Behind Enemy Lines: One Husker Fan's View of the Texas Longhorns

Numerous articles have been written recently about Nebraska's role in the upcoming Big XII Championship, ranging from cautious optimism to outright mockery.

My, how times have changed.

As a Husker fan that has lived in the Lone Star State for the past 15 years, I've had an insider's view to the metamorphoses of both programs. 

When I first arrived here, Nebraska football was at the apex of its excellence. Longhorn football was hardly on anyone's radar screen outside of Texas and Oklahoma.

Not that it mattered much to Texans.

Like the Cornhuskers, the Dallas Cowboys were also enjoying a dominating run, so much of the populace didn't care what was going on in Austin.

Sure, there was always Texas-Texas A&M and the Red River Rivalry, but neither carried the same national importance that they do today. If you remember correctly, this was around the time of the John Blake and John Mackovic years at OU and Texas, which were good for recruiting, not for competition.

The alumni of Texas' many universities supported their respective schools, but casual football fans didn't follow the 'Horns.

They do now.

You can't swing a dead cat without hitting three or four people wearing burnt orange T-shirts.

You see, Texans love a winner.

Now you might argue, "So what? Everyone likes a winner."

And I would agree, to an extent. However, what I've witnessed during my time in Texas has been a sorry display by most Texans regarding their loyalties to their teams.

As many of you know, since the Cowboys' dynasty ended, they haven't won a playoff game since 1996. In the absence of that success, Dallas fans have tried to fill their sports void with any successful sports organization, even if they're geographically distant or if the team plays a sport that the public doesn't quite understand.

See the popularity of the Rangers during the late nineties when they were winning AL West Division titles. You could study for your SAT's in that ballpark now.

See the popularity of the Stars when they won the Stanley Cup, despite the fact that most people in Dallas thought that "icing" was something you spread on a cake.

See the popularity of the Mavericks when they went to the NBA Finals. Since the Mavs' epic choke job and subsequent slide to the lower half of the Western Conference playoff picture, things have returned to normal. Many of those who jumped onto the Mavs' bandwagon have rushed back to the embrace of their initial NBA love, the San Antonio Spurs.

Why? Because they've won championships.

Which brings us back to Texas Longhorns football. When Vince Young led Texas to a dramatic comeback over USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl, all of Texas rejoiced, even A&M fans and alumni, including Governor Rick Perry.

The reaction spawned an article by the Dallas Observer wanting to know why so many Dallasites and "non-Longhorns" were celebrating a victory that truly belonged to the Longhorns and the city of Austin (with the exception of UT alums living in the Metroplex). The article angered many North Texans, who believe that it doesn't matter who wins, as long as that team is from Texas.

This is just one example of the effect that the Longhorns' recent success has had on the average Texan. "Fans" who don't know who coached the 'Horns prior to Mack Brown and only have a dim idea of Darrell Royal's place in Texas' football history, will proudly wear their Longhorns apparel and flash the "Hook 'em" sign to everyone that crosses their path.

The same phenomenon has occurred with TCU, though to a much lesser extent. After all my years in Texas, I had never noticed anyone wearing a TCU hat. In the last couple of weeks, I've seen two and they looked new.

Meanwhile, the public perception of the Huskers in Texas has suffered right along with their image in the national media.

Once a respected, perhaps even feared, program that Texans wished their own teams could aspire to be, the Huskers have become a joke.

In 1996, when an unranked Texas team beat Nebraska in the inaugural Big XII Championship, thus ending the Huskers' bid for three consecutive National Championships, it was significant. Texas slew the the mighty Goliath. It was celebrated not only because Texas won, but also because they beat Nebraska.

Nebraska. The name meant something. It was synonymous with excellence in college football.

In 2000, the year after the Huskers avenged their loss to the Longhorns with a 22-6 victory in the Big XII title game in San Antonio, the Dallas Morning News ran a cover story on the No. 1 ranked Cornhuskers, complete with a massive red "N" in the shape of a fortress, being unsuccessfully besieged by the rest of the nation. Nebraska was the DMN 's pick for the top spot as well.

Even in 2003, after Frank Solich's termination, Nebraska football merited a cover story on the front page of the News' SportsDay section, along with another giant "N" and the question, "WHAT'S NEXT FOR NEBRASKA FOOTBALL?"

I know because both papers are yellowing in a dusty box of Husker memorabilia upstairs even as I write this.

Today, what's the perception of Husker football?

Yesterday, I was scouring for tickets to the championship game at the "Death Star" this weekend and a page I found carried the heading, "Texas Longhorns vs. Big XII North Whipping Boy," complete with a puny Husker logo beneath the script.

I don't believe that it's a surprise to anyone that Nebraska is not relevant anymore in the national discussion of college football. However, it might surprise some Husker fans to see just how far we've fallen in the eyes of others. From national powerhouse to punching bag in one short decade, just add Callahan.

On second thought, it's probably no surprise, but it makes a good contrast.

To clarify, I didn't write this because I hate Texas. I actually respect their program. Mack Brown is a heck of a recruiter and you can't dismiss their recent record of success.

It's the majority of their "fans" that make me want to vomit. The same "fans" who mock me because, as they say, "Hell, all you Corn-shuckers have up there is football." The same ones who don't understand why we applaud the opposing team, even when the Big Red comes up short on the scoreboard.

My answer? We like it that way. Our allegiance to the Huskers is not predicated on their win-loss record. It's called loyalty.

Besides, like most things in life, dominance in sports is cyclical. The once mighty can be humbled in a single season or two. Besides Nebraska, it's happened to Michigan. It's happened to Notre Dame. Oklahoma. Miami. Florida State. Take your pick. This year, the media darlings of USC have been taken down several pegs.

Eventually, it will happen to Texas.

Will it happen this weekend? Conventional wisdom says no.

But when it does, I'll have sideline seats at the 50-yard line to watch the fun.

For the Longhorn fans' sake, hopefully the TCU bandwagon will still have plenty of seats.

If not, there's always SMU. You know, they broke their 25-year bowl drought this season.