THE POND IN THE PRESS
The Oct. 19, 2000, edition of the Lincoln Journal Star featured a column about The Pond by Ken Hambleton. Here's the article in its entirety, reprinted with permission:
KEN'S CORNER: Getting caught in the
Web of Husker football
BY
KEN HAMBLETON Lincoln Journal Star
There are more than 500 internet Web sites with Nebraska football in mind.
There are good ones, bad ones and some so strange, it's hard to tell if it is good or bad.
The best are among the oldest, including: Husker Press Box by Kalamazoo, Mich., resident Mark Fricke; Big Red Central by Scott Petersen of Omaha; and "ToughTony.com" by Tony Davis, former Husker and father of Husker Josh Davis.
Those sites offer recruiting information, discussions of die-hard fans, in-depth analysis and a steady commentary of fans, foes, supporters and detractors. The range of Websites run from the educational and entertaining, for instance, "Huskerpedia," and the esoteric "Xs and Oz: The Nebraska Offense," and "Doug Horwich's Big Red Review."
Some Web sites follow the press covering the Huskers, some provide information for fans of Carlos Polk with the "Polkamaniacs," and Eric Crouch in "Ecrouch.com." There is little left uncovered by the internet Husker nation.
Probably the most original, entertaining and amusing site is "RedCladLoon.com" run by Steve Smith of Reno, Nev. A 1994 Nebraska journalism graduate, Smith offers the droll "Winging It," commentaries and "Loon Droppings," analysis of Nebraska football games. He also offers an extensive list of Nebraska football Web sites, polls, surveys and "The Big 8 Husker Nation Buzz," with it's "Gripe-O-Meter," for those unsatisfied Husker fans.
The nickname "Loon" came from the day, at the age of 11, while wearing his blue and white Dodgers shirt, he stood in line to get Tom Osborne's autograph. Finally he got to the front of the line and Osborne said, "I think I've signed it already." Smith said, "No sir. I'm new." Osborne said, "I guess I would've remembered you. You're the only one out here not wearing Red." Smith apologized. Osborne said, "You don't have to apologize to me. Just don't let all these Red Clad Loons see you."
The latest "Winging It" included Smith's platform for his presidential campaign, such as "Before declaring war on any overmatched third-world country, Rep. Tom Osborne will appear on television to tell Americans that this enemy is very dangerous and should be taken seriously, and shouldn't be judged by its poor record in previous wars." Another platform plank was, "Taxes on liquor, smokes and gas will be terminated in favor of a sweeping new 9,000 percent sales tax on burnt-orange clothing." And, "The maps of the U.S. will show the Great Lakes as Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario and McConaughey."
Smith explained, "It gets kind of crazy every once in awhile. But it's always fun."
He said, "It all started when I joined the Mike Nolan e-mail group a couple of years ago and got started on offering my personal level of debate about Nebraska football. I wanted to keep my feet in the cornfield and that was a good way to start."
For a living, Smith is an assistant city editor at the Reno Gazette-Journal. He interned at York and worked as a reporter at Iowa City, Iowa.
The native of Rosalie said he found a fondness for Nebraska football growing in proportion in the distance he moved from Nebraska. Since moving to Reno, he has joined the Northern Nevadans for Nebraska and participated in the weekly "Nebraska watch parties" at the Pinion Plaza Casino in Carson City, Nevada.
The "Loon" began as a daily participation on the AOL message boards. When Smith's e-mail box filled up with 45 messages one day and 50 the next he followed the suggestion he start a Web site. Now he gets 200 to 300 "hits" a day. "I got a lot of help and I followed a lot of models, like the 'Husker Press Box,' and others. Those sites and the newspaper sites provide much of the information I use for my columns.
"I also get some information from the Kansas State and Oklahoma Web sites, among others.
"The whole idea is to keep a perspective on the Husker phenomenon and have some fun while following my favorite team," he said.