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football Edit

Hundreds line up to purchase NCAA 2007

For the third consecutive year, hundreds of Husker fans lined up outside their local Game Stop and Wal-Mart stores for the midnight release of EA Sports' NCAA 2007 college football video game.
To give you an idea just how big the NCAA College Football video game is in the state of Nebraska, the Lincoln Game Stop at the Westfield Shopping Center did over $25,000 (500+ copies) in sales of the game on last year's opening day.
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In fact, there are over 4,000 Game Stop stores nation wide and three of the top five national leaders in sales on opening day of the game came from the state of Nebraska—the other two were in Oklahoma.
According to Westfield Game Stop manager Matt Shepard, no other game they sell at the store generates this kind of excitement.
"We were given a plaque the last two years for having such high sales of the game on opening day," Sheppard said. "It's pretty crazy."
Two years ago, the Westfield Game Stop's shipment of the game actually got delayed and the store was forced to cancel the midnight release and put the game out in the morning when the mall opened.
"That was nuts," Sheppard said. "I thought people were going to kill me. They were so mad we didn't have the game at midnight. We didn't end up getting it in until 4 a.m."
In past years, Husker players such as former running back Cory Ross, defensive tackle Le Kevin Smith and current running back Marlon Lucky lined up to get their hands on the game early.
On Monday night, sophomore running back Leon Jackson was the only player seen at the Westfield Game Stop purchasing NCAA 2007 at midnight.
Jackson had no comment and wanted nothing to do with our release story, but it was the second year in a row he came to the midnight release party at the Westfield Game Stop.
Perhaps the most bizarre scene at the release party on Monday night was when a man came in line carrying his three-month old baby daughter sleeping in her car seat.
When it came time for him to go in the store and purchase the game, a group of his friends kept an eye on his daughter who continued sleeping.
"His wife was actually cool with it," one of his friends said. "She knows how much he likes this game."
Lincoln native and RSS board member Thomas Wickard (Destoryer71) shares the same passion for the game.
Monday night was the second year in a row he went to the Westfield Mall for the midnight release party.
"It's fun to come out here and get the game and see all the people getting the game," Wickard said.
Lincoln resident Jason Dunn, who also purchased the game at midnight said he doesn't plan on sleeping Monday night.
When Dunn walked out of the store, he yelled and playfully taunted the several other hundred people still waiting in line and told them he already got his game.
"I don't even get up to buy the new Jordan's (shoes) early when they come out," Dunn said.
"I'm not going to sleep tonight...I'm not going to lie to you. It's going to be a long night."
EA Sports NCAA 2007 Nebraska Roster Breakdown
Quarterback
Zac Taylor – 86
Harrison Beck – 82
Joe Ganz – 78
Jordan Adams – 76
Running Back
Marlon Lucky – 86
Cody Glenn – 85
Kenny Wilson – 85
Brandon Jackson – 84
Fullback
Dane Todd – 92
Thomas Lawson – 84
Grant Miller – 84
Wide Receiver
Terrence Nunn – 86
Nate Swift – 85
Maurice Purify – 80
Grant Mulkey – 80
Tyrell Spain – 78
Isaiah Fluellen -78
Chris Brooks – 76
Frantz Hardy – 76
Tight End
Matt Herian – 92
J.B. Phillips – 84
Josh Mueller – 80
Clayton Sievers – 72
Offensive Tackle
Lydon Murtha – 84
Chris Patrick – 82
Victory Haines – 76
Jacob Hickman – 70
Offensive guard
Andy Christensen – 80
Jordan Picou – 80
Matt Slauson – 78
Mike Huff – 74
Rodney Picou – 72
Center
Kurt Mann – 91
Greg Austin – 86
Brett Byford – 80
Defensive End
Adam Carriker – 93
Jay Moore – 89
Barry Turner – 84
Dontrell Moore – 82
Zach Potter – 82
Ty Steinkuhler – 76
Defensive Tackle
Ola Dagunduro – 88
Barry Cryer – 87
Ndamukong Suh – 82
Brandon Johnson – 80
Outside Linebacker
Stewart Bradley – 90
Steve Octavien – 86
Bo Ruud – 84
Lance Brandenburgh – 80
Middle Linebacker
Corey McKeon – 88
Phillip Dillard – 72
Cornerback
Zackary Bowman – 95
Cortney Grixby – 87
Tierre Green – 84
Bryan Wilson – 80
Titus Brothers – 76
Free Safety
Leon Jackson – 82
Andre Jones – 82
Ricky Thenarse – 70
Strong Saftey
Andrew Shanle – 82
Brandon Rigoni – 80
Ben Eisenhart – 80
Kicker
Jordan Congdon – 89
Punter
Dan Titchener – 74
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