come back and see my journalism professors as a way of saying I still remember their influence on me.

Admittedly, there are plenty of people much worldlier than me.

On the other hand, you'd be amazed by how many people have never ventured out of their backyard. I certainly wouldn't want to live anywhere other than the Napa Valley, which is where I've called home for 30 of the 36 years I've been alive.

All I'm saying is that if you love the Americana atmosphere of college football, you can't beat the Midwest and Southeast. It's somewhat similar to the idea of going to a baseball game at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium or an NFL game at Lambeau Field.

Their combination of passion for sports is virtually unparalleled. Heck, sometimes you have 65-year-old grandmothers dissecting football.

To the state of Nebraska, the Huskers are their NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL team rolled into one — they wouldn't want it any other way. Since the past four seasons have been hard, Husker fans have leaned on Osborne and Pelini to restore their status among the elite.

Heck, they've already got T-shirts for Pelini that read “Bo Knows Football� and “We Bo-lieve.� They wanted this guy as their head coach after Frank Solich's dismissal in 2003. Pelini was the interim head coach, only to get passed over for Callahan.

Walking through the halls of the stadium, you just sense that programs like Nebraska value their history, as the walls are adorned with past All-Americans.

That reason is one why I am a proponent for high schools to have their own Hall of Fame. If you are a young player seeing a picture of former Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier, how could you not be inspired?

The best part of the stadium tour with my friend and her husband came when we saw the stately-looking Osborne walking down the hall.

So, just for the heck of it, we asked if we could take a picture with him. Osborne, who is one of the most dignified people I have ever met, obliged.

We figured initially to have it taken individually before wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore asked for the camera and said, “Let's get all three of you in there.�

Gameday was a frenzy as fans from every corner of the state flock the stadium like herds of cattle. You have a storied program coming off a 5-7 season.

Fans, players and coaches were like caged-up tigers for the 6 p.m. kickoff ready to release the negative vibes of recent years.

Let's just say if you are a business in downtown Lincoln that sells liquid (especially the adult variety) on gameday, money will flow into your cashbox like a sieve.

“Sidetracks,� one of those downtown establishments, features a band that plays songs about current and former players.

Adriana Fiala, who is the radio color commentator for Husker football along with being a former player, took the microphone and sang “Margaritaville� courtesy of Jimmy Buffett.

The songs about Bo Pelini featured lyrics such as “My Bo-Friend's back and you're gonna be in trouble� and “I'm a Bo-Liever.� Of course, they also play their rendition of the fight song “There is No Place Like Nebraska.�

One reason for the instant love affair fans have with Pelini — he's a people person. Callahan was a tireless worker, good with Xs and Os and generally had some likable qualities as a person, but had too much of a reclusive personality for the fans.

The role of a football head coach at Nebraska is not limited to breaking down film and coaching players. It is about taking the state under your wing.

Pelini connects with fans on a level that he makes you feel part of the program. Pelini can fit in whether talking to an Omaha stockbroker or walking into a small town diner. Pelini has been very visible whether it be jogging in downtown Lincoln or mixing with the masses at his kids' sporting events.

Fans feel like Pelini is “one of them.�

To take a step further, Pelini allowed fans to participate in “The Unity Walk� as the Huskers arrived on the east side of Memorial Stadium. From there, the players and coaches walked along the north side of the stadium, entering the northwest corner.

With Pelini leading the way, fans lined the edge of the stadium, clapping and cheering until the last Husker player passed through.

Moments before kickoff, the players and coaches come onto the field for the “Tunnel Walk� as the decibel levels rise to fever pitch. My vocal chords have just now recovered from all of the screaming I did.

After the Huskers conclude the finishing touches of their season-opening win, both teams get a healthy round of applause from the fans. Yes, that includes the opponent.

Folks here have always clapped for the opponent leaving the field after the game. That gesture is very refreshing. You want to kick their tail during the game but when the game is over, the game is over.

That's what makes college football in Mid-America refreshing. There is nothing these folks would rather do. They enjoy the simple pleasures.

True, they might not have beaches or a bustling night life, but to them, simpler is better.

To take it a step further, a prime rib dinner at Misty's means more than elegant dining.

The elitists of the world would say, “Well, what else is there to do in those states anyhow?�

Sorry to break this to you, but they'd laugh you out of the room after hearing that because they feel no such deprivation.

They have golf courses and movie theaters, just like California.

I might be biased, but for a slice of college football Americana, I “Bo-Lieve� that “There is No Place Like Nebraska.�

Editor's Note: Thanks Vince. If you'd like to guest-write a story you can reach us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).