Clarence Thomas Calling Nebraska an 'Upper-Level School' in SCOTUS Arguments Is the Best Thing to Happen to the Huskers in a Decade

The oral arguments happening today in NCAA v. Alston have been well-documented, with the NCAA taking a real shellacking in front of the highest court in the land. It sure seems that when a decision comes down in the case, the NCAA might be required to allow some more compensation for student-athletes, at least for some education-related expenses.

But my personal favorite quote of the arguments came from Justice Clarence Thomas when he mentioned some of the top athletic departments in the country for whom these additional expenses wouldn't be a big deal. You know, like Alabama, Ohio State and ... Nebraska.

This has to be a real shot in the arm for Cornhuskers fans. Even if the reality is that your athletic program has become a shell of its former self unlikely to ever return to any sort of national relevance, at least a Supreme Court justice still views you as on equal footing with the best of the best. What I actually love most about this is that Thomas has said publicly he became a big Nebraska fan — despite not being from the state or attending the school — because of his in-laws. So he's trying to speak into existence the Huskers literally even being in the same conversation with those schools.

And the best part is that Thomas is known for very rarely speaking during oral arguments. In 2016, he broke a 10-year streak of silence. He never talks. So when he opens his mouth, he feels it's pretty important. And today's very important announcement was that Nebraska is still elite.

And I respect the hell out of it. I will continue to use my platform to prop up Tennessee until we inevitably get back to where we rightfully belong and Justice Thomas is doing the same thing, just from behind the bench of the Supreme Court of the United States. Just another example of college football fans being the best in sports.