Friday, October 16, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
WOW!
My Antonia by Willa CatherMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
A magnificent book if I don't say so myself. I just read this again in order to prepare to speak at a Willa Cather event in Lincoln. As a grandson of Anna Pavelka, the heroine of the novel, it is beyond meaningful.
View all my reviews >>
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Husker Dan Doesn't Understand
Dan McGlynn, aka "Husker Dan" from his HuskerPedia column, indicates he doesn't understand my most memorable play selection during the Husker home sellout streak of 300 games. Here is what he writes:
KP'S MOST MEMORABLE
During the PPV broadcast of the game, sideline reporter, Kent Pavelka, revealed his Top 10 Most Memorable Plays of "The Streak". I agreed with most of them, but putting Gayle Sayers' 99 yard touchdown run of 1963 at the top of his list, left me scratching my head. It's almost sacrilegious (!) to pick an opponent's play as your top choice. Surely, there are many Husker plays more deserving.
And for the record, during Sayers' three years at Kansas, the Jayhawks never beat the Huskers. Oh, and stop calling me Shirley.
I sent the following reply:
Dan,
I read that you don’t understand why I picked the Sayers play as my most memorable during the 300 game sellout streak at Memorial Stadium. First of all, it’s certainly not what I would rank as the best, most exciting, or most important play. It is absolutely not my favorite play. It is my most memorable play. Those are important distinctions.
I was 13 years old and standing ten yards away when I watched Sayers peel off that run back in 1963, Dan. That play and that game, in a way, gave birth to my life-long love affair with Husker football. I had seen plenty of Nebraska games before that day. But that play is one of the first specific and most dramatic memories I have. It’s the most indelible and enduring in terms of years gone by. I guess I really don’t know exactly why. It just is.
In many ways, the seminal events of our lives choose us. We don’t choose them. That my most memorable play in the 300 straight sellouts centers on an NU opponent doesn’t bother me. I wish it didn’t bother you, my friend.
I hope this clears up Husker Dan's concern about my judgement and/or loyalty. These things are quite personal for all of us; including some of Dan's most memorable moments during the streak. Read about some of his at www.huskerpedia.com/huskerdan.
By the way, kudos to Dan for his efforts in supporting U.S. soliders via his organization, Husker Dan's Army.
KP'S MOST MEMORABLE
During the PPV broadcast of the game, sideline reporter, Kent Pavelka, revealed his Top 10 Most Memorable Plays of "The Streak". I agreed with most of them, but putting Gayle Sayers' 99 yard touchdown run of 1963 at the top of his list, left me scratching my head. It's almost sacrilegious (!) to pick an opponent's play as your top choice. Surely, there are many Husker plays more deserving.
And for the record, during Sayers' three years at Kansas, the Jayhawks never beat the Huskers. Oh, and stop calling me Shirley.
I sent the following reply:
Dan,
I read that you don’t understand why I picked the Sayers play as my most memorable during the 300 game sellout streak at Memorial Stadium. First of all, it’s certainly not what I would rank as the best, most exciting, or most important play. It is absolutely not my favorite play. It is my most memorable play. Those are important distinctions.
I was 13 years old and standing ten yards away when I watched Sayers peel off that run back in 1963, Dan. That play and that game, in a way, gave birth to my life-long love affair with Husker football. I had seen plenty of Nebraska games before that day. But that play is one of the first specific and most dramatic memories I have. It’s the most indelible and enduring in terms of years gone by. I guess I really don’t know exactly why. It just is.
In many ways, the seminal events of our lives choose us. We don’t choose them. That my most memorable play in the 300 straight sellouts centers on an NU opponent doesn’t bother me. I wish it didn’t bother you, my friend.
I hope this clears up Husker Dan's concern about my judgement and/or loyalty. These things are quite personal for all of us; including some of Dan's most memorable moments during the streak. Read about some of his at www.huskerpedia.com/huskerdan.
By the way, kudos to Dan for his efforts in supporting U.S. soliders via his organization, Husker Dan's Army.
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