My favorite season is officially here! Fall, yes - but I’m talking specifically about football season.

I cannot remember ever not being a football fan. It was a staple in our house when I was growing up. Both of my parents were die-hard Husker fans, and we each had our favorite NFL team that we rooted for every week.

Back then, we didn’t have the luxury of getting to watch nearly every Husker football game on TV. In fact, it was rare that they were televised. Most fall Saturdays were spent gathered in the living room listening to the action on the radio.

My dad had an inflatable Herbie Husker doll that he would blow up every Saturday and place on top of the TV. We would all put on our Husker attire - dad’s favorite was his 1971 championship sweatshirt. In fact, it meant so much to him that we had him buried in it!

While watching the Huskers on TV was certainly nice, nothing could quite compare to listening to Lyell Bremser call the play-by-play. I’m not sure if I really remember hearing the famous, “Man, woman, and child, did that put ‘em in the aisles” live - or if I have just heard the recording so many times it seems like I was there. Either way, it is iconic.

I had a poster of Jerry Tagge on my bedroom wall, and dreamed of one day being a University of Nebraska cheerleader.

My passion for Husker football spilled over to the pros as well. The Minnesota Vikings with Fran Tarkenton, and the Oakland Raiders’ Kenny “The Snake” Stabler were my favorites. I loved football so much that I changed my focus from being a cheerleader to a more noble challenge - I wanted to become the first female NFL referee.

I would practice by having my dad quiz me on the rules of the game and the gestures for the calls. I loved it! And not just watching it, I also loved playing football. That is, until my parents said I was getting too old and didn’t allow me to play anymore.

Monday Night Football was THE thing in our house. My younger brother Pat was in charge of the popcorn - the heat up the oil in the pan, dump in the kernels, and shake the pan until your arm nearly falls off popcorn. Mom would melt butter and drizzle it over the large bowl of salted deliciousness, and it was delightful. Gathering around the TV with our bowls of buttery bliss each Monday is one of my fondest memories.

I’ve always said God definitely knew what he was doing, giving me three sons, all of whom love football. For as much as I loved listening to the calls of Johnny the Jet exploding down the field, that paled in comparison to watching my boys make a good tackle or pick off a pass and take it all the way to the house.

My oldest two played for the legendary Dan Moore, so that was a treat in itself!

Now I watch my grandchildren, and still my beloved Huskers. I throw a bag of popcorn - extra buttery of course - in the microwave. And I am perfectly content doing my refereeing from the couch.

GO BIG RED!