Can't Wait For Saturday | Volleyball in a football stadium? Obviously, a great idea
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Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmusssen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves.
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We've all heard the old joke: I was at a fight and a hockey game broke out.
How about this for a twist? I was at a football stadium and a volleyball match broke out.
That was the deal Wednesday night at the other Memorial Stadium, the one in Lincoln, Neb., where 92,003 crammed into the home of Nebraska football to watch the perennial volleyball power face Omaha.
Nebraska won easily, sending the fired-up crowd home happy. If you didn't know it before, Nebraska is a volleyball school.
Besides winning the match, Nebraska set the world record for attendance at a women's sporting event. Very cool.
Would it work in Champaign-Urbana? Of course. But the Red Grange/Dick Butkus Memorial Stadium doesn't hold enough to break the record.
Perhaps another sport can try it. Set up a women's and men's basketball doubleheader early in the season. And cross your fingers that the weather cooperates.
The folks at Nebraska were a bit on the fortunate side Wednesday with clear skies and reasonable temperatures.
Most important,, the players seemed to enjoy the experience. The fans did too. And so did Magic Johnson, who tweeted about it.
Only question i have for the players: How do you play another match after that experience? Don't be surprised if Nebraska struggles its next time out.