For readers, memories of Berringer endure
Tobey Lake was my second cousin. Brook was going to marry his sister (Tiffany). Tragically, we lost a valued member of the football community. We lost loved members of our family.
Tiffany lost her brother and her fiance. They were taken from us much too soon. I will never forget that day. I still visit the boys’ graves and pay respects at the cemetery when passing through Goodland. Their memories live on in my heart. Brook was an awesome quarterback. He loved Nebraska football. He would have been a terrific asset to an NFL team.
Tobey was an awesome carpenter and loved working with wood. He was a beloved son and brother. They both loved to live life to the fullest. My thoughts and prayers are with Ruthie, Jan and the families.
Kay F. Brown, Oxford
A class act
I got to meet Brook at the Husker football camp in June of 1994. I was there with several other guys from my hometown of Norton, Kan. The Husker players couldn’t instruct us during the camp, but some of them were there one day to show us some drills they do in practice.
Afterwards, Coach Osborne gave us some time to meet with them. The group of us from Norton went over to talk with Brook since he was from Goodland, only a couple of hours from Norton. He was very nice and we had a good conversation.
He remembered playing Norton when he was in high school and asked us about one of the guys he played against who went on to play for Fort Hays State. It’s something I won’t forget. He wasn’t a cocky guy who acted like he’d rather be doing something else other than talking to a bunch of high school kids. Brook was a class act, and he will always be remembered as the ultimate team player. He is still missed, but the memories live on.
Aaron Orsborn, Fairfax, Va.
You had to admire him
Since we had a special relationship with Brook Berringer, I’ll share some of the experiences that (my son) Trent and I had with him.
Brook worked at our ranch, Diamond Head Ranch, for two summers, during his last two years at NU. He was introduced to us by Turner Gill, as Turner was looking for jobs for the athletes. Brook loved horses, therefore, we let him work with and ride the horses. Every weekend there was a home game, his fiancée would come to Lincoln from Kansas, and he always took her horseback riding every Sunday.
The Saturday that we were playing Colorado, and he was starting, I met with him that morning, at his house, as he helped me with a couple of additional tickets. I asked him what our chances were for beating Colorado and he said, “We are definitely going to beat Colorado. We are ready and the whole team feels that we are going to beat them.” He was correct, and it was a really great game.
Brook was the type of person that you couldn’t help but like and admire. His conscientious devotion to duty, his loyalty to the team, his intelligence, dependability and cooperative attitude definitely contributed to the highly efficient manner in with he conducted his life and quarterback for Nebraska.
We definitely miss him.
David R. Anderson, Anderson Enterprises LLC, Lincoln
Shakespearean tragedy
Whenever I see something that reminds me of Brook … a college kid holding a child’s hand or signing an autograph, smiling for a photo or a loving embrace with his mom or dad, I’m reminded of what Shakespeare’s Juliet cried of her lost Romeo: “Death lies upon him like a frost upon the prettiest flower in all the field.”
Jim Rose, NU broadcaster
His future was bright
I still feel terrible about Brook. His dad died early. I think he was a pilot as well. Brook was a great competitor against the Michael Jordan of college football (Tommie Frazier). Without Brook, we wouldn’t have won our first national championship since 1971. The ’94 offense he ran was very balanced. I remember how great he played during the spring and fall of ’95 to regain the top spot, but Frazier was too much. He must have been hurting so bad to be on the bench that whole year.
His future was bright. He was to be drafted and had all the tools. The guy was what you wanted when it comes to being a role model. I still have chills thinking about how and when he died. I think the least us fans should expect is that some of these high-priced items (indoor facilities, weight rooms, expensive skyboxes, etc.) should be named after the great Brook Berringer.
William l. Steele IV, Schaumburg, Ill.
FCA Berringer tribute event Monday
The Lincoln Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be hosting the 2006 FCA Celebration and Expo — a tribute to Brook Berringer — on Monday at the Devaney Sports Center. The event will feature FCA ministry exhibits, live FCA camp demonstrations, a slam dunk contest for area athletes and a tribute to the life and influence of Berringer.
Special guests will include Tom Osborne, Ron Brown and Tony Veland. Former Husker basketball three-point specialist Brian Conklin will also provide a shooting demonstration.
The program, which will start at 6 p.m., will feature a special performance by Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown. Tickets are $10 — for admission, pizza and soft drinks. For tickets, contact Doris Brown at (402) 434-7150.
Tiffany lost her brother and her fiance. They were taken from us much too soon. I will never forget that day. I still visit the boys’ graves and pay respects at the cemetery when passing through Goodland. Their memories live on in my heart. Brook was an awesome quarterback. He loved Nebraska football. He would have been a terrific asset to an NFL team.
Tobey was an awesome carpenter and loved working with wood. He was a beloved son and brother. They both loved to live life to the fullest. My thoughts and prayers are with Ruthie, Jan and the families.
Kay F. Brown, Oxford
A class act
I got to meet Brook at the Husker football camp in June of 1994. I was there with several other guys from my hometown of Norton, Kan. The Husker players couldn’t instruct us during the camp, but some of them were there one day to show us some drills they do in practice.
Afterwards, Coach Osborne gave us some time to meet with them. The group of us from Norton went over to talk with Brook since he was from Goodland, only a couple of hours from Norton. He was very nice and we had a good conversation.
He remembered playing Norton when he was in high school and asked us about one of the guys he played against who went on to play for Fort Hays State. It’s something I won’t forget. He wasn’t a cocky guy who acted like he’d rather be doing something else other than talking to a bunch of high school kids. Brook was a class act, and he will always be remembered as the ultimate team player. He is still missed, but the memories live on.
Aaron Orsborn, Fairfax, Va.
You had to admire him
Since we had a special relationship with Brook Berringer, I’ll share some of the experiences that (my son) Trent and I had with him.
Brook worked at our ranch, Diamond Head Ranch, for two summers, during his last two years at NU. He was introduced to us by Turner Gill, as Turner was looking for jobs for the athletes. Brook loved horses, therefore, we let him work with and ride the horses. Every weekend there was a home game, his fiancée would come to Lincoln from Kansas, and he always took her horseback riding every Sunday.
The Saturday that we were playing Colorado, and he was starting, I met with him that morning, at his house, as he helped me with a couple of additional tickets. I asked him what our chances were for beating Colorado and he said, “We are definitely going to beat Colorado. We are ready and the whole team feels that we are going to beat them.” He was correct, and it was a really great game.
Brook was the type of person that you couldn’t help but like and admire. His conscientious devotion to duty, his loyalty to the team, his intelligence, dependability and cooperative attitude definitely contributed to the highly efficient manner in with he conducted his life and quarterback for Nebraska.
We definitely miss him.
David R. Anderson, Anderson Enterprises LLC, Lincoln
Shakespearean tragedy
Whenever I see something that reminds me of Brook … a college kid holding a child’s hand or signing an autograph, smiling for a photo or a loving embrace with his mom or dad, I’m reminded of what Shakespeare’s Juliet cried of her lost Romeo: “Death lies upon him like a frost upon the prettiest flower in all the field.”
Jim Rose, NU broadcaster
His future was bright
I still feel terrible about Brook. His dad died early. I think he was a pilot as well. Brook was a great competitor against the Michael Jordan of college football (Tommie Frazier). Without Brook, we wouldn’t have won our first national championship since 1971. The ’94 offense he ran was very balanced. I remember how great he played during the spring and fall of ’95 to regain the top spot, but Frazier was too much. He must have been hurting so bad to be on the bench that whole year.
His future was bright. He was to be drafted and had all the tools. The guy was what you wanted when it comes to being a role model. I still have chills thinking about how and when he died. I think the least us fans should expect is that some of these high-priced items (indoor facilities, weight rooms, expensive skyboxes, etc.) should be named after the great Brook Berringer.
William l. Steele IV, Schaumburg, Ill.
FCA Berringer tribute event Monday
The Lincoln Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be hosting the 2006 FCA Celebration and Expo — a tribute to Brook Berringer — on Monday at the Devaney Sports Center. The event will feature FCA ministry exhibits, live FCA camp demonstrations, a slam dunk contest for area athletes and a tribute to the life and influence of Berringer.
Special guests will include Tom Osborne, Ron Brown and Tony Veland. Former Husker basketball three-point specialist Brian Conklin will also provide a shooting demonstration.
The program, which will start at 6 p.m., will feature a special performance by Mark Miller of Sawyer Brown. Tickets are $10 — for admission, pizza and soft drinks. For tickets, contact Doris Brown at (402) 434-7150.
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