If you've spent any time recently in the sports obsessed corners of the Internet you probably already know that Sports Illustrated has opened "The Vault" a searchable database of every issue in the magazine's 54 year history. For sports fans it is probably the greatest gift you've ever received. (Yes, even better than the time SI sent you a football phone and the Follies video for subscribing.) For sports bloggers it is the Holy Grail. Videos, cover shots, stories and entire magazines are all right there for your perusal.Even if you narrow down the vault's offerings to just Cornhuskers content, you could still spend months sifting through everything so I decided to start with something more manageable: the cover stories.
Depending on how you configure your search, and your definition of what constitutes a "cover," you can get a couple of different results for Nebraska appearances. The official Nebraska vault page lists 11, but I found a 12th worthy of inclusion. Everything you need to know about all of them is below (with links, of course):
09.20.65 - THE FIRST APPEARANCE
Cover Boy: Frank Solich ripping through some Oklahoma tackles.
The Article: ...And Nebraska Has the Guns by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Nebraska has the talent, much of it coming from Big 10 country (gasp!), to finally break through under Bob Devaney. Given that there are about 20 different organizations naming national champions at the time, Nebraska should probably win one of them.
Stunning foresight: The immortal Jenkins uses the college football bloggers term du jour: "mythical national championship." He goes on to show just how a national playoff would work, including the Ivy League and the Missouri Valley Conference, and Nebraska beats Tulsa, Wyoming, Texas and Alabama to win it all. Forty-plus years later we're still fantasizing about the same thing.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 13; Smith-Corona's newest typewriter is both portable and electric!
The Article: ...And Nebraska Has the Guns by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Nebraska has the talent, much of it coming from Big 10 country (gasp!), to finally break through under Bob Devaney. Given that there are about 20 different organizations naming national champions at the time, Nebraska should probably win one of them.
Stunning foresight: The immortal Jenkins uses the college football bloggers term du jour: "mythical national championship." He goes on to show just how a national playoff would work, including the Ivy League and the Missouri Valley Conference, and Nebraska beats Tulsa, Wyoming, Texas and Alabama to win it all. Forty-plus years later we're still fantasizing about the same thing.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 13; Smith-Corona's newest typewriter is both portable and electric!
01.02.67 - The girls are the fairest
Cover girl: Kitty McManus, Nebraska cheerleader.
The Article: The Bowl Games and the Season by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Nebraska is slow. Alabama is fast. This does not bode well for the Cornhuskers in the Sugar Bowl.
Stunning foresight: Nebraska got thumped 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 2; Ford was keeping homes happy nationwide with their Select Shift system. Everyone knows men drive stick shifts, women automatics, why not put the two together?
The Article: The Bowl Games and the Season by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Nebraska is slow. Alabama is fast. This does not bode well for the Cornhuskers in the Sugar Bowl.
Stunning foresight: Nebraska got thumped 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 2; Ford was keeping homes happy nationwide with their Select Shift system. Everyone knows men drive stick shifts, women automatics, why not put the two together?
11.22.71 - THE Cover
Cover boy: Credited simply as "football" this remains my favorite SI cover for the verbiage: "Irresistible Oklahoma Meets Immovable Nebraska."
The Article: This Year's Game of the Decade by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: The beauty of college football is that the Game of the Decade seems to be an annual occurrence. OU-NU is next in line.
Stunning foresight: That '71 contest did earn the equally frequent "Game of the Century" tag.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 120, The Rums of Puerto Rico Co. says that the rum bloody mary is catching on. In fact, it did not.
The Article: This Year's Game of the Decade by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: The beauty of college football is that the Game of the Decade seems to be an annual occurrence. OU-NU is next in line.
Stunning foresight: That '71 contest did earn the equally frequent "Game of the Century" tag.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 120, The Rums of Puerto Rico Co. says that the rum bloody mary is catching on. In fact, it did not.
01.10.72 - Champions
Cover boy: Bob Terrio holds up triumphantly the 'Bama fumble he recovered. Aside from the facemasks, the uniforms look almost exactly the same as they do today. I like that.
The Article: All Yours, Nebraska by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Nobody beats the Bear like that! Johnny Rodgers admits to talking over the post-game celebration at halftime. Bryant says that "might be the greatest team I've ever seen." All in all, a very nice ego stroke for Nebraska fans.
Stunning foresight: Surprisingly none.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 8; Las Vegas Tourism Board gives you a lot of reasons to get out to the desert and gambling isn't one of them? It doesn't exactly look like the Sin City of "What Happens in Vegas."
The Article: All Yours, Nebraska by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Nobody beats the Bear like that! Johnny Rodgers admits to talking over the post-game celebration at halftime. Bryant says that "might be the greatest team I've ever seen." All in all, a very nice ego stroke for Nebraska fans.
Stunning foresight: Surprisingly none.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 8; Las Vegas Tourism Board gives you a lot of reasons to get out to the desert and gambling isn't one of them? It doesn't exactly look like the Sin City of "What Happens in Vegas."
09.11.72 - Threepeat?
Cover boy: Bob Devaney's mug--there's no other word once you see it--graces the college preview issue.
The Article: No. 1 is the Public Enemy by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Defending a title is both boon and bane. To survive you should "stay humble, stay loose and keep a sense of humor." Coincidentally, Bill Callahan was none of those things. Ever.
Stunning foresight: Devaney acknowledges that you "have to lose sometime." That time was the first game of the season against UCLA. Nebraska was picked as preseason #2 behind LSU.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 91; Converse offers up a suede high top specifically for coaches. Why can't I buy a pair of Pelini's today?
Cover boy: Bob Devaney's mug--there's no other word once you see it--graces the college preview issue.The Article: No. 1 is the Public Enemy by Dan Jenkins
The Gist: Defending a title is both boon and bane. To survive you should "stay humble, stay loose and keep a sense of humor." Coincidentally, Bill Callahan was none of those things. Ever.
Stunning foresight: Devaney acknowledges that you "have to lose sometime." That time was the first game of the season against UCLA. Nebraska was picked as preseason #2 behind LSU.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 91; Converse offers up a suede high top specifically for coaches. Why can't I buy a pair of Pelini's today?
11.20.78 - Osborne breaks through
Cover boy: Rick Berns breaks the tackle of a Sooner who got their later.
The Artcle: Nebraska Was On the Loose by Douglas S. Looney
The Gist: Nebraska had no business winning this game but it's probably a good thing, at least for Osborne's sake, that they did. Bonus material: a drunk showed up at Memorial Field mid-week for practice and Barry Switzer calls spitting tobacco juice into a soda can an "old Indian trick."
Stunning foresight: From Dr. Tom, "It's getting pretty hard around here for fans to appreciate a good year without beating Oklahoma." Eventually Oklahoma would fade and the Florida schools, and the national title, would take their place.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 67; You know the difference between JC Penney jeans and Levis? Pocket adornment. That's it!
The Artcle: Nebraska Was On the Loose by Douglas S. Looney
The Gist: Nebraska had no business winning this game but it's probably a good thing, at least for Osborne's sake, that they did. Bonus material: a drunk showed up at Memorial Field mid-week for practice and Barry Switzer calls spitting tobacco juice into a soda can an "old Indian trick."
Stunning foresight: From Dr. Tom, "It's getting pretty hard around here for fans to appreciate a good year without beating Oklahoma." Eventually Oklahoma would fade and the Florida schools, and the national title, would take their place.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 67; You know the difference between JC Penney jeans and Levis? Pocket adornment. That's it!
09.05.83 - Scoring Explosion
Cover boy: Mike Rozier blows through some Nittanies, hip pads blazing, under the headline "Oh Those Huskers." I love this headline.
The Article: With the Greatest of Ease by Jack McCallum
The Gist: Nebraska's "Jersey Jets" light up the Meadowlands in the inaugural Kickoff Classic. Sweet Jesus these guys have a lot of offensive weapons.
Stunning foresight: "It's kind of early to call us an offensive machine," said Steinkuhler. No it wasn't, Dean.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 39; The Xerox Memorywriter 620 comes with a built-in guarantee against obsolescence. If I can find one of these, I'm definitely cashing that in but I doubt there's many out there. Who gives up a machine that can save "entire phrases"?
Cover boy: Mike Rozier blows through some Nittanies, hip pads blazing, under the headline "Oh Those Huskers." I love this headline.The Article: With the Greatest of Ease by Jack McCallum
The Gist: Nebraska's "Jersey Jets" light up the Meadowlands in the inaugural Kickoff Classic. Sweet Jesus these guys have a lot of offensive weapons.
Stunning foresight: "It's kind of early to call us an offensive machine," said Steinkuhler. No it wasn't, Dean.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 39; The Xerox Memorywriter 620 comes with a built-in guarantee against obsolescence. If I can find one of these, I'm definitely cashing that in but I doubt there's many out there. Who gives up a machine that can save "entire phrases"?
10.01.84 - We gotta win one sooner or later
Cover boy: Jeff Smith leaves a Bruin in the dust.
The Article: The Huskers May be Shockers by Douglas S. Looney
The Gist: Maybe that '83 team got a little full of themselves. This year's squad is more typically Nebraskan and perhaps better.
Stunning foresight: Again, none. After a 42-3 pasting of UCLA on the road nobody saw a loss to unranked Syracuse coming the very next week.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 75; Panasonic Phones. "They won't be out of date today. Or tomorrow." All lies, but tell me more about this talking without holding the phone.
The Article: The Huskers May be Shockers by Douglas S. Looney
The Gist: Maybe that '83 team got a little full of themselves. This year's squad is more typically Nebraskan and perhaps better.
Stunning foresight: Again, none. After a 42-3 pasting of UCLA on the road nobody saw a loss to unranked Syracuse coming the very next week.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 75; Panasonic Phones. "They won't be out of date today. Or tomorrow." All lies, but tell me more about this talking without holding the phone.
01.09.95 - Finally the drought is over
Cover boy: Tom Osborne gets carried off the Orange Bowl turf on his players shoulders.
The Article: Ghost Busters by S.L. Price
The Gist: Dr. Tom finally answers the question of whether or not he can win the big one. Tommie Frazier's brilliance is evident even in limited action. Troy Dumas calls Warren Sapp "overrated" citing "that Miami attitude." Those were the days.
Stunning foresight: "I want the ball in Tommie's hands," said Osborne repeatedly. Good plan.
Amusingly out of date advertorial: P. 8; As the Old Spice Athlete of the Month, Vince Carter is praised for possessing a better jump shot than Jordan. Fittingly, Carter confesses that he "likes being the center of attention."
The Article: Ghost Busters by S.L. Price
The Gist: Dr. Tom finally answers the question of whether or not he can win the big one. Tommie Frazier's brilliance is evident even in limited action. Troy Dumas calls Warren Sapp "overrated" citing "that Miami attitude." Those were the days.
Stunning foresight: "I want the ball in Tommie's hands," said Osborne repeatedly. Good plan.
Amusingly out of date advertorial: P. 8; As the Old Spice Athlete of the Month, Vince Carter is praised for possessing a better jump shot than Jordan. Fittingly, Carter confesses that he "likes being the center of attention."
12.26.95 - Tough Mothers
Cover boy: Touchdown Tommie tossin' it. Additionally, the Husker volleyball team also gets some love for being #1. Some areas of the country got Steve Tasker on the cover. Lame.
The Article: Desert Storm by Tim Layden
The Gist: Cornfed Nebraska doesn't stand a chance against Florida's video game offense.
Stunning foresight: An anonymous Seminole who played in the '94 Orange Bowl said: "I'll tell you what the deal is with Nebraska. They are tough mothers, no other way to put it. I saw Zach Wiegert hit Derrick Brooks like I've never seen anybody get hit in my life. I don't know if Florida can deal with that physical toughness." God it feels good to hear that, even 13 years after the fact.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 129; CompuServe/SI are offering you 10 free hours of access to SI Online AND 5 free hours of the Internet. In five hours, you probably could've read everything there was to read on the Internet so it sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
The Article: Desert Storm by Tim Layden
The Gist: Cornfed Nebraska doesn't stand a chance against Florida's video game offense.
Stunning foresight: An anonymous Seminole who played in the '94 Orange Bowl said: "I'll tell you what the deal is with Nebraska. They are tough mothers, no other way to put it. I saw Zach Wiegert hit Derrick Brooks like I've never seen anybody get hit in my life. I don't know if Florida can deal with that physical toughness." God it feels good to hear that, even 13 years after the fact.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: P. 129; CompuServe/SI are offering you 10 free hours of access to SI Online AND 5 free hours of the Internet. In five hours, you probably could've read everything there was to read on the Internet so it sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
09.16.96 - The Jinx
Cover boy: Ahman Green looks dashing in adidas. Of course, the next game Nebraska played after this cover was Arizona State. Yet further proof that the jinx is so very real.
The Article: Flying Start by Tim Layden
The Gist: Nebraska is good again but these off the field things are sort of starting to pile up. In the article Osborne considered suspending Terrell Farley for the entire season due to a DWI arrest.
Shocking foresight: Frost's first game at QB is called "unspectacular but safe." Fair enough.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: N/A; For some reason SI doesn't have this issue online as a PDF. I know some Husker fan out there somewhere has a copy stashed in the attic. Help out the Vault and loan it to 'em.
The Article: Flying Start by Tim Layden
The Gist: Nebraska is good again but these off the field things are sort of starting to pile up. In the article Osborne considered suspending Terrell Farley for the entire season due to a DWI arrest.
Shocking foresight: Frost's first game at QB is called "unspectacular but safe." Fair enough.
Amusingly out of date advertisement: N/A; For some reason SI doesn't have this issue online as a PDF. I know some Husker fan out there somewhere has a copy stashed in the attic. Help out the Vault and loan it to 'em.
11.26.01 - The End...thus far.
Cover Boy: Eric Crouch's hair is gel-tastic.
The Article: Front-Runner by Austin Murphy
The Gist: Whether you like it or not, Eric Crouch is probably going to win the Heisman and he's undergone a lot to get to that point.
Shocking foresight: Fred Petito, Crouch's high school coach, while watching old game film from Millard North: "There he is, kinda nasty."
Amusingly out of date advertisement: Again, absent in this instance.
And that, finally, covers the covers. That should be enough to keep anyone occupied for hours but believe me when I say there's a ton more out there.
This is the mother lode and I'll definitely be back.
The Article: Front-Runner by Austin Murphy
The Gist: Whether you like it or not, Eric Crouch is probably going to win the Heisman and he's undergone a lot to get to that point.
Shocking foresight: Fred Petito, Crouch's high school coach, while watching old game film from Millard North: "There he is, kinda nasty."
Amusingly out of date advertisement: Again, absent in this instance.
And that, finally, covers the covers. That should be enough to keep anyone occupied for hours but believe me when I say there's a ton more out there.
This is the mother lode and I'll definitely be back.
3 comments:
Best item of note from all these is quote from this article by Hall of Fame Texas Coach Darrell Royal: "Trends are bunk. Only angry people win football games."
Good ol' DKR. It would be fun enough to just go through the vault on him. (And the Bear, I suppose.)
Another thing worth noting: how good was Dan Jenkins? Upfront, funny, firm when he had to be. I already worshiped at his football writing altar, but this stuff really adds to the canon.
Re: The 1-10-72 cover and the comment that "Aside from the facemasks, the uniforms look almost exactly the same as they do today. I like that."
Agreed, except that the pants are a different shade of red these days, due in part no doubt to the shiny material now used. They looked much better before the switch in shine and material.
Also, later in the '70s, the stripes on the pants became wider. They looked better thin, but I can live with the wide look, since it is much better than the horrible no-stripes-at-all look that began in 1995 and continued for a decade.
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