Ok, so now that we’ve let Mr. Dixon have his say, it’s time to set the record straight: Husker fans will, and SHOULD, throw the ‘Horns Down’ now and forever.
And it doesn’t matter if Texas cares, or if OU or Texas A&M are the ‘traditional’ rivals of the Longhorns, all that matters is what it means for Nebraska fans.
All that matters are recent developments like the one second that stands between Bo and a conference title, and the formation of the Longhorn Network and Nebraska’s subsequent move to the Big Ten. It’s no secret the balance of power in the Big 12 bounced back and forth between Memorial Stadium in Lincoln and the ‘heart of Texas’ in Austin.
Beyond that, Texas vs. Nebraska is a representation of the ‘big boys’ of college sports. While Nebraska falls short of the Longhorns in overall revenue, when you look at what the Huskers are doing in terms of facilities, expanding the ENTIRE athletic department and focusing on reshaping the landscape of the major women’s sports, you start to see the parallels.
Yes, Texas has it’s own network and a media environment unlike anywhere else in the NCAA, but what UT represents in terms of flare and exposure, the Huskers counter with top-tier practice facilities for basketball, softball, baseball and now tennis and soccer as Nebraska looks to develop its institutional brand.
And that, my friends, is why this rivalry exists, no matter what the Longhorns think. In fact, who could be a better rival for humble, hard-working Nebraskans than an “Evil Empire” that doesn’t even acknowledge the Cornhuskers as a threat?
If you’re asking yourself why you must throw the “Horns Down”, or if you’re trying to figure out why it is that Texas’ fans stayed around to cheer for San Diego last night, that fact is why. Because Nebraska represents what Texas isn’t, and because the Huskers are catching up in being an athletic powerhouse, instead of just a settling for being a ‘football school’.
Nebraska’s development as a women’s sports hub threatens the stranglehold schools like Texas, Ohio State and other universities with enrollment totals that dwarf the 25k in LNK, and they’re taking notice.
So as you take in tonight’s volleyball match, and check out the palace that is Devaney, remember, throw the “Horns Down” whenever you’d like, and celebrate the fact that Nebraska, yes the Cornhuskers, is a program on the rise. Not just in volleyball, or basketball but in embodying that the future of college sports isn’t measured in pure revenue or television reach, but it’s about passion, a fan base that believes in it’s university and an investment in ALL of its student athletes.
Oh yeah, and free ‘Bevo’ steaks at Misty’s if the Huskers win*.
P.S. If you’re one of the types that thinks any sort of negative cheering is bad, I’m sorry, but there’s got to be some sort of gamesmanship in college sports. For the same reason that Texas has 12 cheerleaders and a mascot on the trip, or that the band and the team ‘Throw the Horns’ at any available opportunity, I believe it’s good natured fun to turn the Longhorns hand sign against them. If we don’t, we may soon degenerate into a society of ‘participation trophy’ competitors, and no one wants that.
* This is a made up fact, Lincoln residents will not actually have the chance to consume Texas’ mascot, in case you really thought that was a thing.
