 There was the stunning upset victory over Springfield High on
homecoming.There was the crushing loss to Springfield Southeast
on a field goal in the final seconds.
There were moments of pride. There were moments of frustration.
But through it all, one constant for the Railers has been Dane
Eimer.
A senior, Eimer has played nearly every down for Lincoln this
season -- on offense, defense and special teams.
Many nights, he has also been the team's heartbeat, delivering
fiery speeches in Railer huddles, making critical catches on offense
and delivering vicious blows on defense.
In preparation for Friday night's season finale against Olympia
at Handlin Field, Lincoln Daily News sports writer Justin Tierney
sat down with Eimer this week to discuss the 2012 season.
Tierney: So tell me how you think your senior season has
gone. Tell me your opinion on the season.
Eimer: We definitely hoped for a couple more wins. But,
having 30-some guys go out every Friday night, fighting as hard as
we can to get a win, I would say that it's been pretty successful.
No one else in our conference is doing that.
T: You've already touched on a question I was planning to ask.
I'll just ask you now: When you think back on your senior season,
how much will the low numbers (on the team's roster) be a part of
what you remember? I'm sure you're going to remember specific plays,
or the homecoming win, or other things, but how much will (the lack
of numbers) be a part of it, the 30 guys on the varsity roster?
E: It's going to be a big part of what I remember. Just because
no one else in our conference is doing it. Everyone on this team has
that much they have to give, that much more effort they have to put
in every day in practice, or every Friday night. We've given it our
all every game.
T: You are someone who is directly impacted by the numbers.
Except for a few times when sophomores have come into the game
because the game is out of reach, have you missed a snap this year,
or, can you count how many snaps you've missed this year?
E: Um, I think I've missed three. That's what I want to say. One
or two in the Chatham game ... two in another game, I forget which
one.
T: And this is on both sides of the ball? Less than five for
sure? This is offense, defense and special teams, am I right?
E: Yeah. That's right.
T: So just so I'm clear then -- you play punt coverage?
E: Yep.
T: Kickoff coverage?
E: That's right.
T: Point after touchdowns?
E: Mm-hhmm.
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T: Am I missing anything?
E: Kick return and punt return.
T: OK. Tell me what that's like. That's unheard of.
E: It's tough, but I wouldn't change it. I want to be out there
every play of the game, to impact the game as much as I can for our
team, to get a win each night.
T: So then how do you feel after football games?
E: (Laughs) Beat up, definitely. Sore. Just like the other guys
who are battling with me, going both ways and are out there almost
every play in the game.
T: Do you go out after games? Go see friends? Or do you rest?
E: Either we go to Steak 'n Shake and get bite to eat. Or, we go
to (junior quarterback) Austin Krusz's house to relax in the hot
tub.
T: During games, how do you deal with fatigue from a mental
perspective? I know you're physically exhausted. So, how do you stay
focused? What is your routine, or is there anything you do when it's
the third or fourth quarter and there's a receiver from Sacred
Heart-Griffin trying to sprint up the middle past you -- how do you
stay in it?
E: It's just love for the game, I guess. I just play as hard as I
can, and it's never giving up. It's knowing that (if) I do give in
for a play, or one second, that kid will go for a touchdown in this
conference. There's a lot of tough guys and a lot of the fast guys
in the conference.
T: Just from being on the sidelines and our conversations
previously, I know you love football. You play basketball and
baseball as well. So what is it about football that you love so
much?
E: Man ... (pause) ... it's just a lot of fun going out there on
Friday nights. It's a stress-reliever. I like hitting people. I like
giving it all I have. It just relates to life for me so much.
T: How so?
E: In the game of life, it's like if you go out there on Friday
nights without passion, and then you go out in life without passion
and don't do something wholeheartedly, you're going to get bad
results. If you go out every Friday night, after you've worked hard
all week, you're going to be successful, no matter how the outcome
turns out.
___
Check out Lincoln Daily News tomorrow for the rest of Tierney's
interview with Dane Eimer.
[By JUSTIN TIERNEY]
Justin
Tierney's Railer football articles
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