From Alma Mater Vol. 1: The Midwest. Available Now!

*Nebraska Cornhuskers*

There is no place like Dear Old Nebraska U.
Earning awards in research and humanities,
We carry
Big Ideas
Big Potential
Big Impact…
And with 26 national championships from five different sports…
Yeah,
We’re kind of a big deal.

Go Big Red.

***

There is no place like Dear Old Nebraska U,
Where hours before kickoff, we greet the team at the bus;
To rally for our players and part the Sea is a must—
The Huskers are coming through.
This pep is to prep the Huskers for battle,
Every Game Day we meet our team at the ‘shoe;
Cheerleaders, The Band, and all Supporters:
Clap!
The Huskers are coming through.
All the way from Vine Street to the Memorial Tunnel,
Where there are visions of our illustrious tracts,
In track, bowling, and gymnastics—our many championships are tacked;
And in women’s volleyball—where after scores,
We Huddle.
There are visions of greatness in the Cornhusker chambers,
Bolted in the annuls of the Nebraska Coliseum,
Forever the Mecca of the Volleyball Mausoleum,
In our sold-out crowds we were a family of strangers.
Though we moved—we still stand as the best fans in women’s sports
With support these Lady Huskers richly deserve,
They fight to the last point with every dive and serve,
An example for competitors in all other sports.
Nebraska is the best example of dedicated fanhood,
In Volleyball and right here in Memorial Stadium,
Selling out every game—we are the Medium
Between this tunnel and mystic glory understood.

“Through these gates pass the greatest fans in college football.”

The electric static is felt on the Big Red Carpet,
The anticipation in the atmosphere is wild and reaching,
Players reach and tap the horseshoe beneath the screeching—
In a tangible energy only Nebraskans can transmit.
The team takes the field with the Pride of All Nebraska,
And march to the tune of these deafening screams,
Hail Varsity! The theme everyone sings,
When the end zone rings, “Touchdown Nebraska!”
Red Balloons fill the sky as the fans celebrate
Another score along with Herbie and Lil’ Red,
Any constituent can see from this faithful Sea of Red:

That this is a Red State.

We are the Only & Original Sea of Red,
Before monochromatic audiences became a trend,
Like the Blackshirts we record-break, but don’t bend,
Behold and Revere the Power of Red.
The Huskers aren’t just football; it’s a Family Tradition:
The Pelinis, The Steinkuhlers, The Ruuds—to name a few,
We don’t tip hats to legends—we all raise a shoe,
And when a Nebraskan clan welcomes a new addition…

His or Her first words will be,
“Go Red!”

“He’s alllll the way home! Holy Moly!!! Man, woman and child—did that put them in the aisles! Johnny ‘the Jet’ Rodgers just tore ’em loose from their shoes!”

“Holy Cow! Touchdown Tommie Frazier!!!”

Tradition and honor is in our bloodline beside our lineage,
Five national titles and the best team in college history:
The Huskers of ’95—the juggernaut that made history,
Opposing teams were history before they took the line of scrimmage.
We went to war like the troops of Vietnam,
The Devaney Defense and the Osborne Army,
The Blackshirt Attack that was vicious and swarming,
For the teams of the ’90s, and the memories:
Thanks, Tom.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice.”

Wearing red in Nebraska is not a choice,
It’s Our Voice.
Day by day, like the Huskers,
We Get Better.
And our unparalleled support:

Is Our Thank-You Letter.

For inspiring us to excel in the classroom,
And in the grazing fields of beyond,
You helped instill an ethic of integrity…
And hard work that helps us abscond.
Tom taught us that
“Increases over time, outpace reductions”
So we’ll double-time to keep ahead of this junction.

And when 7-year-old Jack Hoffman ran 69 yards to touchdown fame,
Making a spring contest the most meaningful seconds of the year,
The proof of our creed could be found in his parents’ tears:

Nebraska Football is More Than a Game.

Follow ClydeAidoo.com for more poems from the Art of Mind and Alma Mater series shared daily. You can purchase Clyde Aidoo’s latest release, Alma Mater Vol. 3: The West, a poetic celebration of the top universities of the West by clicking the link below.