Tim's Story

Tim Schmad's Story

Wins, Losses and What He Wore

“Being a devoted Nebraska Cornhusker football fan, I, like many others, have enjoyed the five national championship teams. After the Huskers’ first championship in 1970, I purchased a “National Championship” T-Shirt. I was wearing it in 1971 when we won the title again. Then, the Huskers had a drought and did not capture a third title until 1994. Again, my trusty T-shirt from 1971 came out of the drawer to assist the team on to victory—finally—over Miami.

But, the 1995 championship was special. We absolutely clobbered Florida, 62–24. I can still see Tommie Frazier running over defender after defender (seven in all) to score on a 75-yard run. I thought I had seen it all. So, my friends and I thought that we would pay homage to this great season. My 1971 T-Shirt came off and was thrown into the fireplace! I still have the ashes in a jar on my office shelf.

Nebraska went on to win another championship in the 1998 Orange Bowl against Tennessee and Peyton Manning. We clobbered them! I believe the jar of ashes that we displayed by the TV had a lot to do with that victory.

You ask why the ashes have not had any magic in recent years? Well, I don’t know. But, Love, Loss and What I Wore sure brought back these memories.”