Former Super Bowl MVP Williams weds at Sam Boyd

Steve Addy

Friday, July 26, 2002 | 9:21 a.m.

Add another doozie to Las Vegas' long, strange history of quickie marriages. Also, add one more football game to Southern Nevada's busy sports calendar.

Those seemingly unrelated items merged Thursday in a bizarre example of promotional/personal synergy.

After a midday press conference to trumpet a Sept. 21 game between Grambling and Tennessee State at Sam Boyd Stadium, Grambling coach and ex-Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams got married in the SBS press box.

Before 50 media and PR types, leggy showgirls and youths from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas -- as well as a minister hired on three hours' notice -- Williams wed dentist Dr. Lisa Judge in the tower overlooking the stadium.

All parties insisted the ceremony was legit.

"I don't want anyone to leave here thinking this was a gimmick," said Williams, who quarterbacked the Washington Redskins to 42-10 victory over Denver in the 1987 Super Bowl.

Williams and Judge had planned to be married today at his home in Zachary, La. But Williams and game organizer Earl Harris persuaded Judge to let the wedding coincide with Williams' trip to Las Vegas to promote the game.

"She was a little reluctant, but I told her it wouldn't be all bad," Williams said. "I figured that everything else happens in Vegas, so we might as well do it at the press conference."

While not exactly a replay of late-night Vegas nuptuals by Elvis and Priscilla in 1967 and a tipsy Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra in 1998, it was a surreal event nevertheless.

One minute Williams and Tennessee State coach James Reese were pumping the Silver Dollar Classic -- that's what the game is called -- and educating locals about their new prospects at quarterback, running back and offensive line.

Barely five minutes later Williams and Judge were repeating their vows before the Rev. Mike Phelan of Victory Missionary Baptist Church in Las Vegas.

Williams seemed a bit nervous, flubbling the words thee endow" to the muffled giggles of the attendees.

There was no musical interlude, unless you count a couple of pagers that went off during the ceremony.

Queried about the couple's honeymoon plans, Williams said, "We've been honeymooning for the last two months. I have to go back to work."

The Silver Dollar Classic hopes to bring two historically black college teams to Sam Boyd Stadium every year, starting with Grambling and Tennessee State at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 21. Tickets range from $20 to $100 and are available at UNLVtickets.com or by calling 739-3267.