ESPN GameDay Guest: Who Should It Be?

While I was hoping that they would stay away, the ESPN GameDay gang must be hungry for Runzas, Chili, Cinnamon Rolls and Koolaid so they decided that Lincoln, NE is where they want to be this coming Saturday.

The last time they were in town I had zero kids, zero dogs, no wife, no responsibilities. I could nap on Sundays with the golf on the television for hours and I would feel no guilt. I was living in a house that would shake every time a semi would drive by on 48th street. In the winter, I had two space-heaters in my bed room. When I would walk out of my bedroom I could see my breath.

It was a great year. Not a great football season however.

So I wanted to make a list of people ESPN should consider having as their guest picker. Instead of making a ranking, I figured it would be more fun to put these people in tiers. So here we go.

A-List Choices

Larry the Cable Guy - There are some who have publicly come out and stated that they don’t want Larry the Cable Guy to be our guest picker. Do they realize that the guy they see on television is a character he created a long time ago? I still remember listening to him call into 101.9 The Edge (if I remember that correctly) in the mornings and he was hilarious. He is not one of my favorite comedians, but that’s okay. There are obviously a lot of people that love his stuff.

He obviously is a part of the identity of the state. If you get upset about Larry being the picker then I think you might be a little self-conscious. Not only is he a major part of the identity of the state, so is...

Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford - One of, if not THE (he should trademark that word), best boxers in the world at this moment.

Check out this clip. Or fast-forward to the 2 minute mark. This is a great example of how Nebraska is a state that simply loves sports. Not only football but any event. I mean we event put on a great show for the Olympic swim trials. This is in Omaha and the crowd goes nuts. I get goosebumps watching it.

While he trains in Colorado Springs, his roots have always been in Omaha. Oh ya. he’s a big Nebraska football fan.

Terence Crawford has been a great representative of the state of Nebraska just like Larry. We aren’t done yet with people who people identify with Nebraska football.

Gabrielle Union - Born in Omaha and when it comes to celebrities being vocal about their love for Nebraska football she might be at the top of the list. She’s a great actress and has been in too many movies to count.

One of the best stories is that in order to get her father’s permission to marry her, Dwayne Wade, had to commit to being a Nebraska football fan. That Go Big Red blood must be coursing through that family’s veins.

Here she is convincing James Cordon to pick Nebraska has his college football team.

Adam DeVine - Actor and comedian and he loves Nebraska football so much that it almost killed him:

When Rolling Stone asked me to write an article about why I loved the Nebraska Cornhuskers, I thought about writing “Cornhuskers fucking rule” about eight-hundred times and calling it a day.

I didn’t do that. I did, however, fall into a YouTube hole of Husker clips from when I first became a fan in ’94 and ’95. I watched for a weird amount of hours, I got goose bumps when I heard the tunnel music and yelled “He is the truth” alone in my bedroom while watching Tommie Frazier complete “The Run.” I legit almost cried a few times. I realized that the Nebraska Cornhuskers football program means a lot to me – some people might think too much. Those people are dicks. It’s more than football to me; it was my childhood, it was my memories.

He filmed a comedy special in Omaha in 2019 which is on Netflix, and is known primarily from his role in Workaholics.

Warren Buffett - Probably the most well known Nebraskan on the entire planet and he happens to be a billionaire. All I will say is that I was in Texas at a hotel and CNN on was on the TV in the common area. They ran a story about Nebraska and gave three reasons why it is a great state to live. One of those reasons was that Warren Buffett lives there.

An Option that Deserves a Tier of His Own

Jack Hoffman - Unless you have found your way to this site through some back-channel I think you know Jack’s story. He was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer and was adopted by the Nebraska football team several years ago. He met President Obama, won an ESPY and even scored a touchdown in the Nebraska spring game.

Jack’s family started the Team Jack Foundation which raises money for pediatric brain cancer. In fact, the story game out this past week that he is in fact suiting up to play football. ABC World News Tonight even did a short story on it.

Pretty Good Options - But Not Exactly A-List

Andy Roddick - Retired professional tennis player. At one time he was ranked number one in the world. He was born in Omaha but moved shortly thereafter. He has been public about his fandom.

Clarence Thomas - Current Supreme Court Justice who I have seen tailgating before a Nebraska football game. He visited Creighton Law School while I was a student there which was a cool experience regardless of political views. It is well known that he lives and breathes Nebraska football.

Ashley Graham - A well known model, author and has even given a TED talk. She is a Nebraska native and went to high school in Lincoln. Unfortunately, she has said she does not care much about football.

Matt Damon - A great actor whose nephew attended Nebraska at one time. I have no idea if Matt Damon is still a Nebraska fan, or if he ever was one, but if he is then he’d be great to have on GameDay.

Dwayne Wade - Future NBA Hall-of Famer and converted Nebraska football fan as stated above. This would be a great option, but Gabrielle would have to be on as well. She’s the real fan.

Faux Pelini - Can a twitter account go on as a GameDay picker?

Not Only Out of the Box - But Out of Our Minds

Alexander Payne - director and producer

Bob Gibson - One of the greatest pitchers of all time. He however would likely not be interested.

Dick Cavett - comedian and former talk-show host.

Chip Davis - greatest musician of all-time regardless of genre.

Nick Nolte - Golden Glob winning actor and Academy Award nominated.

Ted Kooser - former poet laureate

Sam Keller - Gotta bring him back! He was there the last time.