Nebraska in the Rose Bowl? Well, Fate Smiles on Nice People

Is all this Husker-bashing making it difficult for you to concentrate on your job? If so, I know how you feel. You’d think Lincoln had been uncovered as a Taliban stronghold instead of being home to some of the nicest folks you’d ever want to meet (including my cousin, the doctor).

Sniffing an outrage, the sporting world is aghast that the Nebraska Cornhuskers have qualified to play for the national championship in Pasadena on Jan. 3. The naysayers make it sound as if the Huskers blackmailed their way into the game.

That’s not at all how it happened, although that would have been simpler than the way they did get in--through the Bowl Championship Series computerized formula.

So, it’s Nebraska-Miami, and to all those knocking the Huskers: Hey, shut up, already!

Some readers know I have a stake in this. My parents spent thousands of dollars they didn’t have to house and educate me at the University of Nebraska in the last century. As I’ve added dimension to my life in the 30 years since, I’ve come to realize that nothing is more important than Nebraska football.

I don’t mind telling you, the old sunken chest still puffs out when the Big Red runs out on the field in the hopes of grinding the opposition into dust-sized particles.

You’d think America would relish that, too, but Nebraska’s entry into the national title game has prompted much negativity. That stems from the unfortunate outing our student athletes had Nov. 23, where we came up short against the University of Colorado. The score? Well, that’s not important, but it was 62-36. No, they weren’t playing basketball.

That took some sheen off the Husker helmets, but fate smiles on nice people, and now thousands of Nebraskans are planning midwinter vacations to Southern California.

Needing a good, honest perspective on things, I made lunch plans with Dave McGowan of San Juan Capistrano, a 60-year-old retired Navy Reserve captain and, by the way, president of the 1,700-member Californians for Nebraska alumni chapter (more than 350 members in Orange County). He greeted me in a dark pin-striped suit, the only hint of his Husker connections being a dark tie with “Huskers” printed every which way on it.

McGowan gave me a Husker lapel patch, a Huskers window sticker, a program from this year’s Nebraska-Texas Tech game and such useful information as the names of three Orange County sports bars that are official Husker “watchsites” and the alumni group’s Web site, https://www.cal4ne .com.

McGowan is philosophical about the Husker-bashing. “You can’t be too serious about this,” he says. “You’ve got to roll with the punches. Most of our members are mature enough to accept criticism. If we’re honest, we have to admit we did back into this thing [the championship game].”

Over French dip sandwiches and fries, we lamented outsiders’ inability to grasp the nuances of the Husker nation. “I went to my first football game with my parents when I was 5 years old,” he says. “As a child, you grow up with this. It’s something that’s just part of you, the enthusiasm, the love. It’s something that binds the entire state.

“We don’t have a Lakers, a Clippers, a Dodgers, an Angels, a pro hockey team. We don’t have all these things in Nebraska, so you find yourself getting enthusiastic about Nebraska football as you’re growing up.”

Privately, he hopes the Husker-bashing continues. It’ll only give the team added incentive, he says.

We nod and share knowing glances.

Aren’t we really laughing at the people who laugh at us, I ask, hoping he’ll agree with me.

“Nebraska fans are very good fans,” he says. “They’re sophisticated. They know when they deserve to win and when they don’t. They knew Colorado deserved to win, and they accepted it. They’re kind of like Yankee fans. Yankee fans are sophisticated baseball fans, and Nebraska fans are sophisticated football fans.”

He then talked a bit about Nebraskans’ maturity and levelheadedness and how they’re not given to bluster. I thought about some people I’ve known back there and realized there are exceptions to every rule.

Still, the man makes a lot of sense.

“You were asking about watchsites. Here they are, by state,” he says, handing me a business-size card folded many times. “It also includes the radio stations, Web sites, plus schedules for this year and next year. So, this is a nice little wallet-sized reference for you.”

Indeed.

We go our respective ways, bound by our levelheadedness and unshakable belief in the Big Red.

Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by writing to him at The Times’ Orange County edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com.