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“See ya, Shatel.” That was the last thing I heard Matt Vrzal say Wednesday night, the last thing he always said as I left Piezon’s after my weekly slice of pizza and Vrz. I’m a regular at the west Omaha pizza joint Wednesdays, sitting at the bar with other regulars — occasionally with Creighton associate head basketball coach Steve Merfeld. The pizza is terrific and comes in a huge slice that serves as a meal. But I showed up for the conversation with the proprietor/cook/barkeep. I’m going to miss those conversations. Mostly, I’m going to miss the man. Less than 24 hours after I said goodnight to Vrzal, I got a call from Merfeld: Vrzal died. He was 51, his number at Nebraska. It's hard to believe. Vrzal was one of those characters who had always been there and would always be there. An hour later, I ran into his good friend and former Husker teammate Matt Hoskinson at an Elkhorn South football game. Hos was numb. As word spread about Vrzal’s death, folks offered condolences to Hoskinson. The tributes began pouring in on Facebook and X from all corners of Omaha and Nebraska. And that was when you got a hint about how rich Vrzal was when he died. He left behind a treasure trove of lives he touched with his humor, kindness and huge heart. Vrzal was a former Husker offensive lineman and local celebrity. But the celebrity had nothing to do with football. That was because he was Matt Vrzal. Vrz was a man of the people. And a renaissance man. A renaissance man of the people. He was synonymous with Skutt High School football. Vrzal formally served as offensive line coach for Matt Turman, his former Husker teammate. Vrzal coached the kids then fed them and their parents at Piezon’s. He worked with Steve Warren’s Academy, helping develop young linemen and he talked about becoming a line coach for individual kids around the city. Vrzal was a media star in own right. He had his own show for a while and hosted “Husker Hangover” on Sunday mornings after games. There was no better therapy for fans than listening to Vrzal’s straight talk with a hint of sarcasm. I think offensive linemen are the smartest football players and Vrzal had that brain. He also had street smarts that served the Grand Island kid when he moved to Chicago on his own after graduation. He loved that town and those Chicago Cubbies so much you would have thought Vrz was a Windy City native. His annual trip to the Cubs home opener was a social media event as folks followed along with the Vrz Tour of Chicago. But Vrzal the businessman was his most impressive side. He was brilliant, just by being him. Vrz got into the restaurant/pub business by accident at Lazarri’s in Lincoln. That led him to take over Piezon’s, a small take-out spot with a counter and two ovens at 156th and Center Streets. He took over the King Kong restaurant on the corner and expanded Piezon’s to sit-down service. Soon, every seat was full. There his character fully developed. He wasn’t "Piezon" and it wasn’t a Husker football place. Folks just knew it as “Vrzal’s.” The man was a force of nature. He opened the place and closed it nearly every day. He cooked, bused tables, tended bar but mostly served as your engaging host. Piezon’s was a place to watch a game, but it was also a family place and youth team spot. You would see Vrzal sitting at a table of guys talking football. Or he would lead 5-year-old kids over to the wall by the kitchen, where they were encouraged to color on the wall. Nobody ever worked harder but he somehow made time to drive up to Newman Grove and the City Cafe, where he picked up delicious pies that he sold at his shop. A small-town touch that Vrzal enjoyed. I always wondered why more former Huskers didn’t have restaurants or bars. The answer is that the restaurant business is hard. A reason to go to those places is the chance of seeing the athletes hanging out there. A lot of those guys don’t like doing that. Vrzal was a former Husker who was there every day and night. Though he would talk football and do radio bits, he didn’t want that to be what Piezon’s was all about. “I’m not that guy,” Vrzal told me in 2016. “I’m a people person. I like hanging out there and chatting with customers who come in. Sports, business, whatever. Everybody has questions. I love Nebraska football.” I always looked forward to talking about Husker football with Vrzal. He was never short of opinions and had a no-nonsense edge. He was plugged into the high school sports scene, he knew something about everything. I always learned something. I usually laughed. Vrzal laughed when I told him that I didn’t remember him as a Husker from 1993 through 1996. He walked on and was a back-up lineman and special teamer. Those rarely, if ever, came to the interview room for a team that won national titles in 1994 and 1995. But knowing how good of a storyteller and quote he was, I told him I wished I had known him. He loved that. I did know him. And I’m blessed to have known him. Just as anyone who ever met the man will never forget his wit, wisdom and kindness. The way he made you feel important, made you feel at home. He left us too soon, but he left us full. Happy trails, Vrz. May you find a huge slice of heaven.
