They’ll Go to Great Lengths for Big Red

As group names go, “Georgians for Nebraska” has a bit of a suspicious feel about it, sort of like “Democrats for Bush,” “Bostonians for the Yankees” or “Punks for Manilow.” But “Georgians for Nebraska” is an actual organization, comprised of avid Nebraska Cornhuskers fans who happen to live in Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets territory. A group of them will be traveling cross-country for Nebraska’s Sept. 16 football game against USC.

According to a GFN news release, the group purchased tickets for 18 consecutive seats at the Coliseum and made hotel reservations more than 13 months in advance to ensure rooms close to the stadium.

Tim Butler, GFN chapter president, estimates it will cost each traveling club member between $2,000 and $4,000 to attend the game, rent a car and spend at least two days in the Los Angeles area.

“We are incredibly dedicated to this,” said Butler, who grew up in Newport Beach, graduated from Long Beach State and took classes at Nebraska. “We would have to be, [spending] this much in attending a football game.”

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Trivia time: How many times has Nebraska played a school from Georgia in a bowl game?

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At least the food was fast: Brazil takes a good deal of pride in its jogo bonito (beautiful playing) style of soccer, which is why the country took its quarterfinal loss in the World Cup so hard.

Ronaldo, once the banner carrier for the concept, was so painfully out of shape during that tournament that when his club manager at Real Madrid, Fabio Capello, said last week that the striker needed another month to get fit after recent knee surgery, the news surprised no one.

At the World Cup in Germany, Brazil had 10 players playing jogo bonito and Ronaldo playing jogo burrito.

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Settled at last: Allen Iverson’s mother, Ann, is the majority owner of the Richmond Warriors, a new team in the American Basketball Assn.

An ABA franchise costs $20,000 but requires about $400,000 for operating costs, Richmond General Manager George Christopher told the Associated Press. ABA teams play a 36-game schedule.

The early scouting report says Mother Iverson is a strict disciplinarian, very demanding of her coaches and players, which finally gives us the answer to the Answer’s infamous question:

“Practice? Yes, we are going to talk about practice!”

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Palindrome of the next two weeks: As all Briefing readers know, a palindrome is a word, phrase, verse or sentence that reads the same backward and forward. The website PalindromeList.com features a troubling omen for the sentimental favorite in this year’s U.S. Open: “Damn! I, Agassi, miss again! Mad!”

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Trivia answer: Twice. The Cornhuskers defeated Georgia, 45-6, in the 1969 Sun Bowl. Nebraska lost to Georgia Tech, 45-21, in the 1991 Citrus Bowl.

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And finally: Dan Whitney, better known as comedian “Larry the Cable Guy,” is leasing a luxury box for Nebraska football games this season. Says Whitney: “If you’re from Nebraska and you’re not a Nebraska fan, then you’re a communist. All right?”