gopheraddict
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For anyone planning to attend the Gopher game in Lincoln next season, you might find interesting the following excerpts from an email our son, a Northwestern graduate, sent us describing his visit to Lincoln last weekend:
“The fans in Lincoln really lived up to their reputation as being the best in college football. They were exceedingly hospitable...you couldn't walk 10 feet without being greeted with "Welcome to Lincoln" or "Good luck today" or "Where are you guys in from?" and being offered food or drinks. Even after the game, when they could have been angry and bitter, they wished us well and congratulated us on the win. Perhaps it's because we were thought to be harmless, or are a relatively unknown school, but they were seriously too nice. Even a few students on Friday night bought us drinks. Ironically, many of the folks we chatted with had gone to Madison, and most of them had bad things to say about the Wisconsin fans (though good things to say about Madison as a college town).”
He also included the following post from his favorite Northwestern blog:
“At some point a special shout out has to be given to Nebraska fans. And, I beg you to use your platform next year to implore NU fans to be gracious hosts.
“I have never seen anything like this – not even close. And, their behavior never changed – before or after the game. Walking out of the game countless Nebraska fans slapped me on the back and said some version of: “I hope you enjoy Lincoln, congrats – we just got beat by a good football team” (one guy even did it twice – not realizing he’d already told me the same thing). In two days I didn’t experience a single heckle and not one person claimed Nebraska lost for any other reason than they got outplayed. No blaming the refs – nothing.
“On top of that – prior to the game was just incredible. You could not walk 10 feet without someone approaching you and offering you food or beer. [A Minnesota friend] even agreed this puts “Minnesota Nice” to shame.
“A few highlights worth noting:
• The first bar we went to at 10am on Saturday, after some good natured razzing from the DJs we were sent a pitcher of beer from a table of Nebraska fans. Then they kept paying for our drinks! Even after we kept trying to buy them a round. It was like some crazy alcoholic arms race.
• On Friday night two different groups of college students at two separate bars came up and bought us shots and told us good luck. It was embarrassing – we’re in our 30s and they wouldn’t let us pay. [One of us] was begging them to let us pick up the tab – they would have none of it.
• At one point I tried to use a restroom that I later learned required a pass. Before realizing it, a Nebraska fan had hung his pass around my neck so I could enter. Upon exiting, another Nebraska fan handed me a fresh beer. It was insane.
• At the tailgate AFTER the game we were invited to people’s private parties and approached countless times by fans telling us how impressed they were with the Cats and how much they were looking forward to visiting Chicago.
• I ended the night at the hotel bar alone (waiting for a couple of friends). And immediately was surrounded by new friends – to the point that it took me about 15 minutes to extricate myself when my buddies showed up. At that point I finally got to buy a round for the Nebraska fans – only to learn later that the bar had refused to put it on my bill.
• I was in row 5 on my flight back. By the time I got there I had heard “great game” or “congrats” at least three times.
“When you see a Husker fan next year PLEASE OFFER HIM A BEER!”
“The fans in Lincoln really lived up to their reputation as being the best in college football. They were exceedingly hospitable...you couldn't walk 10 feet without being greeted with "Welcome to Lincoln" or "Good luck today" or "Where are you guys in from?" and being offered food or drinks. Even after the game, when they could have been angry and bitter, they wished us well and congratulated us on the win. Perhaps it's because we were thought to be harmless, or are a relatively unknown school, but they were seriously too nice. Even a few students on Friday night bought us drinks. Ironically, many of the folks we chatted with had gone to Madison, and most of them had bad things to say about the Wisconsin fans (though good things to say about Madison as a college town).”
He also included the following post from his favorite Northwestern blog:
“At some point a special shout out has to be given to Nebraska fans. And, I beg you to use your platform next year to implore NU fans to be gracious hosts.
“I have never seen anything like this – not even close. And, their behavior never changed – before or after the game. Walking out of the game countless Nebraska fans slapped me on the back and said some version of: “I hope you enjoy Lincoln, congrats – we just got beat by a good football team” (one guy even did it twice – not realizing he’d already told me the same thing). In two days I didn’t experience a single heckle and not one person claimed Nebraska lost for any other reason than they got outplayed. No blaming the refs – nothing.
“On top of that – prior to the game was just incredible. You could not walk 10 feet without someone approaching you and offering you food or beer. [A Minnesota friend] even agreed this puts “Minnesota Nice” to shame.
“A few highlights worth noting:
• The first bar we went to at 10am on Saturday, after some good natured razzing from the DJs we were sent a pitcher of beer from a table of Nebraska fans. Then they kept paying for our drinks! Even after we kept trying to buy them a round. It was like some crazy alcoholic arms race.
• On Friday night two different groups of college students at two separate bars came up and bought us shots and told us good luck. It was embarrassing – we’re in our 30s and they wouldn’t let us pay. [One of us] was begging them to let us pick up the tab – they would have none of it.
• At one point I tried to use a restroom that I later learned required a pass. Before realizing it, a Nebraska fan had hung his pass around my neck so I could enter. Upon exiting, another Nebraska fan handed me a fresh beer. It was insane.
• At the tailgate AFTER the game we were invited to people’s private parties and approached countless times by fans telling us how impressed they were with the Cats and how much they were looking forward to visiting Chicago.
• I ended the night at the hotel bar alone (waiting for a couple of friends). And immediately was surrounded by new friends – to the point that it took me about 15 minutes to extricate myself when my buddies showed up. At that point I finally got to buy a round for the Nebraska fans – only to learn later that the bar had refused to put it on my bill.
• I was in row 5 on my flight back. By the time I got there I had heard “great game” or “congrats” at least three times.
“When you see a Husker fan next year PLEASE OFFER HIM A BEER!”
That was my easy excuse to get down there some day!
