My family makes a drive to Lincoln once a year to attend a game. A couple years ago we left on a Thursday when the boys got out of school and drove to Kansas City for the night. On Friday morning, we slept in, ate breakfast, and hit the road to get to Lincoln. I had connected with a GA, Nick Smith (one of the few people Frost kept on staff from the Riley years). Nick and I had both graduated from Abilene Christian University in west Texas. Though we didn’t know each other in college, we connected over social media because of ACU and the Huskers.
Nick texted me around lunch time and told me that if we got to Lincoln in time, he had passes for our family to attend their closed Friday afternoon practice. I knew we’d be pushing it for time, so I immediately told the family there would be no bathroom stops. We had to get to Lincoln.
We parked at Embassy Suites, threw our stuff in our hotel room, and took off for Memorial Stadium. We got there just as the team was walking out to the field. Players stopped to shake our hands, welcome us to practice, ask the names of my kids, etc. Pierson-El went out of his way to play with my kids before warmups started.
We watched practice, and then we were invited down to the field while the team huddled up to listen to a guest speaker for the day. The team took knees. I still remember the respect given to the speaker that day. The players gave complete attention, eye contact, head nods, etc. I can’t remember who the speaker was. Someone who’s child had cancer, and he was thanking the team for their impact on so many people throughout the state of Nebraska.
After that, it was time to break the huddle. They looked over at my kids and asked if one of them would like to break the huddle. It was so awesome to see them hold up my oldest son (he was 9 at the time).
As practice ended, players came over to introduce themselves. Mick was one of the first ones who came over to us. He began telling us the story of when he was 5 years old and his dad took him on the field for the first time.
While talking to Mick, we began to look around and we couldn’t find our boys anywhere. Mick began looking around too.
Then, we spotted them running down the field with #22. Ozigbo had found my boys and he challenged them to a 100 yard race. My kids were 9 & 7. He let them win. Then, he sat down in the south end zone for 10-15 minutes with my kids. I later asked them what they talked about. They said Ozigbo was just asking them about life, where they were from, what they liked to do, etc. So, Ozigbo and my boys hung out while my wife and I met a few more people. Then, Ozigbo walked with my boys over to us. When they got to us, he looked at my sons and asked them to introduce him to me and my wife. It was pretty funny.
We hung out for a minute. Talked about the DFW area (I grew up in Mesquite; he grew up in Garland). Chatted about life a little bit.
It was one of the coolest experiences.
Seeing him succeed on the field this past year and now knowing he’s going to be a Sunday back made me reflect back on this experience.
He probably doesn’t remember this. And that’s ok. The 15-20 minutes he spent with my boys is something they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Nick texted me around lunch time and told me that if we got to Lincoln in time, he had passes for our family to attend their closed Friday afternoon practice. I knew we’d be pushing it for time, so I immediately told the family there would be no bathroom stops. We had to get to Lincoln.
We parked at Embassy Suites, threw our stuff in our hotel room, and took off for Memorial Stadium. We got there just as the team was walking out to the field. Players stopped to shake our hands, welcome us to practice, ask the names of my kids, etc. Pierson-El went out of his way to play with my kids before warmups started.
We watched practice, and then we were invited down to the field while the team huddled up to listen to a guest speaker for the day. The team took knees. I still remember the respect given to the speaker that day. The players gave complete attention, eye contact, head nods, etc. I can’t remember who the speaker was. Someone who’s child had cancer, and he was thanking the team for their impact on so many people throughout the state of Nebraska.
After that, it was time to break the huddle. They looked over at my kids and asked if one of them would like to break the huddle. It was so awesome to see them hold up my oldest son (he was 9 at the time).
As practice ended, players came over to introduce themselves. Mick was one of the first ones who came over to us. He began telling us the story of when he was 5 years old and his dad took him on the field for the first time.
While talking to Mick, we began to look around and we couldn’t find our boys anywhere. Mick began looking around too.
Then, we spotted them running down the field with #22. Ozigbo had found my boys and he challenged them to a 100 yard race. My kids were 9 & 7. He let them win. Then, he sat down in the south end zone for 10-15 minutes with my kids. I later asked them what they talked about. They said Ozigbo was just asking them about life, where they were from, what they liked to do, etc. So, Ozigbo and my boys hung out while my wife and I met a few more people. Then, Ozigbo walked with my boys over to us. When they got to us, he looked at my sons and asked them to introduce him to me and my wife. It was pretty funny.
We hung out for a minute. Talked about the DFW area (I grew up in Mesquite; he grew up in Garland). Chatted about life a little bit.
It was one of the coolest experiences.
Seeing him succeed on the field this past year and now knowing he’s going to be a Sunday back made me reflect back on this experience.
He probably doesn’t remember this. And that’s ok. The 15-20 minutes he spent with my boys is something they will remember for the rest of their lives.
