One for the Ages.

It wasn't fancy and it wasn't pretty, and it didn't carry the significance of some of the meetings in the past.  But, if you think it wasn't important to these two teams you probably did not watch the game.

From the first play it was obvious that, even though the players on the field had not taken part in the gladiatorial contests of the pasts they knew these were schools with a shared history.  An unpleasant, fierce, competitive background.  And, they were willing to carry that standard into the present, and make sure it lived to see tomorrow.

In the end Nebraska won this game.  Using a brutal ground assault, smashing and crushing, and pounding.  Huskers along the offensive must have majored in history, they were surging forward, opening holes, and invoking memories of past glories.  This was a ferocious game, against a determined, talented defense, and this group of huge, powerful, relentless young men won it with their play.

Downfield, Kenny Bell (who has repeatedly shown he is a weapon catching a pass) and the entire Nebraska receiving corps proved that not only can they average over 16 yards a catch, but they can keep their teammates moving forward by throwing blocks that would make a pulling guard smile with pride.

But, it was the play of the two headed, four legged football monster of Tommy Armstrong Jr. and Ameer Abdullah that roared the loudest.  Two flashes of brilliance whose total is more than the sum or even the product of the individual parts.  Tommy Armstrong is a gunslinger, cool, inscrutable, fearless, he is in control, and he is a treasure, in red.  Ameer Abdullah is Shiva, though, he is a five foot nine inch, 190 pound destroyer, the shatterer of worlds.

Watching Abdullah driving through opponents, outrunning, overpowering, brings back so many memories of Nebraska I backs, a dream sequence in a red jersey, a flashback to glorious days of indecent rushing totals, and scores.  If there is a club for great Nebraska running backs there is a special seat reserved for number 8.

No, in the end it wasn't pretty, but to a guy who remembers the past so fondly, it was beautiful.  Thank you, Tim Beck, thank you Tommy Armstrong, and Ameer Abdullah, thank you Nebraska Cornhuskers.

As Bob Dylan said, with such haunting beauty,

"Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood,

When blackness was a virtue, and the road was full of mud,

I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form,

'Come in' she said 'I'll give you shelter from the storm.'"

A Hero Saves the Day.

It was a terrifyingly close call yesterday.  The game could have gone either way, and it was not decided until the very end.  But, in the end a shiny knight, a determined, willful, young man, using speed, elusiveness, and power rescued a team, and it's fans.

The Cornhuskers played a very

determined opponent, a team hell bent on bringing home a victory as well as a big pay check.  They intended to be the loathsome, conquering invaders, sieging the Big Red Empire.  Cowboy hordes from Louisiana with evil intentions.  How difficult the situation looked with less than a minute left.

Most of the day our high powered offense was outrun, and over-powered, and McNeese State looked like a team that had every right to be playing at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, in the fall.  They were fast, ruthless, angry, and impressive.

With time running out, and things looking desperate, we needed something, some spark, somebody had to do something.  Third and six, at our own 41, and people all over were hoping for a first down, and another play that would bring us to within field goal range, at least people around here.

A quick, short pass to Ameer Abdullah, who stepped backward to avoid one tackle, headed upfield slowing long enough to deliver a hammering blow to three defenders, who fell to the ground as he ran past, and people in the stands held their breath.  After picking up a couple blocks, including a crucial down field hit from Jordan Westerkamp, who proved he can make magic without catching the ball, he shifted into a higher gear, sprinted into the endzone and won the game, and people in the stands let out a shout of glorious gratitude, and relief.

Earlier in the week the Cornhuskers had tweeted some of Abdullah's stats, and they were impressive.  But, the thing that stayed with me, was the hashtag, #FearAmeer, mostly because it was so catchy.  Today, it seems we should add a few well deserved hashtags.  I would like to nominate #ThankAmeer, and, possibly #AdoreAmeer, though, in fairness, I did not have to try to tackle him when he was determined to save the day.

Once more to quote Bob Dylan,

"Thunder on the mountain, fires on the moon,
There's a ruckus in the alley and the sun will be here soon,
Today's the day, gonna grab my trombone and blow,
Well, there's hot stuff here and it's everywhere I go.

Thank you, Bob, and thank you Ameer.