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How did Husker fan Mikey Bo influence one of college football's greatest traditions?
Mike Bohuslavsky is only 28 years old and is already a media mogul who has his own music production company, entertainment business, online magazine, clothing line, radio station and record label.
His award-winning Web site -- www.bluri.com -- celebrates its first anniversary today, and it’s already generated more than 30 million hits internationally.
Not bad for a kid who grew up on a farm two miles north of tiny Bee, Neb., (population: 223) and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising.
You’d think Mikey Bo, a.k.a. DJ Mikey (one of the most sought-after club DJs in the country) would be one, big, happy camper.
But he wasn’t all that happy Thursday. Without telling him, Mikey Bo’s producer posted some of the music he’d mixed for consideration in Nebraska’s 2007 football Tunnel Walk, one of the greatest traditions in all of college football.
Talk about the Power of Red meeting the power of the Internet. By the time Mikey Bo learned his own company was trying to scoop his newest, favorite client, the contraband version of the Nebraska Tunnel Walk had received more than 100,000 hits.
Come back to Randy York's N-sider tomorrow for the answer to this question:
Who's the creative genius behind Nebraska's new Tunnel Walk?
Nebraska football fans from Lincoln to London and from Illinois to Iceland were logging on and flipping out. Their reactions ranged from absolutely awesome to what’s going on? How, some asked, can anyone even think of changing the signature entrance of Nebraska’s fabled walk out of its storied stadium tunnel and into the waiting arms of 85,000 screaming, frenzied fans.
The short answer is this. Nebraska is not changing its player entrance music for the Tunnel Walk. We’re just changing some of the set-up music – arranged and mixed by Mikey Bo – while Husker players finish their pre-game prayer.
No need to panic. “I would never mess with the actual Tunnel Walk when the players come out,” Mikey Bo says. “I’ve been going to Nebraska football games since I was a little boy. I grew up on the Tunnel Walk. I’ve worked with some of the best music and movie people in the world. But there is no greater honor for me than working on the Tunnel Walk. It gives me chills.”
Mikey Bo has lived and worked in LA and New York, but his career went through the roof when he moved back to Lincoln and built major studios for the 40 people who work for him in Lincoln and for his co-founding partner, Alfonzo Jones, in Omaha.
“My parents raise cattle and are Nebraska season ticket-holders. They always told me to dream big and work hard,” he said. “They were my very best friends when I was growing up, when I graduated from David City Aquinas High School, and they’re still my best friends now. I don’t know how all this happened. I think God had a plan for me.”
That plan changed shortly after he graduated from Nebraska. “I remember getting a $25 parking ticket in downtown Lincoln, putting my hands on my car and feeling sorry for myself,” Mikey Bo recalled. “A homeless woman came by, pushing her cart. She looked at me and said: ‘You need to get control of your life.’ She was so right. I decided right then and there that I wasn’t going into marketing and advertising. I was going to do what I loved, follow my passions and find happiness.”
Shortly thereafter, he immersed himself in all varieties of music, creating mixes from the music he liked, but not sticking to any particular style. Mikey Bo created beats using hip hop, R&B, mainstream/top 40, rock, alternative, easy listening, house and techno music. He produced projects with such artists as Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Bubba Sparxxx and Sum 41, among others.
The past few weeks, Mikey Bo, a star on MTV, sat next to Kirk Hartman, the creative force behind HuskerVision. They hunkered down in one of three Avid studios inside Memorial Stadium and collaborated on the newest version of Nebraska’s dramatic arrival to the field of battle.
Saturday, about 2:30 p.m., the Huskers’ 283rd consecutive sellout crowd – stretching back to the 1962 season – will see the result of their efforts.
Those of you not fortunate enough to see the new Tunnel Walk live shouldn’t worry. Check back with us Saturday after the game, perhaps even sooner. We’ll have it right here on huskers.com – in full splendor and living color.
We can’t wait to hear your reactions.
Hear The Voices of Husker Nation
Mike Bo is a great example for youth in Nebraska and letting them know all dreams can be possible. His involvement with the University is genious. Role models are so hard to find with today's celebs, and Mike is a great one for my kids to look up to, and him being from UNL only adds to that hope from kids in our state. Mike's music is quite enjoyable for all audiences and its a great representation for Nebraska and the University. He brings a nice touch of "Hollywood" into the country to keep Nebraska looking clean and ahead of the times. I love his image! Congrats on the venture with Mike Bo and I hope to see his involvement a bit more with future projects the University endures! So excited for Saturday. -- K. Spacey
I think that the song is a great "new" take on the tradition that fans love and expect! I suspect what is freaking them out is the notion that someone from the "outside" is messing with the tradition. It turns out it is from a local boy that has done great things. It is good to hear about the process and get some insight as to what is really happening (what ever happened to surprises???) instead of all of the chatroom or Big Sports freakout/speculation banter. This will be great, it will pump up the players and hopefully will pump up the fans more than ever before! -- Mark Danley
To be honest, I was skeptical about the tunnel walk... Being a friend of Mike's I always try to be unbiased. Listening to it made me realize that this new beat that introduces the Tunnel Walk will grab every younger person out in those stands.. And they all will truley see RED! Its exactly what we and the players needed. KUDOS KUDOS KUDOS to MIkey Bo and to the University of Nebraska for trusting a true fan and hometown hero to make what was already great, SUPERIOR. -- Ross Hageman
I read the article about Mikey Bo and listened to his new beat. I like what I hear as long as Sirius isn't touched or altered, I think it will be a big hit. The Alan Parsons song is such a strong tradition. I hope over the speakers it still has the same intesity. -- Dan Mattson
I am totally looking forward to the changes. It's going to be awesome. Keep up the good work. -- J. Riddell
Great to see a cattle kid from tiny Bee, Neb., hit the big time. Those of us in cattle country 400 miles west of Memorial Stadium are looking forward to experiencing the Tunnel Walk with the click of a mouse! -- Kevin Horn, Alliance
I think that change can be a good thing. I have heard the music that Mikey does and it is really good. I do believe that they should keep the Sirius song but use Mikey's music before it starts. Good luck! I am looking forward to screaming in the stands on Saturday! -- D. Brown
Mikey Bo has done an excellent job. Sirius was beginning to lose it's luster a little bit. A face lift was much needed! -- Aaron
Great article! Sounds like Mikey Bo has his head screwed on straight. I am all for changing the song over to Mikey Bo's version. It will definitely get the crowd pumped up and more importantly the players and recruits. I think more change is needed in this regard. There needs to be more modern music played during TV timeouts etc, that gets the youth excited (mainly the players and the recruits). I'm not saying to change everything, just some of the music. -- Tracy Klein
I listened to the new beat, I like it. Sirius is getting old, its been played out for a while. I am all for change, Sirius is not a Nebraska tradition, the Tunnel Walk is not some dumb song. Besides, Sirius has been used by tons of people and teams, it is not unique to Nebraska nor were we the first to use it. I am hoping that the version of Sirius that they are using is what is heard near 1:30 in Mikey Bo's song. -- Kirk Goings