Fight On With All Your Cardinal and Gold, You Big Red Huskers!

My dad's blood isn't red.  It's cardinal.  As in, Cardinal and Gold.  As in, in my dad's confident opinion, "The official colors of all True Cardinal-Blooded Americans."  We're talking USC, baby, and in my family, the blood runs thick.

Now, try and imagine the dilemma I found myself in, when we moved to Nebraska in 1994.  If you've ever driven through the great state of Nebraska, you've had yourself exposed to Husker Fever.  When the college football season began, I was amused by the devotion of my now-fellow Nebraskans.  Serious, hard-core devotion.  "Go Big Red," signs were skewered in every yard, flags flapped out of every car window, and everybody who was anybody went to Memorial Stadium for every home game, and many of those people went to the away games too...like 13,000 of those rabid fans.  The Nebraska Cornhusker fans are unbelievable.  In 2005, UNL added 6,000 new seats to Memorial Stadium, bringing in a request for seats from 15,000 people.  Over 80,000 people attend home games at the stadium.  It's quite a sight, to see so much red at every game.  And both Tessa, and Adam wore red alongside their mama every Saturday during football season.

But, I really need to admit something.  I'm a poser.  I don't completely "get" football.  I get the basic concept, but I don't get it the way a good Tisor should.  My dad and brother were disgusted with me for being so radically turn-coat.  If we were Amish, I would have been shunned.  But I wasn't choosing Nebraska over USC, really!  I was just...just...just identifying with my social group.

It's an important social grace to possess.  When we lived in Gretna, I was all about The Dragons, the town's school mascot.  In Gothenburg, it was The Swedes.  Want steak?  Nebraska beef is second to none.  In the mood for sweet corn?  Thumb your nose at Iowa...Nebraska's is the best.

It wasn't that I was being fake about my devotion to the things of Nebraska.  It's just that I have a passion for people, and when I live amongst a people group, the things that are important to them, are important to me.  And really, I do love the color red.  And I've never found a better beef entree or dish or corn anywhere.

When we moved back to California, I was back in cardinal territory.  My loyalty to my dad beats all others, and just seeing him in his cardinal car with its USC window clings, or in his cardinal and gold office makes me want to do the Victory sign and say, "Fight On!"

Right?  I know.  It's adorable...and it's only one angle in a room that is VERY Trojan...you should see the rest of it.  My sister Lori and I helped him set it up last week when my parents moved.

But my obvious need to climb on board my dad's bandwagon aside, I was still conflicted.  "Go Huskers!"  "Fight On!"  Both rang in my ears.  So I came to a very reasonable conclusion, and a means by which I am able to own my devotion to both sides:  I have a Duel Citizenship.  I'm a little bit Husker, and I'm a little bit USC.  (Did you just hear Donnie and Marie in your head as you read that?  I heard it too.)

It works for me.  I'm seriously a poser, and I own it.  I love my rabid Husker fans, and I love my foaming  Trojan fans.  It's the people I care about, more than the sport.

Today, is the first game for USC Football '11, and I think it's the first day for Husker Football as well (wouldn't know).  The only reason why I know it's the first game for USC is because I've had my dad, and sister in my ears all last weekend, counting down.  That, and today Adam went with Papa and Aunt Lori to the game.

That's my dad...note his Reyn Spooner USC Shirt, the Victory Fingers, and Adam's shirt and hat.  They are there with my sister Lori (the photographer), and my 5 year-old nephew.  His name, you ask?  Well, Troy, Naturally.  Thank God my sister isn't from Nebraska...my nephew would be named Herbie.

Yeah, that would be him with my fabulous Uncle Tom, who is also at the game.  Can you take the cuteness?!  Oh my GOSH!!!  I begged my sister for permission to post this.  Thank you Lori!!!

So what do I do during the game?  Well, I bake banana bread.

Ain't she a beauty?  Oh, I mean the pan.  I think it was my grandma's.  I love it.  The banana bread came out well, too.

I also clean and organize my garage.  No pic of that one.  Haven't started yet.

But, I am wearing my colors.

Remember, my beautiful and exceedingly smart and grace-filled devoted Husker fans...it's all about my daddy!  :)  And at last check, the Nebraska score was 23-0 in favor of the Huskers at Half-Time, so I know you'll be in a good mood.