Harry Husker was born from the mind of Bill Goggins under the title of "Mr. Big Red" Quickly he became the very symbol of Nebraska Cornhusker Football. Through the glory days and National Championships, only to see it all fall apart just as quickly and quietly.

"I guess I get a little bitter sometimes when I think back about how the whole dismissal thing was handled" remembers Harry in an exclusive interview from his modest home in northeast Ogallala, Nebraska.

"I thought things were going well. I was the mascot for the Cornhuskers and I took the job seriously."

Harry was never officially adopted as the symbol for the Cornhuskers, but his presence was obvious on the sidelines of Memorial Stadium through some of it's greatest moments.

"I was there for it all. I watched the Game of the Century...I saw Jerry Tagge stretching over the end zone against LSU to clinch the first National Championship. I remember hearing Coach Devaney screaming at the sidelines." remembers Harry. "Coach Devaney was something else. He meant a lot to me. I remember I got too close to the team bench one time. Devaney turned around and took one look at me and said 'Who the hell is this guy with the big head? Get him the hell outta here'" Harry chuckles. "I'll never forget those words."

Harry admits that it took sometime before the fans of Nebraska embraced him as their symbol.

"I guess the year that I really felt a part of everything was 1971. That year I finally saw my picture included in the Husker media guide. There I was, in red and white. That was a special moment."

That all came to a crashing halt, however, after 1973.

At the end of the year the Huskers were invited to the Cotton Bowl. Harry went along for the ride. While Harry was working hard down on the field cheering the Huskers on to victory over Texas, Nebraska Athletic director Don Bryant was up in the press box eyeing a cartoon drawn for the Cotton Bowl media guide of a pudgy farmer in overalls. Bryant took an immediate liking to the drawing and commissioned artist Dirk West of Lubbock, Texas to fine tune it and bring "Herbie Husker" to life.

It's a subject that still burns in Harry mind.

"I mean, first of all what did they need with a new mascot anyway. I was already there ready to do the job. All they had to do was ask me. I guess nobody bothered," Harry steamed.

"Besides, this Herbie guy...he was created by some guy in Texas. Texas, for crying out loud! I'm from Nebraska, born and bred."

Things moved quickly from there. In 1974 Herbie stunned the mascot world when he received the honor of appearing on the front page of the Husker's media guide. "That was really the dagger in my heart" laments Harry.

Herbie was soon officially adopted as the symbol for Husker athletics and Harry drifted off to obscurity.

Today, he says he doesn't hear much from anyone at the University.

"I guess they just didn't want me around. Nobody ever officially told me I was out. I mean that's the least they could have done."

Herbie Husker reigned on the Husker sidelines ever since, but he too has seen some troubles.

In 1994 Nebraska Athletic director Bill Byrne announced that Herbie Husker was being phased out as the Husker mascot. Public outcry was loud with a large number of people insisting that Herbie stay on board.

"Gee..where were all these people when the same thing happened to me?" asks Harry. "I thought it was so ironic. The Nebraska A.D. tries to get rid of the mascot, only this time the fans made a big enough stink that they decided to keep him. I just don't get it."

Harry doesn't have many kind words for the Huskers' other mascot, 'Little Red'.

"That thing looks like a Macy's parade reject on crack." says Harry.

Harry admits that the years have failed to wash the bitter feelings away. But he still remains the Huskers' biggest fan. "Absolutely! I love the team. I know I'm not welcome at the stadium anymore, but I listen to every game on the radio. I still have the pennant I used to carry."

And what if the call should come for Harry's return to the sidelines?

"I do it in a minute. he says." Who knows, Harry. Maybe the time will come.