The SEC THINKS it has great atmosphere...

[Sportstalkmatt]

Lincoln is great. There is no debating that it's a Top 20 atmosphere.

However, working in the ACC, SEC, and Big 12....it's right around South Carolina for Gameday atmospheres. City partying...bars...number of people.

The SEC destroys Lincoln in most cases...and just because a dude from Louisiana fell in love with nice people - doesn't mean he's seeing straight. Frankly, football games in Lincoln are milktoast...do you really want someone to feel warm and cuddly as they come to town to face your team? No. And remember - Husker fans are like any other - they gave death threats to their former DC.

[cyeah]

First of all, how NE treats a small nobody school (my wife attended USL which is what they used to called and I attended LSU) that NE is buying a win from and how they treat people from other teams can be quite different.

Also, I am sure some of the niceness was due to Louisiana being in their name and folks in NE adopting LSU during the college world series.

Also, I am pretty sure ULL does not spend 12 months a year getting under NE people's skin the way they do LSU's and other SEC schools. I mean it, ULL has some award winning delusional fans who everytime they play LSU or see LSU gear on someone they have to try to prove ULL is a beeter school, better at sports, etc.

So yeah, they travel to Lincoln as a non-threat, take their beat down and paycheck politley and get treated well. I think a large part of why they were treated well is how they were viewed.

[dualthreat]

He said there is not much for tailgating because everyone is at the game..

jack trice isn't full until kickoff - sorry to say it

[volclone]

Certainly 300+ sellouts in a row don't lie....but the blogger needs to put down the crack pipe. I grew up a Big 8/Big XII fan, graduated from a Big 8 school, been to all the big conference venues (Lincoln, Norman, Austin, etc.). They do not even touch a big SEC venue for a big game. I'm still a Big XII guy, but its not even close.

As for the Bugeater fans being so nice and polite and all, he needs to meet some of the jerks that show up at The Jack every other year.

[cyclonenum1]

I've been to Lincoln, most of the Big 12 and most of the SEC.

Lincoln has a nice atmosphere but it does not hold a candle to LSU, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, or Auburn. Either inside or outside of the stadium.

This guy is just trying to take a dig at the SEC because he is stuck at a puny Sun Belt Conference school that can only draw about 16,000 for a home game against K-State.

[Tornado man]

I've been there for game day. I didn't get any "welcome to lincoln" .... "good luck today...". BS. I got heckled. I "tailgated" at BAR. There was nothing about the atmosphere that seemed any different than any other place I've seen a game.

Same with me. When I dared to stand up and cheer for Cyclone touchdown a few years ago, I got jeered and told to sit down. Then after the next three Husker scores, there were fans heckling me with grins and pointed fingers.
I'm a big boy, and Lincoln is no worse than other away venues, but the fans are nothing special either.
I'd be interested to know what the visiting fans of teams that actually threaten the Huskers say...

[swammi]

I've been to Lincoln, most of the Big 12 and most of the SEC.

Lincoln has a nice atmosphere but it does not hold a candle to LSU, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, or Auburn. Either inside or outside of the stadium.

This guy is just trying to take a dig at the SEC because he is stuck at a puny Sun Belt Conference school that can only draw about 16,000 for a home game against K-State.

Ditto.

When they release that eagle at Jordan-Hare the hair stands up on the back of your neck and your eyes tear up - huge lump in your throat.

[CarolinaCy]

I've been to Lincoln, most of the Big 12 and most of the SEC.

Lincoln has a nice atmosphere but it does not hold a candle to LSU, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, or Auburn. Either inside or outside of the stadium.

This guy is just trying to take a dig at the SEC because he is stuck at a puny Sun Belt Conference school that can only draw about 16,000 for a home game against K-State.

LSU has a live Bengal Tiger in their stadium during games. Check and mate.

A few fun facts about "Mike the Tiger":

On home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels is parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium. Opposing players must pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room.

With his cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders, Mike rides through Tiger Stadium before the start of home games.

According to tradition, LSU will score a touchdown for every one of Mike's roars on game day.

Many students seek to take a picture with Mike on graduation day wearing cap and gown.

After a new search for a mascot is announced, the public eagerly anticipates for white smoke to blow from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, announcing that the new tiger has been located, mimicking the white smoke which billows from the Sistine Chapel when a new Pope is elected. [19]

[WalkingCY]

I've been there for game day. I didn't get any "welcome to lincoln" .... "good luck today...". BS. I got heckled. I "tailgated" at BAR. There was nothing about the atmosphere that seemed any different than any other place I've seen a game.

I'll take the ISU tailgating, gameday experience ANY day over Lincoln's.

Any team would be happy to have the number of fans Nebraska gets to games and the history they have but that is where it ends for me.

Agree here. All of it. I have been treated like crap when I have gone to games there. Nice tailgate at the BAR too. Lame.

[CloneIce]

Nebraska's tailgaiting atmosphere sucks though. Any football stadium where a grown man has to hide his beer by pouring it in a cup should be ashamed of itself.

[Haverhill]

By the time Nebraska came out, about 45 minutes before kickoff, the stadium was about 65% full. There was no "hey, let's stay outside and pound a few more beers."

[cyeah]

LSU has a live Bengal Tiger in their stadium during games. Check and mate.

A few fun facts about "Mike the Tiger":

On home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels is parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium. Opposing players must pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room.

With his cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders, Mike rides through Tiger Stadium before the start of home games.

According to tradition, LSU will score a touchdown for every one of Mike's roars on game day.

Many students seek to take a picture with Mike on graduation day wearing cap and gown.

After a new search for a mascot is announced, the public eagerly anticipates for white smoke to blow from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, announcing that the new tiger has been located, mimicking the white smoke which billows from the Sistine Chapel when a new Pope is elected. [19]

Right now we have Mike VI he is a young tiger and has not learned to trailer very well he is not making many games. He lives in a $10 million plus enclosure (yeah Cy should be jealous).

As great as Mike is, the more intimidating home field advantage is the pungent smell of bourbon in the air and the crowd opposing teams have to pass through to get to the stadium.

[cstrunk]

Nebraska has a great atmosphere inside the stadium. Outside the stadium is pretty good too, but tailgating isn't that great. And don't tell me people don't tailgate just because they go to the stadium early... there would still be time to tailgate several hours beforehand.

They are good at filling their stadium. After all, they are the only major college team in the state. The fans can be obnoxious at times (but where isn't this true?), but for the most part are very nice. The fans will stay in the stadium as long as NU is winning.

I was at the K-State vs. NU game in Lincoln in 2003 and in the 4th quarter when K-State was up 30-something to 7 (the final was 38-9), at least half of the stadium was empty. The fans were still pretty nice, wishing other K-State fans good luck in the Big 12 Championship vs. Oklahoma (They thought K-State would really need it because they knew even mighty NU couldn't challenge OU. OU was undefeated, K-State ended up winning 35-7.).

The fans cheer off the opposing teams because 90% of the time they beat them. It's easy to be nice then.

But they also have their fair share of bad apples, just like everyone else.

[cyclonenum1]

LSU has a live Bengal Tiger in their stadium during games. Check and mate.

A few fun facts about "Mike the Tiger":

On home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels is parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium. Opposing players must pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room.

With his cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders, Mike rides through Tiger Stadium before the start of home games.

According to tradition, LSU will score a touchdown for every one of Mike's roars on game day.

Many students seek to take a picture with Mike on graduation day wearing cap and gown.

After a new search for a mascot is announced, the public eagerly anticipates for white smoke to blow from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, announcing that the new tiger has been located, mimicking the white smoke which billows from the Sistine Chapel when a new Pope is elected. [19]

Interesting that you post this.

Mike V passed away a couple of years ago and the new tiger (Mike VI) has been into Tiger Stadium very few times for games. He apparently will not get into his trailer cage because the crowd (which goes nuts when he is rolled into the stadium) has scared him. This is much to the chagrin of many fans...some of whom believe he should be forced into the cage if he cannot be coaxed into it.

Think about that people...the crowd at an LSU game has scared a 300+ pound live tiger. How do you think the opposing team feels?

[cyclonenum1]

Right now we have Mike VI he is a young tiger and has not learned to trailer very well he is not making many games. He lives in a $10 million plus enclosure (yeah Cy should be jealous).

As great as Mike is, the more intimidating home field advantage is the pungent smell of bourbon in the air and the crowd opposing teams have to pass through to get to the stadium.

Mike's habitat is first class...15,000+ square feet, paid with by private donations, and between the PMAC (BB facility) and Tiger Stadium.

A few years ago, Tommy Tuberville lit up a victory cigar at the 50 yard line of Tiger Stadium after his Auburn team had beaten LSU. He smoked the cigar and then put it out by grinding it into the "Eye of the Tiger" painted at the midfield stripe.

On AU's next trip to Tiger Stadium their team buses were nearly tipped over (with players and coaches on board) as they drove to the stadium by aggressive tailgaters with no love for AU or Tuberville.