N-Sider's Choice: 12 Holiday Season Gift Ideas

Randy York's N-Sider

Official Blog of the Huskers

The time has come, Santa said, to offer up The N-Sider’s annual no-hassle holiday shopping for Nebraska fans who want to be creative, yet don’t want to fight the crowds to be successful gift givers. For Cornhusker football fans who think they have everything, The N-Sider is always on the lookout for sure-fire tips to make your holiday shopping easy. We’ve done the heavy lifting again, so you don’t have to leave the house. Just click each of the 12 major links in this column for ideas. Keep a credit card next to your computer. Buy online and then congratulate yourself for shopping like millions of other Americans shop … with no crowd and no second-guessing. Seize the opportunity and delight family and friends while supporting your favorite athletic department. Our top two holiday suggestions for 2013 are a video produced by Ryan Tweedy and a new look in Husker merchandise, thanks to the creative mindset of four former Nebraska female student-athletes who are too superstitious to reveal their identities. Know this: Big Red fans are buying their products, and these business owners are focused on marketing and meeting aggressive goals. Whether you’re looking for apparel, videos, hats, posters, books or calendars, please consider giving any of these 12 actively researched ideas as gifts:

1) Through These Gates DVD

Watch this documentary and you’ll see a mother whose late son greets Big Red fans at the North stadium entrance in a double-bronzed statue with Tom Osborne, a living legend. That mother, Jan Berringer, was planning an NFL draft party one minute and then planning a funeral the next after learning of son Brook’s tragic death piloting an airplane. Through all that and Through These Gates that Pass the Greatest Fans in College Football, Ryan Tweedy proved himself a worthy filmmaker and gets not just one thumbs up from The N-Sider but two – one from me and you’ll have read this blog to learn who gave the other.

2) A New Look: Fear the Ear

Meet Shuckey, a fictitious character who turned 2-years-old this fall. In the retail business, he might as well be 10. Shuckey is the creation of four former University of Nebraska female students who have become seasoned and successful professionals. One is employed with the Nebraska Education System and a current UNL graduate student. Another owns a Lincoln-based law firm. A third is an insurance executive, and the fourth owns a property management company in Scottsdale, Ariz. They combined to create a character that brings a sense of strength and fearlessness to Nebraska’s faithful fans, but they’re not ready to let the cat out of the bag yet. I like their look, their savvy and the way they’re creating their own brand awareness. Their customer satisfaction ratings are also high, so stay tuned. Shuckey’s “stock” is a recommended buy here.

3) 2014 Season Baseball Tickets

Not many Northern-based baseball schools put together a No. 11-ranked national recruiting class, so joina team going places and invest in Nebraska baseball. Darin Erstad and his hard-working coaches and players are hard-nosed competitors. Season tickets are available in club, reserved and general admission sections.

4) Pinnacle Bank Arena Panoramic

Ever thought of documenting history in full view of your favorite chair? Buy a Pinnacle Bank Arena Panoramic! The Husker men’s November 8th opening night against Florida Gulf Coast marked the arena’s first sellout and launched a new era for Husker men’s and women’s basketball teams.

5) Team Jack T-Shirts

The Team Jack Foundation offers official collegiate licensed T-shirts that promote pediatric brain cancer awareness. It’s a great way to help the foundation “Fight for a Cure” and to support your favorite ESPY winner,who also was nominated for Sports Illustrated's 2013 Sportsmanof the Year.

6) Kids/Youth Husker Hats

Every kid in Nebraska and Husker Nation wants a hat, whether it’s a cuffless knit, a Mohawk knit, a fleece trooper, a tassel-knit beanie or, perhaps, one with the Iron N logo or one adorned with Herbie or Lil' Red.  

7) 1995 Championship Season

College Football Hall of Famer Tommie Frazier led the Huskers to a 12-0 record and this package features every 1995 game in its entirety. The ‘95 team consistently has been voted the best team in the history of college football with one possible exception – Nebraska's 1971 team that beat Oklahoma in the Game of the Century.

8) Miracle at Memorial Stadium

This salutes Nebraska’s most dramatic play of the 2013 season. Buy and share this historic Hail Mary pass from Ron Kellogg III to Jordan Westerkamp, enabling the Huskers to beat Northwestern, 29-28, on the game’s final play.

9) Greatest Plays

This 2-disc box set video collection is a must have … more than 1,000 of the biggest Husker game-breaking plays from 1941 through 2000, all presented in chronological order … 170 minutes of highlights!

10) 1995 Orange Bowl

If it looks like we’re overdosing on Touchdown Tommie, there's good reason. Now's the time because Tommie's bound for Atlanta's new Hall-of-Fame. Besides, Nebraska's transcendent 24-17 Orange Bowl win over Miami never gets old … for anyone.

11) Blackshirts' 50th Anniversary Poster

We asked Nebraska football historian Mike Babcock to help Huskers.com select 50 Blackshirts over the last 50 years to celebrate the 50th anniversary of those fabled black football practice jerseys.

12) Tom Osborne-Signed Book

Tom Osborne’s record goes beyond coaching and wins and losses. He was a congressman, educator, family man, mentor and athletic director. His character, values and faith grounded him throughout his incredible journey.

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